What Every Grip Technician Should Keep in their Tool Belt
Grip lighting technicians are experts who work on film sets to help photography and lighting directors with lighting production setups. In general, for a scene to function effectively, they will create a specific mood or style. In addition, they collaborate with many other technicians to follow their instructions, change grip equipment, and construct scaffolding and track to produce the proper angles for the lights. This necessitates timely access to a variety of tools. These are some of the most important grip equipment that should be kept in your toolbox.
Tape Measure
This is a valuable tool for making the correct size cuts for a specific task. Grip lighting specialists are constantly cutting cables, wire, string, and tape to the desired length. Instead of eyeballing it and estimating, you can have precise measurements each time.
Gaffers Tape
Tape is among the most often used items that a grip lighting technician must keep on hand. These rolls of tape are usually attached to the user’s belt using a string, binder-style clips, or carabineers. That way, they can easily reach down and peel off a piece of tape whenever they need to make quick modifications to the arrangement of their lighting equipment.
Gloves
Technicians widely use thin gloves to provide a firmer grip while maintaining flexibility. Because of the frequency with which gloves are worn, they will most likely keep a few pairs on hand when working on set.
Socket Tester
Socket testers are portable electrical equipment used by the technicians to ensure that electric power outlet sockets are safe to use and meet the proper requirements and functionality.
Clothes Pegs
Clothes Pegs, sometimes referred to as C-47s, aren't merely for attaching gels to lights. You can take one apart and use it for very exact leveling, or you can turn it backward (c-74) and use it to remove scrims out of lights. It's worth it to pay a bit more and get the heavy-duty ones.
Multimeter
Grip technicians use a Digital Multimeter to measure two or more electrical quantities, primarily current (amps), voltage (volts), and resistance (ohms).
Multi-tool, or Leatherman
Leatherman's comprehensive array of multi-tools are packed with versatility and the capacity to tackle any task, giving you everything the technicians need for everyday challenges, big and little.
Tool Pouch
Grip technicians will often have one or two small grip equipment pouches directly attached to their tool belt to store minor materials inside the tool belt. These are ideal for keeping small, often used items such as tape, miniature lightbulbs, twine, and screws.
C-Wrench
This is a grip equipment tool that technicians often use to tighten or loosen a nut or bolt. For added safety when climbing a ladder, you can wrap some sash cord around the wrist and thread it through the hole in the handle.
Laser Pointers
A laser pointer can also come in helpful on set, especially if you are interacting with someone on the other end of a scene. Red laser pointers are appropriate for darker indoor environments and night shoots, while green laser pointers are easier to see in bright spaces or when working outside.
These are just a few of the main tools and grip equipment that grip technicians need to keep nearby when they are working behind-the-scenes. Contact Tiki Grip and Electric to hear how we can help you with your grip equipment rentals today.