How to Become a Film Industry Grip

If you were the kind of kid that set up complex systems of ropes and pulleys to open your bedroom door or rigged up an elaborate track for your matchbox cars? Then becoming a movie set grip might just be your dream job. Movie Set grips are responsible for rigging up dollies on tracks, setting up cameras, and following the Director of Photography’s creative vision. While there is no single path to becoming a movie set grip, a combination of the proper education and experience can undoubt...

What Do Grips Do?

 It is a grips responsibility to assemble and maintain all equipment that supports cameras on a movie set. This equipment, including static rigs, cranes, jibs, tripods, and dolly tracks, is all constructed of delicate yet heavy parts requiring a high-level experience of experience to move and operate. Each scene in a movie is shot using one or more cameras, and each camera is mounted on costly, heavy-duty, highly complex equipment. A grip is responsible for assembling this equipment acco...

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 headlini...

Five Qualifications Grip Technicians Need to Work on Film Sets

Have you always wanted to work behind-the-scenes on a film project?  Do you have a passion for how lighting works, how scenes are set up, and how everything works together to create a motion picture?  Many grip lighting technicians start out dreaming about working on a film crew, but passion is just the first ingredient to a successful career in film.  These are a few of the other qualifications you need to find success as a grip lighting technician working in the film industry...

Three Types Lighting Sources Used in Video and Film

Are you wondering what it takes to create the lighting effects that you see on the big screen?  Do you ever wonder about all the work that goes into each shot to create your favorite movies or TV shows?  When you finally start to learn about the lighting effects that occur behind-the-scenes, you will be shocked at all the knowledge and expertise that goes into each different shot.  The lighting department is equipped with many technicians that have knowledge of how to use each ...

Some Basic Grip Tools Included in Your Truck Rentals

Are you looking for lighting, rigging, and grip rentals for your next film project?  Do you want to rent all your grip equipment for your next film?  Many film production companies do not keep all their grip equipment on hand, as this equipment will vary depending on the size and extent of their current project.  When you need grip equipment for your project, you are best renting the entire grip truck to make it much easier for portability and usage on set.  These are some...

Five Crew Positions in the Electric Department Responsible for Rigging

Many people are unsure of what goes on behind the scenes of the film and movie industry.  All the effects, lighting, acting, and editing are taken care of by a team of skilled and experienced members that come together to produce the film.  This takes coordination and teamwork, especially when it comes to rigging equipment and setting up the shots.  When working with heavy duty equipment, scaffolding, and extensive set-ups, it requires skill and great communication.  These...

Five Lighting Techniques Used to Create Emotion in Film

A grip in the film industry focuses on capturing the vision of the Director using techniques that set the emotion in a scene with the lighting alone. Grip lighting techniques can achieve a real lighting effect, focus on actor or prop, creating hopeful or hopeless tones to set the mood, and so much more. Below you will learn about some grip lighting techniques they use in film to create emotion.  There are many techniques used by grips to set the emotion and scene of a film. Each techniqu...

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 o...

Four Jobs Available in the Electric Department for Films

Have you always loved to perform camera work or set up lighting shots for film creation?  Do you want to know what it takes to become a technician that works behind the scenes of films?  When you are looking for the right job to help with films, movies, and commercials, you should consider becoming a member of the lighting and electrical department.  These are some of the jobs that are available in the lighting and electric department in the film industry. Director o...