History Main / VisibleBoomMic

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** To clarify: The boom mic drops down and hits Wanda in the head, she then grabs it and throws it back off screen.

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* [[BreakingTheFourthWall Happens]] in ''CornerGas'' when Brent and Wanda are [[SeinfeldianConversation discussing]] the comparative qualities between [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall production values and substance]].

* Whenever the ''Sinnoh Now!'' crew shows up on ''[=~Pokémon~=]'', expect someone to be clobbered by the boom mic at one point.
* Used [[RuleOfFunny intentionally]] in a trailer for the ''Disgaea'' [[TheAnimeOfTheGame anime]].

* TheAngryBeavers episode "The Loogie Hawk"

* The information text on ''DoctorWho'' [=DVDs=] helpfully points out the more prominent boom shadows as well as other technical flaws.

''And now you can see his head? The boom mike is so far into the shot I could describe the boom mike operator to a sketch artist!''
->TheCinemaSnob on {{Dolemite}}

* In the first episode of ''StElsewhere'', there's a long dialogue scene where the characters are walking through the corridors, and the mike is visible for a few moments. I believe they post-synced dialogue in later episodes specifically to avoid this.

''Whoop, boom mike, big twelve.''
->'''[[MysteryScienceTheater3000 Joel Robinson]]''', pointing out a VBM in ''{{Mitchell}}''

This is a common {{Blooper}} in old SoapOperas, {{Sit Com}}s and dramas videotaped (sometimes filmed) with ThreeCameras, where all of the dialogue has to be recorded using overhead boom microphones. Less common on single-camera TV shows and movies, but it does happen. Much more scarce today because drama shows don't use multi-camera any more, and any stray shadows can be CGI'd out.

* ''TheTwilightZone'' TOS episode "Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up": During the final scene between the businessman (three-armed Martian) and the counterman (three-eyed Venusian), as the counterman says, "And I agree with you about what they call music," a shadow from an overhead boom mike (on the counterman's hat) moves slightly. Watch it [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9F3FikAZh7Q here at 3:50]].

* Used [[RuleOfFunny intentionally]] in a trailer for the [[Disgaea ''Disgaea'']] [[TheAnimeOfTheGame anime]].

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Boom_mike_shadow_8862.jpg
[[caption-width:344:[[PlanNineFromOuterSpace Unfortunately, that was the least of this movie's troubles.]]]]

[[caption-width:344:[[PlanNineFromOuterSpace Unfortunately that was the least of this movie's troubles]]]]When a boom mic or the shadow of a boom mic makes it into the final production by accident, it detracts from the show by reminding the audience it's just a show. This may be done on purpose for parody or to break the fourth wall.

* One of the most well-known SpecialEffectsFailure of ''Plan9FromOuterSpace'' is this, during the cockpit scene.

* Happens on the ShowWithinAShow in ''{{Bolt}}''. The director is angry about it not because the audience could have seen it, but because the ''dog'' could have seen it, since it would have spoiled his EnforcedMethodActing.

* One of the worst offenders is the old ''BeverlyHills90210'' series, where the Visible Boom Mic could be spotted countless times floating over a main character's head.
* This happens all the time in ''RedDwarf''. There's even compilations on {{YouTube}} of shots with visible boom mikes, although the Boom Mikes themselves, even when visible, usually blended pretty well.

* This happened so often on SouthOfNowhere that the fan forum declared Boomy the Boom Mic an integral character on the show and came up with a variety of EpilepticTrees and ParodyFanFics to tie Boomy to the plot.

When a boom mic or the shadow of a boom mic makes it into the final production by accident, it detracts from the show by reminding the audience it's just a show. This may be done on purpose for parody or to break the fourth wall.