Get a Grip

Inevitably the first question out of someone’s mouth after I tell them that I am a grip is, “What is a grip? What do you do?”. Put on your seat belts folks, as I drag you through a lengthy and painful description of what a grip is, and what his duties are.

The term ‘grip’ dates back to the early era of the circus (we’ve always been clowns). From there it was used in vaudeville and then in today’s film and television sets. Some have suggested the name comes from the 1930s-40s slang term for a tool bag or "grip" that these technicians used to carry their tools to work. Another popular theory states that in the days of hand-cranked cameras, it would be necessary for a few burly men to hang on to the tripod legs to stop excessive movement of the camera. These men became known as ‘good grips’- as they were constantly being instructed to ‘keep a good grip on the tripod’.

Grips are lighting and rigging technicians in the film, and video industries. They make up their own department on a film set and are led by a key grip. Grips have two main functions. The first is to work closely with the camera department, especially if the camera is mounted to a dolly, crane, or other unusual position. Some grips may specialize in operating camera dollies or cranes. The second is to work closely with the electrical department to put in the lighting setups necessary for a shot.



















Grips do not touch the lights themselves. The placement of lighting instruments and the power distribution to deliver electricity is handled by the electricians. Grips do however, handle all of the equipment not directly attached to the lights that diffuse and shape the light. This work is done by setting stands that hold flags, nets and diffusion in front of a lighting instrument to shape the beam of light. This is called "cutting light" and is where much of the art of lighting is achieved.

Grips also set "passive fill", which is a term for the reflected light that is "bounced" back onto a subject. Grips may also be called on to set "negative fill", which is the cutting of ambient light to raise contrast on the subject. This is achieved by setting "solids" made of black fabric, either flags (up to 4′x4′) or rags (6′x6′ or larger) wherever the negative fill is desired.

When shooting day exteriors, grips perform similar functions, but with the sun as the light source. Grips use overhead frames from 4’x4’ to 20′x20′ and in some cases much larger, for the shaping and filtering of sunlight. The lighting setups for these exterior shots can become quite extensive, with the use of boom lifts common. Lifts are especially useful at night when they are rigged to raise lights high in the air to create moon-effect lighting.




















Grips also satisfy rigging needs on set. Simple rigs can be menace arms that offset lighting instruments to reach over set walls or goal posts that span the set to rig over actors and crew. More advanced rigs can include working with pulleys, steel cable or trusses. Grips are also called on to rig picture cars on process trailers. They place camera and lights all around the vehicle to achieve driving shots.













Grips may also be called on for "blackouts" and "tenting-out" windows and doors for “day for night shots”. Day-for-night is a term used for describing when film crews shoot scenes set at night during the day. When shooting interiors day-for-night on location, grips need to cut all the daylight entering onto set. The light may be simply blacked out with cloth or plastic sheeting. However, when windows or doors are seen from camera, these openings must be tented to allow some exterior dressing to be seen. In some cases windows must be tented to allow a light to be placed just outside to create a needed lighting effect. Day-for-night is a time consuming and labor intensive choice for producers and only used when scheduling or location restrictions do not allow actual night shooting.

Grips are also responsible for safety on the set. Stands, ladders, scaffolds, and overhead rigs must be carefully installed. Grips are charged with making them safe because the other crew members will invariably have to climb on, walk around, or otherwise negotiate the different grip setups.

Whew! what a mouthful. That covers the basic responsibilities of gripping in the film industry. Every day on set is different and therefore brings a unique set of lighting setups, rigs and challenges. To me this is what keeps the job fresh, the constant change, different people, places and things. No cubicle for me, thanks.

Types of Grips


Key Grip - The foreman of the grip department

Best Boy Grip - Assists the Key grip in logistical issues, such as manpower and equipment.

Construction Grip - Responsible for building, moving and adjusting major set pieces (walls, ceiling flats)

Dolly Grip - Operates the camera dolly.

Rigging Grip - Puts rigging in stages and locations enabling the film company to come to set and begin shooting without delay. Then follows behind to clean up rigs.