Production Sound & Video

32 PRODUCTION SOUND & VIDEO – Winter 2021 never seen a Fisher boom," Steve explains, "They don't know what this is, more than half a dozen asked me if this is something I built myself. They had no concept of what this tool could do. I'd tell them, these were around before your parents were born." During the first season, seeing Steve and Shannon perched on ladders, the crew understood the need for the Fisher booms. The AD's made the necessary compromises in placement of the Background Actors, and the Grip and Electric Departments worked to help them with their new tool. The Camera Operators were handheld in season one, then moved to dollies in the following season, making it better for Steve and Shannon on the Fishers. The show's DP, Jay Hunter, did some sound work early in his career, so he understood their issues. He was very supportive of Darin and the crew incorporating the Fisher booms. "He's actually a fan of the Fisher as a piece of film equipment. He understands what a versatile tool it is, and how much more you can do with it than a fishpole," explains Shannon. "The hardest part I thought was getting the booms into the right position," Steve continues, "realizing that this boom was a piece of gear that needed to be there, just like the dollies, just like the cameras. You had to claim your position and not feel awkward about telling people, you've gotta move that, as the boom has to be here." Unique to the show are the break room scenes with as many as thirteen cast members. Shannon and Steve are pleased at how they can cover those scenes with just the two booms. Steve said, "We have a couple of sets where we have to break it up into zones because of the size, and the way the dialog overlaps." The show is very unpredictable with the actors ad-libbing at will. Darin established a workflow of wiring the cast, but utilizing the Fishers in every scene. The booms can be raised high enough to reach over the shelving, so they can cover several aisles at a time. Shannon has often dollied the platform so Steve can cover many 'walk and talks.' They use two iPads, one to view the three cameras, and the second is for the script, using the Scriptation app. They have a talk-back system hooked up to foot pedals allowing them to communicate with Darin. The Fishers have proved most effective with two shots, as the actors are now at least six feet apart, although the camera angles cheat them as being much closer. "Even just two people talking, with COVID placement," explains Shannon, "then the two overs, our typical setup for two people. We started to split those up, with two booms, just to catch ad-libs." Steve has mentored his son Shannon and speaks proudly of him, "He started with us about three years ago. I think the neat part about Shannon's training on this show is that he's learned to put mics and coordinate frequencies on the Venues, all the things that a Utility person would do. But he's also got to watch how we've done it throughout our careers with two booms, and who's covering who, telling a mixer how to set all that up. So, he has a really broad oversight of today's sound." Chris Walmer on Schooled Hanging out on Schooled (Clockwise) Darin Knight's sound cart and the two Fisher booms, Steve and Shannon Cain, both booms with offset arms, monitor system, and correct PPE, Steve Cain with an 816 in a blimp, better than a fishpole and a ladder with such a heavy microphone.

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