Whats a Grip?… And how tightly should I hold them?

All clenching jokes aside, a grip is a VERY important piece to any film crew.

What is a film Grip?

A film grip is a member of a film crew whose primary responsibility is to work with the camera and lighting department to physically manipulate and position equipment on set. They are responsible for the setup and movement of cameras, lighting, and other equipment. Film grips are responsible for the movement of equipment and rigging it to achieve the desired shot. They also help with the setup and breakdown of sets and locations, and may assist with the transportation of equipment to and from set.

Grip team typically includes key grip, best boy grip, dolly grip and grip. Key grip is the head of the grip department and is in charge of overall equipment setup and movement on set. The best boy grip is the second in command and is responsible for logistics and scheduling. Dolly grip is responsible for operating the camera dolly on set. And lastly there’s the plain Jane Grips. They are there to service and implement the needs of the department heads they work under.

But what do they do?

Grip also work closely with the camera department and the lighting department to ensure that the equipment is set up and positioned correctly to achieve the desired shot. They also have to be able to adapt quickly to changes in the shooting schedule or to new equipment that may be brought in. This requires a good understanding of the technical aspects of filmmaking and a strong attention to detail.

In summary, a film grip is a member of the film crew who works with the camera and lighting department to physically manipulate and position equipment on set. They are responsible for the movement of equipment and rigging it to achieve the desired shot, and work closely with the camera and lighting department to ensure that the equipment is set up correctly for each shot. A crew without a solid set of hands and quick thinking minds will no doubt get behind schedule and lack the manpower to get things done.

Be nice to those grip out there. You never know what they might grip next ;)