Tom Morrow
January 3rd, 2012, 07:47 PM
How do you protect your boom mic in between takes? I often find myself leaning the boom with exposed mic against a wall while I go to the bathroom or visit craft services. But on crowded sets, this often feels like a recipe for disaster; someone could easily cause it to fall over and then the expensive mic on the end might hit the floor, not good.
My interest in being a sound guy started when I was an extra for the film "Moneyball" and it happened the sound cart set up right near me.
They had this big super-heavy vertical cylinder that looked perfect for the task: Heavy enough that it can't be knocked over, tall enough to hold the boom upright, and takes up hardly any floor space. Like an umbrella can on steroids.
What do you use to keep your boom and microphone safe on set while you are elsewhere?
I'm thinking of keeping some sort of sock handy to pull over the bare microphone, and then setting the boom upside down with the sock-covered mic on the floor so it can't fall. Or constructing some sort of foam or fabric covered covered thingy that I can leave on the floor and set the mic onto; perhaps just cover a camping plate with foam? Any better ideas short of building the monster umbrella holder like the big boys use?
My interest in being a sound guy started when I was an extra for the film "Moneyball" and it happened the sound cart set up right near me.
They had this big super-heavy vertical cylinder that looked perfect for the task: Heavy enough that it can't be knocked over, tall enough to hold the boom upright, and takes up hardly any floor space. Like an umbrella can on steroids.
What do you use to keep your boom and microphone safe on set while you are elsewhere?
I'm thinking of keeping some sort of sock handy to pull over the bare microphone, and then setting the boom upside down with the sock-covered mic on the floor so it can't fall. Or constructing some sort of foam or fabric covered covered thingy that I can leave on the floor and set the mic onto; perhaps just cover a camping plate with foam? Any better ideas short of building the monster umbrella holder like the big boys use?