Four FAQ about the Grip Lighting Technicians in Film

Have you ever wondered what it takes to create all the mood and emotion behind the scenes of your favorite films and TV shows?  Are you interested in how movies and films are made?  There are many moving parts that work together to create a masterpiece that becomes your favorite show or a blockbuster film.  Producers, actors, directors, and grip lighting technicians all work together to use their expertise and create a final project.  Although they may not get the headlining credits, grip technicians have a lot to do with the way a film is made.  These are a few questions that are frequently asked to help you better understand the role of a grip technician in the film industry.

What kind of work do grips do?

Grips primarily work with all the equipment that goes into making a scene, setting up the proper lighting, and creating the mood and emotion the director wants to evoke.  They work with all the equipment for camera work, lighting, and rigging.  Many of their responsibilities involve setting up scaffolding, using many forms of lighting equipment, constructing tracks for cameras and dollies, and safely securing all the equipment.

What are the different types of grips?

Many people work together to create the scenes, emotion, lighting, and camera setups.   This involves key grips, best boy grips, and dolly grips.  Typically, an individual will start out as a grip technician, gain more experience and knowledge, and work their way up to becoming a best boy or key grip.  These individuals have more responsibility and take on more managerial tasks on set.

What level of education is required?

There is no specific level of education that is required to become a grip technician.  However, it is important to know that the more skills and expertise you have, the better you will perform.  This will lead to more jobs.  Grip lighting technicians should have a passion for film, camera, and lighting, and this will fuel them to become more trained in the film industry.  The more experience you have working in film, the more jobs you will get.

Do grip technicians have their own equipment?

Grip technicians do not have their own grip equipment.  This equipment is large, expensive, difficult to move, and hard to store.  When films set their budget, they also include any grip equipment rentals that they need.  Some projects are smaller, which requires less equipment.  Sometimes, large production companies will even have their own grip trucks ready for their jobs.  However, it is common for grip lighting technicians to bring their own toolbelts with their favorite gloves and multitools ready for the job.

By answering these questions, we can help to inform you about what our grip lighting technicians do behind the scenes in the film industry.  When everyone works together and has the right equipment to get the job done, a movie or film is born.  Contact Tiki Grip Electric to hear about our grip technicians and grip equipment rentals today.