Tilta has finally released its Zombie Rig Boompole Support System. The Zombie Rig is the new universal support system for boom operators that was designed to redistribute weight and improve flexibility when adjusting audio levels while operating.
The Zombie Rig is a co-development project and it looks to be an interesting solution for boom operators or sound recordists.
The premise behind it was to take the weight and strain off an operator’s back, arms, and shoulders. Essentially it is best to think of it as a type of Steadicam for sound. Unlike some other solutions we have seen in the past, you don’t have to have your arms up above your head. You can operate the boom including adjusting both the height and the direction without any physical strain.
We first saw a prototype of the ZomBie Rig way back at CineGear 2023. You can see my interview with Tilta above.
Above you can see a video that provides a good overview of the Zombie Rig and how you set it up.
The Zombie Rig gives users flexibility for mounting the system to not just mixer bags, but 3rd party support vests or even C-stands for extended use.
The included brackets easily adapt to a variety of boom pole models through the use of various sized shims, ensuring seamless compatibility with different brands.
The most important part of the design is the Operating Bracket which attaches to the back end of the boom pole and allows for easy adjustment of the microphone’s direction.
The Zombie Rig uses a couple of clever mechanisms that allow the operator to rotate their hands to change the direction and angle of the boom.
Users can attach a counter weighted Operating Bracket Support Pole in order to balance the length of the boom pole while easily maneuvering the boom pole vertically as well as being able to rotate it up to 360°.
This frees up the operator’s hands from supporting the weight of the boom, which opens up possibilities for mixing audio levels while operating the boom mic. While it isn’t going to be suitable for every type of sound recording scenario it will certainly help out operators in a lot of situations where they have to hold long booms for sustained periods of time.
The design is based around a central Support Pole which mounts to a wide range of sound mixer bags via a baby pin receiver.
Above you can see what sound bags it is compatible with. Currently it does appear to be limited to just ORCA and K-TEK bags, but I imagine if there is enough demand it wouldn’t be too hard for Tilta to make other adapter brackets.
With its modular design, the Tilta Zombie Rig System can be disassembled and efficiently stored, occupying less than 1 meter in length. It also includes a complimentary carrying bag for easy transportation. Below you can see what comes in the kit:
- Adjustable Microphone Mount (21106.00013.00)
- Boom Support Bracket (21106.00014.00)
- Expandable Boom Support Pole (21106.00015.00)
- Operating Bracket (360°) (21106.00016.00)
- Operating Bracket Support Pole (21106.00017.00)
- XLR Protection Module (21106.00018.00)
- Boom Pole Shims (21106.00019.00)
- Boom Pole Docking Bracket (21106.00020.00)
- Mixer Bag Mounting Brackets (21106.00021.00)
- Adjustable Mounting Module (Junior Pin) (21106.00022.00)
- Transportation Bag for Tilta Zombie Rig Boompole Support System
The Zombie Rig is constructed from high-strength carbon fiber, reinforced with patented mechanical structures for lasting stability.
Price & Availability
The Tilta Zombie Rig Boompole Support System is now available to pre-order for $719 USD, which is a 10% discount until the 6th of February. After that it will be $799 USD. It is expected to start shipping in 2-4 weeks.
