Where does this come from, and can I check it?

A long pole lets the mic follow the actors without entering shot. The figure is taken from BFI, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a movies & tv fact?

Yes. It sits on the Movies & TV shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

What else can I read about it?

The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

Boom operators hold the microphone just out of frame

A long pole lets the mic follow the actors without entering shot The boom pole is a lightweight arm carrying a directional microphone, held by an operator who walks the edge of the set and swings the mic to follow dialogue. The microphone stays above the top of frame or just outside the side of the shot. Directional mics pick up what they point at and reject much of the room. It sits in Mondo's movies & tv collection, one of 200 facts that each trace back to the reference below.

Where this comes from

BFI

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

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Movies & Television trivia Technology trivia

More facts like this

A blimp muffles the sound of the cameraSoundproof housings let noisy film cameras run during dialogue scenes The clapperboard exists to line up sound and pictureThe clap makes a visible and audible mark at the same instant Television sitcoms often use several cameras at onceMulti-camera shoots record a scene in one continuous run before a live audience The focus puller keeps the shot sharpThey turn a geared wheel to track an actor moving toward or away from the lens The dolly grip drives the camera platformThey push and steer a wheeled rig by hand so the move stays smooth The gaffer runs the lighting departmentThey plan the rig, hire the electricians and answer to the cinematographer

Tags: sound, production, microphones

Boom operators hold the microphone just out of frame: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: A long pole lets the mic follow the actors without entering shot. The figure is taken from BFI, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a movies & tv fact?: Yes. It sits on the Movies & TV shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.