With over 30 years experience as a Boom Operator in LA & New York Ken Strain has a wealth of knowledge which has has generously shared with us in this epic interview!

We cover boom op techniques, horrible rookie mistakes, the custom equipment Ken uses on set, ways to avoid back & neck strain, tips for swinging dialog & catching fast head turns, qualities of different boom mics and when to use them, a brilliant tip for booming underneath, tricks for learning lines and planning out scene coverage, advice for speaking with directors and cast members, advice for assistants new to the industry and so so much more! Just check out the chapters list below for a full break down!

So get comfy as this is a long one, jam packed with great advice, stories and real world on-set experiences. A rare treat as many boom ops are not willing to put their head up and say what needs to be said.

And for an even deeper dive into boom technique & theory we recommend you check out Kens BoomRight Masterclass eBook here: https://boomrightmasterclass.com

Big Thanks to Ken for being so generous and sharing so much, it's really a rare gift and we hope that this video helps to create an open dialog about booming.

Do let us know what you think in the comments!

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Video Chapters:

00:00 - Intro
00:40 - House, Lost & Chicago 7
01:33 - 'The Cradle' Technique
04:08 - The Boom Patch
05:20 - The Counterweight
06:42 - Lighting & Shadows
07:54 - 'Switching' Arms
11:15 - Back & Neck Pain
12:49 - Finding 'The Pivot Point'
16:26 - Boom Mic Angle
18:26 - Booming Head Turns
21:00 - Reducing Weight on the pole
22:25 - Asking the right way
24:18 - Communicating with cast
25:50 - Remembering Lines
28:54 - Swinging Dialog
30:06 - Picking the right mic
31:06 - The oh sh*t moment
31:54 - Parallax Boom Mic Accuracy
32:56 - The Private Audio Feed
33:36 - Moulded In-Ear Pieces
34:23 - Hearing Loss
35:33 - The Boom Box
37:37 - Mic Suspension Tips
39:50 - Wireless Video Monitoring
41:49 - Pushing The Frame
42:40 - Mistakes to avoid
43:44 - 'The Quest' Story
47:09 - Managing Background Noise
49:54 - Filming on a Beach
51:32 - Booming Underneath
53:30 - Booming Loud Scenes
57:10 - Avoiding Eye Lines
58:53 - What to Wear on set
59:53 - Wiring Cast
1:03:01 - Justifying 2 Booms
1:05:21 - 1AS or Boom Op?
1:07:27 - Assistant Advice
1:09:40 - Art of Booming
1:10:29 - Boom Right Masterclass

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Featured Products

K-Tek KP14V Mighty Boom Pole 14 foot with interior cable : https://ktekpro.com/product/kp14v-mig...
K-Tek Boom Patch : https://ktekpro.com/product/kbp-ktek-...
URSA Fur Circles : https://ursastraps.com/product/fur-ci...
Hide-A-Mic Re:Pose Noise Reducer
Sennheiser MKH50 & Schoeps CMIT5U microphones
Radius RAD1 Suspension : https://radiuswindshields.com/product...
Ultimate Ears moulded earpieces : https://www.ultimateears.com/

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Credits

Ken Strain :
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0833166/
https://boomrightmasterclass.com

Simon Bysshe :
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2015085/

Filmed by Nico Hambleton:
http://www.nicocam.com

Edited by Simon Bysshe

Produced by URSA Straps:
https://ursastraps.com

Filmed at The URSA HQ in the 'Audio Dept' building, Isleworth, West London.