Key grip

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Key grip working on set Camera grip.jpg
Key grip working on set

A key grip is a senior role on movie sets, [1] involved with a wide variety of behind-the-scenes tasks. The key grip supervises grip crews who support camera and lighting technicians; assesses what equipment is necessary for each shooting location; coordinates the transportation of this equipment and its set up; and arranges the general movement and positioning of the camera and collaborating with the director of photography. [1] The key grip relies on the best boy as their foreperson to supervise the grip crew. [2]

Contents

Industry myths vary as to the origins of the name "grip". Some say it originated from the early days of the film industry when a production crew consisted of a director, camera person, assistants and workers. [3] Workers acted as handymen, setting up all equipment needed, working from a kit, container or bag containing their tools. [3] This bag was known as a "grip" and, as the industry evolved and workers began to separate into specialized groups, the name grip stuck with those that worked on rigging. [3] It is most likely, however, that the term has origins in railway work, where "gaffers" and "grips" formed an integral part of the US rail transport system in the 19th century. The term "gaffer" is a contraction of "grandfather" or "godfather", used by immigrant Irish-Americans as a term of respect for the supervisor of a gang of working men. A "grip" was a worker whose job it was to grip the electric cable above the tram and transfer it to the new line when the tram reached a junction. As the film industry took off, these titles became part of the vernacular. The word "key" when applied to "grip" simply means "principal".

A typical key grip has worked in the industry for years and proved themself worthy of more responsibilities. [4] Those who have attended film school or completed training courses have an advantage as they possess technical understanding of on-set procedures. [5]

The role and responsibilities of a key grip can differ by region. In the United States, key grips supervise the set-up of both cameras and lights, despite unions preventing key grips from touching lights, [6] while in places such as Hungary, key grips are able to move lights around to their suiting and electricians simply deal with "everything that's connected to a lamp". [6]

Responsibilities

Key grip working on location AlamoFilming.jpg
Key grip working on location

The job of key grip is a challenging one, demanding long hours, manual labour and travel. [4] The roles and responsibilities that come with this are extensive and, as a result, key grips are expected to possess a wide variety of skills. These include creativity, adaptability, [1] good communication, patience, [7] agility, comfort with heights and leadership qualities. [4]

Communication is particularly essential as much of a key grip's work comes from their collaboration with directors, gaffers and electricians as well as the management of the grip crew. [4] [5] Some of the most important work between the director and key grip happens in pre-production, where meetings are held to discuss the vision for the project and how, through lighting and rigging, the key grip can bring this to life. [1] To ensure that each series of shots can be created as envisioned, key grips direct where equipment is placed, [8] coordinate the rigging and work with the gaffer on lighting positions. [7] These meetings are typically followed by a location scout where the key grip will assess shooting locations and construct a general plan for the setup of lighting and rigging. [9]

Key grips are depended upon to source the equipment themselves. [10] As equipment is expensive and the amount required is extensive, it is typically rented from production companies and the key grip uses discretion and experience to determine from which companies to source the equipment. [10] Often more than one company is relied on to fully satisfy the sizeable list of required equipment, [10] all of which is organised in pre-production. The truck loaded with all the rented equipment is referred to as a grip package and the responsibility of its arrival at set also falls on the key grip. [11]

Pre-production is also a chance for the key grip to assess how much work the project is going to take and hire grips accordingly to form the grip crew. [8] The key grip is assisted primarily by the best boy, who acts as a second in charge, taking care of equipment, ordering supplies and supervising pre-rigging. [4]

To enact the directors vision, the key grip is expected to keep up with a wide array of tasks to achieve specific shots. These can include rigging lights to vehicles for running shots, rigging silks and overheads, the placement of sand bags, transporting and adjusting heavy equipment, weatherproofing lights and cutting and shaping lights. [9] A key grip is expected to quickly address, and ideally anticipate, any problems that arise when completing these tasks. [9]

Tools

Tape Measure Stanley PowerLock tape measure.jpg
Tape Measure

To ensure that production runs smoothly key grips are required to have a personal tool kit with, at minimum, a 'claw hammer, screwdriver, wire cutters, pliers, crescent wrench, and a tape measure'. [3] [12] These basics are required by union contracts, as much of a film crew's safety and production depend on the ability of a key grip to efficiently and effectively complete their job. [12] Alongside these basics, key grips are expected to be comfortable operating dangerous power tools and should add extra tools as they see fit. [3]

Commonly used tools

Career path

Typically, no degree is required of a key grip; however, those that have attended film school generally have some advantage as they are familiar with the processes of production. [5] The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees also offers training and advancement courses that are beneficial to those looking to make it in the industry. [4] However, in places such as Chicago, key grips are expected to train in lighting, makeup, props and craft services as part of a three-year apprenticeship. [14]

Despite the benefit a formal education can provide, the most significant qualification of a potential key grip is extensive experience on set. [1] This can be gained by interning for key grips or at equipment rental companies to gain connections and experience. [5] Typically, key grips will have worked within the grip crew for many years and, as a result, have established strong relationships with the rest of their crew. [1] Starting out in the grip crew, it is expected that, with more experience, potential key grips will follow the path of grip, dolly grip, best boy and then rigging grip. [1]

Typically, those looking to be key grips can expect a minimum of $36.35 an hour based on IATSE agreements, with starting yearly income of $60,000/year, increasing based on seniority and experience. [4] The occupation is overwhelmingly male; from 2016 to 2018, only 1.4% of key grips working on major films were women. [15]

In other countries

In the US, key grips are responsible for much of the rigging and positioning of the camera and, despite being in charge of the set up and arrangement of lights, are prevented from moving lights due to standards set by unions; [16] similarly, in the UK, key grips work solely with cameras. [5] Many find this division of labour unnecessary and time-consuming as riggers must be hired to move cameras for the key grip [16] and electricians are expected to rely on grips for any help with flagging. [9]

European key grips are expected to oversee the camera and all that comes with it such as dollies, cranes, etc., essentially taking on the US equivalent of a dolly grip. [8] For example, on larger sets, key grips will typically service camera A while a second grip will service camera B. [8] The full responsibility of lighting is left to electricians while tasks requiring heavy rigging are left to grips. [9] This typically means that European crews are made up of more electricians and fewer grips. [8]

Related Research Articles

A film crew is a group of people, hired by a production company, for the purpose of producing a film or motion picture. The crew is distinguished from the cast, as the cast are understood to be the actors who appear in front of the camera or provide voices for characters in the film. The crew is also separate from the producers, as the producers are the ones who own a portion of either the film studio or the film's intellectual property rights. A film crew is divided into different departments, each of which specializes in a specific aspect of the production. Film crew positions have evolved over the years, spurred by technological change, but many traditional jobs date from the early 20th century and are common across jurisdictions and filmmaking cultures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gaffer tape</span> Heavy cotton cloth pressure-sensitive tape

Gaffer tape is a heavy cotton cloth pressure-sensitive tape with strong adhesive and tensile properties. It is widely used in theatre, photography, film, radio and television production, and industrial staging work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electrician</span> Tradesperson specializing in electrical wiring

An electrician is a tradesperson specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, transmission lines, stationary machines, and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of existing electrical infrastructure. Electricians may also specialize in wiring ships, airplanes, and other mobile platforms, as well as data and cable lines.

An electrical lighting technician, or simply lighting technician, are involved with rigging stage and location sets and controlling artificial, electric lights for art and entertainment venues or in video, television, or film production.

"Below-the-line" is a term derived from the top sheet of a film budget for motion pictures, television programs, industrial films, independent films, student films and documentaries as well as commercials. The "line" in "below-the-line" refers to the separation of production costs between script and story writers, producers, directors, actors, and casting and the rest of the crew, or production team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grip (occupation)</span> Camera supporting equipment technician

In the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, grips are camera support equipment technicians in the filmmaking and video production industries. 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' responsibility is to build and maintain all the equipment that supports cameras. This equipment, which includes tripods, dollies, tracks, jibs, cranes, and static rigs, is constructed of delicate yet heavy duty parts requiring a high level of experience to operate and move. Every scene in a feature film is shot using one or more cameras, each mounted on highly complex, extremely expensive, heavy duty equipment. Grips assemble this equipment according to meticulous specifications and push, pull, mount or hang it from a variety of settings. The equipment can be as basic as a tripod standing on a studio floor, to hazardous operations such as mounting a camera on a 100 ft crane, or hanging it from a helicopter swooping above a mountain range.

Good Grips perform a crucial role in ensuring that the artifice of film is maintained, and that camera moves are as seamless as possible. Grips are usually requested by the DoP or the camera operator. Although the work is physically demanding and the hours are long, the work can be very rewarding. Many Grips work on both commercials and features.

In a film crew, there are two kinds of best boy: best boy electric and best boy grip. They are assistants to their department heads, the gaffer and the key grip, respectively. In short, the best boy acts as the foreman for the department. A woman who performs these duties may be called best girl. Recently, some film crews have begun adopting gender-neutral terms for job titles, with one example being "lead electric" as a replacement for the term "best boy" in the electrical department. In 2024, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees has most recently adopted the terms assistant chief lighting technician and 2nd company grip for the electric and grip departments, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sound stage</span> Soundproof, hangar-like structure, building, or room, used for theatrical film-making

A sound stage is a large, soundproof structure, building or room with large doors and high ceilings, used for the production of theatrical film-making and television productions, usually located on a secured movie or television studio property.

A technical director (TD) is usually a senior technical person within e.g. a software company, engineering firm, film studio, theatre company or television studio. This person usually has the highest level of skill within a specific technical field.

In theatre, the running crew are members of the technical crew who supervise and operate ("run") the various technical aspects of the production during a performance. While the "technical crew" includes all persons other than performers involved with the production, such as those who build and take down the sets and place the lighting, the term "running crew" is generally limited to those who work during an actual performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Light board operator</span>

The light board operator, is the electrician who operates and may even program the light board. They are considered part of the "Electrics" Department or LX Department. All non-design elements of lighting will be handled by the LX Department, i.e. electricians. Light board operators mainly are responsible for decoding the light designer's ideas from paper to opening night ready. In some cases, the light board operator is also the light designer.

In theatre, the master electrician is responsible for implementing the lighting design for a production drawn up by the lighting designer. This involves overseeing the preparation, hanging, connection and focusing of stage lighting fixtures.

Television crew positions are derived from those of film crew, but with several differences.

The set decorator is the head of the set decoration department in the film and television industry, responsible for selecting, designing, fabricating, and sourcing the "set dressing" elements of each set in a Feature Film, Television, or New Media episode or commercial, in support of the story and characters of the script. The set decorator is responsible for each décor element inside the sets, from practical lighting, technology, art, furniture, drapery, floor coverings, books, collectables, to exterior furnishings such as satellite dishes, Old West water troughs, streetlamps, traffic lights, garden furniture and sculptures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stagehand</span> Person who works backstage at a performance

A stagehand is a person who works backstage or behind the scenes in theatres, film, television, or location performance. Their work include setting up the scenery, lights, sound, props, rigging, and special effects for a production.

A theatrical technician, also known as a theatrical tech, theatre technician, or theatre tech is a person who operates technical equipment and systems in the performing arts and entertainment industry. In contrast to performers, this broad category contains all "unseen" theatrical personnel who practice stagecraft and are responsible for the logistic and production-related aspects of a performance including designers, operators, and supervisors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electrician (theatre)</span> Person who works with various aspects of theatre lighting

In theatre, an electrician is a person who works with the various aspects of lighting. Some of the positions among electricians include the lighting supervisor, master electrician, deck electrician, light board operator, moving light programmer, followspot operator, as well as simply electricians. This group is generally known as the "Electrics" Department or LX Department.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spike (stagecraft)</span>

In stagecraft, a spike is a marking, usually made with a piece of tape, put on or around the stage. This marking is used to show the correct position for set pieces, furniture, actors and other items which move during the course of a performance and are required to stop or be placed in a specific location.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gaffer (occupation)</span> Chief lighting technician and head of food safety

In film and television crews, the gaffer or chief lighting technician is the head electrician, responsible for the execution of the lighting plan for a production. The gaffer's assistant is the best boy electric.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag (lighting)</span> Stage accessory used to block light

A flag is a device used in lighting for motion picture and still photography to block light. It can be used to cast a shadow, provide negative fill, or protect the lens from a flare. Its usage is generally dictated by the director of photography, but the responsibility for placing them can vary by region, usually devolving to either the gaffer and electricians or the key grip and lighting grips.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Key Grip". Careers In Screen. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  2. ↑ "Specialty lighting equipment" , Set Lighting Technician's Handbook, Routledge, pp. 489–508, 2 May 2013, doi:10.4324/9780080928081-24, ISBN   978-0-08-092808-1 , retrieved 26 May 2021
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Uva, Michael G. (2018). The Grip Book: The Studio Grip's Essential Guide. Routledge. p. 13. ISBN   9781138571389.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Yager, Fred; Yager, Jan (2009). Career Opportunities in The Film Industry. New York: Checkmark Books. ISBN   9780816073528.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Key Grip: Everything You Need To Know". NFI. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  6. 1 2 Curtin, Michael; Sanson, Kevin, eds. (2017). "Adam Goodman, service producer". Voices of Labor: Creativity, Craft, and Conflict in Global Hollywood. University of California Press. pp. 158–168. ISBN   9780520968196.
  7. 1 2 Rothstein, A. (1 October 2018). "What Is a Grip, Key Grip, Best Boy & Gaffer". IPR. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Uva, Michael G. (2013). The Grip Book: The Studio Grip's Essential Guide. Focal Press. ISBN   978-0-415-84237-2.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Brown, Blain (1996). Motion picture and video lighting. Focal Press. ISBN   0240802497.
  10. 1 2 3 Cury, Ivan (25 January 2013). TV Commercials: How to Make Them. doi:10.4324/9780080479019. ISBN   9780080479019.
  11. ↑ Wales, Lorene M. (2017). "10". The Complete Guide to Film and Digital Production. Routledge. ISBN   978-1-315-29489-6.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Perez, J. Carlos (2013). "Which Tools Do You Need to be a Film Grip?". B&H Explora. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  13. 1 2 "Working as a Key Grip: How to be a Key Grip". howtofilmschool.com. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  14. ↑ Carmichael, Matt. "On the Clock: Ready for closeup Bradley Matthys, key grip". Crain's Chicago Business, 25 Oct. 2004, p. 41. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A123794648/ITOF?u=usyd&sid=ITOF&xid=dbf08a05. Accessed 18 May 2021.
  15. ↑ Buckley, Cara (10 April 2019). "What Is a Grip? The Few Women Doing the Job in Hollywood Explain". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  16. 1 2 Rudolph, Eric (2014). "This Is Your Life: The Truman Show". In Tibbets, John C. (ed.). Peter Weir: Interviews. University Press of Mississippi. pp. 191–199. ISBN   9781621039853.
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