Grip Equipment Every Key Grip Needs

Did you know that there are a lot of technical experts working behind the scenes in the film industry?  People called key grips work to ensure that everyone has the right tools they need in order to get the perfect shot.  This includes erecting scaffolding, installing camera tracks for movement, and even holding lights at particular angles.  Movies are truly a technical collaboration.  Key grips play a vital role in the making of a film or production.  Whenever you are working on set to help produce the lighting required for a film, you will need to be prepared with all the right grip equipment.  There are a few main tools that every key grip should have nearby

Foot Level

Many grips start out taking lower budget productions or indie films.  These movie sets are often not equipped with dolly grips, meaning that all the dolly requirements will fall on your hands as the key grip.  You should always carry a foot level to assist with laying dolly track.  This will help keep everything level and balanced for the camera movement.

Measuring Tape

A measuring tape isn't just for household jobs.  In fact, many key grips actually keep their measuring tape within an arm's reach for easy access on set.  This is helpful when measuring track before laying it down and also measuring windows for proper gel placement.  This helps save time and makes their job run much more efficiently.

C-Wrench

A C-Wrench is another tool key grips cannot work without.  This is essential for rigging jobs, which is one of their main jobs on set.  You will use a C-wrench in almost every job you perform when working on set, so we advise that you keep it close to you at all times.  You'll even want to consider keeping it on a belt for easy access when you are climbing ladders to do rigging jobs.

Multitool

Havng a multitool is important for key grips to have access to multiple tools within one utensil.  These are great to keep in your pockets so that you can assist anyone in need of a quick trim or cut.  It is helpful for many tasks on set.  Key grips will be frequently asked to make small adjustments to particular technical lighting elements and other visual components of the shot, and a multitool will give them the ability to quickly perform these tasks.

These are just some of the grip equipment requirements every key grip should bring to their jobs.  Many key grips work hand-in-hand with other lighting or production technicians to follow their lead and assist them in any tasks they need.  Contact us today to hear about our quality grip equipment, trucks, and electric products and staff.