Molly Ayala
Grips and electrics are two of the most important departments on a film set, providing the lights and gear for each scene. Grips are camera and lighting rigging technicians who work with the camera and electrical departments to create the lighting setups and camera support necessary for a shot. They handle all the non-electrical equipment that modifies the light, such as setting up tripods, cranes, and dolly tracks, and are directed by a key grip. The electrical department, on the other hand, is headed by a gaffer, also known as the chief lighting technician, who is responsible for designing and executing the lighting plan.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Department | Grip and Electric (G&E) |
| Job Title | Grip |
| Who They Report To | Key Grip |
| Who The Key Grip Reports To | Director |
| Who The Key Grip Works With | Gaffer, Director of Photography |
| Who The Gaffer Reports To | Director of Photography |
| Who The Gaffer Works With | Key Grip |
| Who The Director of Photography Works With | Gaffer, Key Grip |
| Job Functions | Work with camera department to provide camera support, rig and stage lights on set |
| Equipment They Use | Dolly, crane, camera rigs, lights, tripods, tracks, jibs, static rigs, pulleys, steel cable, trusses, C-stand, chain vise grip, condor, cookie, stinger, track, wedge, apple box, barndoors, bazooka, beef, dolly grips, cable pullers |
| Skills Required | Strength, stamina, technical knowledge and experience |
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What You'll Learn
- Grips are camera support technicians who work with the camera department to provide support for camera equipment
- Grips also work with the electrical department to create lighting setups and handle power distribution
- Grips are not permitted to touch lights on union jobs, but they handle non-electrical equipment that modifies light
- Grips are responsible for building, handling, and operating essential equipment for productions, including cranes, dollies, and temporary structures
- The head of the grips department is the key grip, who is equal in rank to the gaffer, the head of the electrical department
Grips are camera support technicians who work with the camera department to provide support for camera equipment
The second function of grips is to work with the electrical department to create lighting setups necessary for a shot. Grips build, handle, and operate essential equipment for productions, including cranes, dollies, temporary structures, and any other gear required for each scene. They are responsible for moving, lifting, and adjusting equipment at every stage of production, as well as ensuring that everything is working properly and is well-maintained. Grips handle all non-electrical equipment that modifies the light. This includes setting stands that hold flags, nets, diffusing materials, or gobos that control the quality, intensity, or shape of light. They also set "passive fill", which is reflected light that is "bounced" back onto a subject, and "negative fill", which is the reduction of ambient light to raise contrast.
Grips are overseen by the Key Grip, who is their boss and is equal in rank to the Gaffer, who is the head of the electrical department. The Gaffer oversees anything electrical, while the Key Grip oversees all non-electrical rigging. Both have Best Boy assistants, who are second in command and handle crew scheduling and tasking. Grips are often the first to arrive on set and the last to leave, and they constantly stay on the move.
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Grips also work with the electrical department to create lighting setups and handle power distribution
Grips are camera support equipment technicians in the filmmaking and video production industries. They work closely with the electrical department to create lighting setups and handle power distribution.
Grips are responsible for building, handling, and operating essential equipment for productions. They work with the camera department to provide camera support, especially if the camera is mounted to a dolly, crane, or in an unusual position, such as the top of a ladder. They also rig and stage lights on set.
Grips do not handle the lights themselves. The placement of lighting instruments and electric power distribution is handled by the electricians who work under a gaffer. The gaffer is the head of the electrical department and is responsible for designing and executing the lighting plan of the Director of Photography to create the look for the camera. Grips handle all the non-electrical equipment that modifies the light, such as stands that hold flags, nets, diffusing materials, or other gobos that control the quality, intensity, or shape of the light.
Grips also do "blackouts" and "tenting-out" windows and doors to eliminate all daylight entering the set when shooting interiors day-for-night on location. They use a cloth known as duvetyne or rags, and in rare cases, plastic sheeting, to black out the light. When windows or doors are visible from the camera, black-out tents must be created outside of windows to allow lights to be placed outside or green screens to be seen through the window, lit only by lights placed by electricians.
Grips are also responsible for building dolly tracks for dolly shots, mounting various camera rigs onto cars, and setting up for crane shots. They are in charge of making sure that everything is ready to roll on set before the director says, "action".
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Grips are not permitted to touch lights on union jobs, but they handle non-electrical equipment that modifies light
Grips are camera support equipment technicians in the filmmaking and video production industries in the US, Canada, and the UK. They constitute their own department on a film set and are directed by a key grip.
Grips have two main functions. The first is to work closely with the camera department to provide camera support, especially if the camera is mounted to a dolly, crane, or in an unusual position, such as the top of a ladder. The second function is to work closely with the electrical department to create lighting set-ups necessary for a shot under the direction of the director of photography.
Grips are responsible for setting up the equipment that supports cameras, including tripods, dollies, tracks, jibs, cranes, and static rigs. They also rig picture cars on process trailers, placing cameras and lights around the vehicle for driving shots.
On union jobs, grips are not permitted to touch lights. The placement of lighting instruments and electric power distribution is handled by the electricians who work under a gaffer. Grips handle all the non-electrical equipment that modifies the light, such as stands that hold flags, nets, diffusing materials, or other gobos that control the quality, intensity, or shape of the light. They also set "passive fill", which is the reflected light that is "bounced" back onto a subject, and "negative fill", which is the reduction of ambient or non-directional light to raise contrast.
Grips are also responsible for blackouts and "tenting-out" windows and doors when shooting day-for-night interiors to eliminate all daylight entering the set. They use cloths, such as duvetyne, or in some cases, plastic sheeting, to block out the light. When windows or doors are visible from the camera, grips must create black-out tents outside to allow lights to be placed outside or green screens to be seen through the window.
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Grips are responsible for building, handling, and operating essential equipment for productions, including cranes, dollies, and temporary structures
Grips are camera support equipment technicians in the filmmaking and video production industries in the US, Canada, and the UK. They constitute their own department on a film set and are directed by a key grip.
Grips have two main functions. The first is to work closely with the camera department to provide camera support, especially if the camera is mounted to a dolly, crane, or in an unusual position, such as the top of a ladder. Some grips may specialize in operating camera dollies or camera cranes.
The second function is to work closely with the electrical department to create lighting set-ups necessary for a shot under the direction of the director of photography. Grips are responsible for building, handling, and operating essential equipment for productions, including cranes, dollies, and temporary structures. This equipment includes tripods, dollies, tracks, jibs, cranes, and static rigs, all of which are constructed of delicate yet heavy-duty parts requiring a high level of experience to operate and move. Grips also rig picture cars on process trailers, placing cameras and lights around the vehicle for driving shots. This often includes the use of hood mounts, side mounts, suction cup mounts, and proprietary clamps to attach film equipment to vehicles without causing damage.
Grips also do "blackouts" and "tenting-out" windows and doors. When shooting interiors day-for-night on location, grips need to eliminate all daylight entering the set. If windows or other openings are not visible in the shot, the light may be blacked out with a cloth known as duvetyne or rags, and in rare cases, plastic sheeting. When windows or doors are seen from the camera, blackout tents must be created outside of windows to allow lights to be placed outside, or green screens to be seen through the window, lit only by lights placed by electricians.
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The head of the grips department is the key grip, who is equal in rank to the gaffer, the head of the electrical department
The film industry is a complex and fascinating world, with many different roles and departments working together to bring a production to life. One of the key collaborations on a film set is between the grips and the electrical department, led by the key grip and gaffer respectively. These two roles are equal in rank and work closely together to ensure the smooth running of their respective departments and the success of the overall production.
The grips department, or grip crew, is responsible for all non-electrical equipment, often referred to as "rigging". This includes camera rigs, which are used to stabilise camera movement and achieve specific camera angles, and lighting rigs, which help achieve specific lighting techniques and effects. The head of the grips department is the key grip, who coordinates all rigging needs and supervises the grips as they move and position equipment that directs, diffuses, or cuts light, or creates shadows. The key grip also oversees the safe operation of camera movement involving dollies, cranes, and other support systems. In addition, they are responsible for grip equipment orders and grip crew hires, and they participate in pre-production meetings with the director, producer, and other key personnel.
On the other hand, the electrical department, also known as the lighting department, manages and runs the lighting during every scene of a film or television production. The gaffer, as the head of the electrical department, is in charge of executing the lighting plan for the production. They work with the director of photography or DP to create and execute lighting setups for each shot. The gaffer's second-in-command is known as the best boy electric, who helps lead the lighting technicians in setting up the lights and electrical equipment.
While the gaffer and key grip have distinct responsibilities, they often work hand in hand, especially when it comes to lighting setups. The placement of electrical equipment by the electrical department, for instance, often takes precedence over the placement of rigging, and the gaffer and key grip must coordinate closely to ensure the successful execution of the lighting plan. Their equal ranking and interdependence foster a collaborative environment, where both departments can work together to overcome the challenges inherent in film production.
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Frequently asked questions
Grips are camera support equipment technicians in the filmmaking and video production industries. They work with the camera crew and are responsible for building dolly tracks, mounting camera rigs, and setting up for crane shots. They also work with the electrical department to create lighting setups.
A gaffer is the head of the electrical department and oversees anything electrical. The gaffer is responsible for designing and executing the lighting plan. Grips, on the other hand, handle non-electrical equipment and rigging.
Some common terms include "fly swatter", which refers to a condor lift with a large fabric material to diffuse light, "booklight", which is a lighting setup to create soft lighting, and "martini", which signifies the last shot of the day.
Grips have two main functions: first, to work with the camera department to provide camera support, and second, to rig and stage lights on set. Grips are responsible for building and maintaining all equipment that supports cameras, including tripods, dollies, tracks, and cranes.
