Mic Check Mic Check
No need to ask, He's a Boom Operator
Bazinga! (Or the Science)
Quiet on Set
Yes, I read the book!
100
A name for mics that are used in Production Audio. Often on the end of a Boom Pole.
What is A Shotgun Mic?
(Boom Mic)
100
This is the most common boom op position. It allows you to use your elbows to follow talent.
What is a Standard 'H' or the field-goal Position?
100
These are vibrations through the air. When these vibrations reach our ears, we perceive it as sound.
What are Sound Waves?
100
This is the process of gathering sound for a production in the field.
What is Production Audio or Location Sound?
100
True or False
Good location sound is only possible with a high budget.
False
Good location sound is possible with any size budget.
200
This type of Mic is small and easy to hit. Great for capturing all actors on set.
What is a A Lavalier Mic?
A Lav Mic
or A Lapel Mic
200
Name this Boom Position
The Scoop?
The Joust?
200
This is the unit that Amplitude is measured in. The abbreviation is dB.
What are Decibels?
200
True or False
It is the main priority to capture the sound of the environment on set.
False
The main priority is capturing Dialog
200
The term for when it’s impossible to gather usable audio during a production and actors re-record dialog in a studio.
What is ADR?
Automated Dialog Replacement
300
True or False?
Dynamic Microphones are highly responsive, captures subtleties in sound, and requires Phantom Power (48V) to work.
False,
Condenser Mics are highly responsive, captures subtleties in sound, and requires Phantom Power (48V) to work.
300
True or False
A good boom operator tries to keep the boom pole parallel to the ground
True
This allows for easier movement and a better angle on your talent
300
The dynamic range (loudness) available in a recording. It makes up one half of our file format standard for audio recordings in Film.
What is Bit Depth?
300
This is the goal of location sound. It is the main thing you should focus on while on set.
What is to capture clean, consistent, and intelligible Dialogue.
300
This is what ENG stand for. Often used to describe Sound Bag workflows on set.
What is Electronic News Gathering?
400
This term is used to describe a mic’s sensitivity at different angles. Often in different shapes, they help isolate sound sources or capture more of the ambiences of a room. It can also be used as a way to categorize mics.
What is a Polar Pattern?
400
True or False
A good boom operator keeps their back to the camera so they give their camera op room to work.
False
Facing the camera allows you see any camera movements and keep your mic out of frame
400
This refers to the number of complete wave cycles that occur in a second. Measured in Hz / kHz, it can also describe the pitch of a sound.
What are Frequencies?
400
True or False
Best clothing for boom oping is black clothes, no rings or jewelry, and comfortable shoes.
True
This allows you to move silently, unseen, and stay standing for longer
400
Where a loudness meter typically end on recording equipment.
What is 0dB?
500
A type of Polar Pattern that surrounds the entire mic in all directions.
What is an Omnidirectional Polar Pattern
500
The term of the edge of a camera's shot. It's important for the Boom Op to have a mental image of where this starts to avoid their mic from ruining the shot.
What is the Frame Line?
500
This refers to the amount of energy present in a wave, we perceive that energy as volume.
What is Amplitude?
500
The process of purposely lowing your Boom Mic in frame and slowly removing it until you're just outside the shot.
What is The Dip?
500
Polar patterns are also known by this term.
What are Pickup Patterns?
600
A common Polar Pattern used in Production Audio because of the way it isolates sound sources. 
What is a Shotgun Polar Pattern?
600
True or False
The person responsible for mic placement and angle is the Sound Mixer
False
It's the Boom Operator
600
This is range of human hearing. We cannot perceive anything lower or higher than these thresholds.
What is 20Hz to 20kHz?
600
The name of this type of sound equipment.
What is a Sound Cart?
600
True or False
Digital Zero is absolute silence and cannot be hear by humans
False
Digital Zero is the peak of digital audio equipment and means the signal is too loud
700
Name 2 of the 4 common locations to hide a Lav
Chest
Collarbone
Shirt Collar
Ear
700
True or False
Cables, set pieces, and the camera is the only thing a boom op has to worry about.
False
Lighting also affects our boom position
700
_____ and _____ are measurements of a sound recording. These two measurement make up our file format standard for audio recordings in film.
What is Sample Rate & Bit Depth?
700
The Sound Mixer's response when an AD yells "Roll Sound" before a shot.
What is Sound Speed
Rolling
Recording?
700
The term for recording dialog lines without the camera rolling.
What are Wild Takes?
800
_____ and ______ are scientific measurements of sound. One measures pitch, while the other measures loudness.
What is Frequency and Amplitude?
800
This is the term for rotating your boom pole to the actor that is currently speaking. Often involves rotating your boom pole in the nook of your hand.
What is Cueing?
800
200Hz to 5kHz are Low End, Midrange, or High End frequencies?
What are Midrange frequencies?
800
A lightweight and versatile method for Sound Mixing during a Production. Often used by One-Person Sound Teams on set.
What is a Sound Bag?
800
Who was the Boom Op that popularized wearing Pink Short Shorts on set?
Ken Nightingale
900
This is a graph that represents the range of frequencies that a mic can capture and accurately reproduce.
What is a Frequency Response?
900
This is the term for moving your mic back away from your talents to capture both people speaking at once, or when you're not familiar with the script. Also helps with mixing by moving the mic back from loud sources.
What is Feathering?
900
True or False
In order to record a frequency, you must record it at that same frequency.
False
You must record at twice the frequency
900
This is the Industry File Format Standard for audio recordings.
What is 48kHz / 24bits?
900
When a Microphone converts acoustic energy into electric energy. Happens in the Diaphragm and is the scientific reason we can record audio.
What is Transduction?