Mono, Stereo?

Hi,
I've noticed how all boom mikes record in mono, but since all movies
are in stereo, I've been pondering how that works out.
At first I tried just duplicating the mono track, but that doesn't
seem to help; it only makes it louder through one speaker but the
other speaker is still silent.
I'm wondering how to get a mono track to play through both speaker.
thanks

ps I use FCP and Soundtrack pro.
 
First, large budget films are generally 5.1 surround these days. 7.1 is becoming more popular and 9.1 360 degree surround is coming in the near future. Low/no/micro budget projects are mostly stereo, but that is changing.

Mono tracks, especially dialog, are usually panned to the center when mixing in stereo, or sent to the center speaker when doing 5.1 surround.

When mixing in stereo the stem sub mixes and master mix are almost always stereo. When a mono track is panned to the center it will be heard out of both speakers.

When you duplicated the track you also duplicated all of the automation including the panning, so you increased the level but didn't change anything else. You need to find the panning automation control and pan all of your dialog to the center.

It sounds like you need a basic audio 101 type of course. Volume, panning, EQ, effects, dynamics, gain staging, stems/sub mixes, effects sends/returns, etc.
 
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As always, Alcove gives some sound advice. (and my puns are never intended). What I do is just go to the 'modify' tab in FCP -> 'Audio' -> and 'pan center'. Then adjust your levels and filters from there. Are you recording into XLR plugs on a camera, XLR to mini, or into a portable recorder?
 
Yea Alove I really do need some audio 101.
I'm not a very audio person, mostly cinematography, writing, and directing.
haha.
Anyways I'm going XLR to Portable recording device.
 
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