{"id":113743,"date":"2019-05-21T06:00:52","date_gmt":"2019-05-21T11:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=113743"},"modified":"2019-05-16T10:56:59","modified_gmt":"2019-05-16T15:56:59","slug":"tips-working-grip-film-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/tips-working-grip-film-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"Working as a Grip: Essential Tips for Safety and Success"},"content":{"rendered":"

The grip’s job is one of the most important and difficult on a film set. Let’s take a look at the details and see if gripping is right for you.<\/h2>\n

Film sets use large, heavy, and expensive equipment \u2014 day in and day out. The grip department is tasked with building and securing this equipment in the safest way possible. Gripping is easily one of the most physically demanding jobs on the entire set, but muscles alone won’t get you a callback for more work.<\/p>\n

In this article, we’re diving into the jobs of the grip department \u2014 exploring the available positions and their associated responsibilities, and taking a look at a few of the essentials to bring with you to set. Then we’ll examine what it takes to be a great grip.<\/p>\n

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The Grip Department<\/h3>\n
\"Working<\/a>

Image via Sergey Lavrentev<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n

The Key Grip runs the grip department. Key grips work closely with the head of the electric department \u2014 the Gaffer \u2014 as well as the Director of Photography and the camera department to create the set, shape the light, and secure and operate the camera and lighting support systems.<\/p>\n

The Key Grip’s second in command is known as the Best Boy Grip. The Best Boy typically passes decisions made by the DP, Gaffer, and Key Grip to the rest of the grip team in order to build the support systems needed for each shot.<\/p>\n

Depending on the needs of the production, grips who specialize in specific machines and equipment such as jibs<\/a>, cranes, and large hydraulic lifts known as “condors” may get tapped to build, maintain, and operate other support tools the shoot needs. The most common of these specialists is the Dolly Grip. Dolly Grips build dolly tracks and are responsible for moving the camera and necessary operators during the shoot.<\/p>\n

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What is a Grip?<\/h3>\n
\"Working<\/a>

Image via 9387388673<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Grip work is usually some of the most strenuous physical labor on a production. Tasked with building, rigging<\/a>, and operating all camera and lighting support, as well as implementing indirect lighting techniques, grips provide the foundations for any production.<\/p>\n

The term “grip” is a carryover from the theater. Theater grips are stagehands tasked with moving scenery between acts \u2014 or as otherwise needed.<\/p>\n

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Collaboration with the Camera Department<\/h3>\n
\"Working<\/a>

Image via gnepphoto<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n

In film, grips work under the camera department to build any support attached to the camera \u2014 and, if needed, operate those support mechanisms. This includes (but is not limited to) dollies and tracks, cranes and jibs, car mounts, and process trailers.<\/p>\n

The primary responsibility of the grip, in this role, is to ensure safe and secure rigging and operation of the camera and its associated equipment. Because of this, all grips must have an intrinsic awareness of anything that could affect the stability of a load.<\/p>\n

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Collaboration with the Electric Department<\/h3>\n
\"Working<\/a>

Image via Khondee.foto<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n

The grip’s second role is to work closely with the electric department and the Director of Photography to shape and manipulate light.<\/p>\n

While grips don’t handle the lighting fixtures themselves, they build and operate the stands, lifts, and other rigging for the lights. They also perform the critical tasks of rigging silks, scrims, flags, and other light manipulators to get the light quality the Director of Photography wants.<\/p>\n

This discipline breaks down into two component functions: passive fill and negative fill.<\/p>\n

Passive Fill<\/h4>\n

Passive fill refers to bounced or reflected light. With the use of tools like bounce-boards, reflectors, silks, and other diffusers, grips shape and fill areas of darker illumination in the shot.<\/p>\n

Negative Fill<\/h4>\n

Negative fill is the opposite of positive fill. Grips use flags, scrims, and other “cutting” tools to block light to draw the eye to the subject of the frame \u2014 or darker areas \u2014 in order to create the character of light the the DP wants.<\/p>\n

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Tools of the Trade<\/h3>\n
\"Working<\/a>

Image via gnepphoto<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n

The grip’s toolbox is likely the most diverse of any department’s. Grip trucks store and move this array of tools from location to location, and they require their own skill-set for effective navigation.<\/p>\n

Outside of equipment provided by the production, each grip should come to the set with a few essentials \u2014 regardless of their level of experience.<\/p>\n