What is a best boy in movies?

THE BEST BOY is a senior electrician on a film crew, coming second in the hierarchy to the "gaffer", the chief electrician. The electricians are responsible for the technical side of the lighting and are known as the "sparks" in this country or "juicers" in the US.

Why do they call it best boy?

Legend has it they were called 'best boys' because, back in the day, the people rigging up lighting, electricity or cameras would yell out for a bit of assistance by asking someone to send them 'their best boy'. As in, the best qualified person from their team for the job at hand.

What does best boy in movies mean?

A best boy is the first assistant to the grip crew or the lighting department and fills a number of roles on a television or film set. While the gaffer and key grips work closely with the director of photography (cinematographer), the best boys take care of everything topside to ensure a seamless production.

How much money does a best boy grip make?

According to Forbes, a best boy grip can expect to make $50,00 to $75,000 if they're working regularly. A key grip can expect to make between $60,000 to $100,000 a year. All grips are governed by IATSE, and on union shoots, may find themselves subject to union payment rules.

What is a grip and a best boy?

In a film crew there are two kinds of best boy: best boy electric and best boy grip. They are assistants to their department heads, the gaffer (in charge of electricals) and the key grip (lighting and rigging), respectively. In short, the best boy acts as the foreman for the department.

Film 101: What's a Best Boy?

How do you become a best boy?

How much does a gaffer get paid?

Gaffer salary

According to Careers In Film, the average annual salary for a gaffer is approximately $54,700. The salary range for gaffers runs from $19,000 to $129,000. If you're in the union, that number will go up based on the number of jobs you work.

What is the highest paid job in the film industry?

What is the difference between a gaffer and a grip?

The gaffer is the head electrician in a movie crew; it's her job to manage the lighting, making sure the levels are appropriate for the desired effect in the scene. The gaffer is assisted by the best boy, and may have a crew of electricians. A grip is also concerned with lighting, but from the mechanical side.

Who gets paid more directors or actors?

While not as prominent as actors, they can make a lot of money working in the film industry. While some film directors and producers make six figures with ease, the majority of directors and producers make more modest incomes.

What's a gaffer do?

What does a gaffer do? Gaffers work closely with the director of photography (DoP) to bring to life the overall look of a film by creating and controlling light. They work with the DoP to understand the desired light effects and figure out how to achieve them.

What is a gaffer in movie credits?

The gaffer is the chief lighting technician on a set and is head of the electrical department. The gaffer's job is to run a team of lighting technicians to execute the lighting plan for a production.

What is a key boy?

Keyboy definition

A hotel or motel employee in charge of room keys. Possibly a synonym for a hotel/motel front desk clerk. noun.

What's a grip in a movie?

A Grip is responsible for setting up, rigging, and striking lighting equipment on set. They are also responsible for keeping equipment organized, and sometimes equipment maintenance. A Key Grip in film is the boss of the Grips department.

What does key grip mean in movies?

The key grip is the head of the grip department and supervises all of the grips on a film shoot. If the film production is a feature film, the key grip usually has a second person to assist them in managing the grips, called the “best boy” or “best girl” who make sure the key grip's requests are carried out.

What does grip stand for in film?

The grip is the person in charge of setting up equipment to support the camera in a movie, commercial or television show. The grip sets up the rigging that allows the camera to move around the set to capture footage. The grip works on the camera dollies, cranes, tracks and camera setup.

What does G and E stand for in film?

The Grip and Electric departments, collectively known as G&E, are amazing. During long scene setups, you could spend all day watching them place flags, lay track, strike lamps, drop scrims, and fly in sandbags.

What is a swing in film crew?

In film-making, a swing gang is one or more persons who make last-minute changes on a film set. This may include construction of new portions of a set the director requests or simply striking large furniture at a set decorator's request. The swing gang is part of the set dressing department.

What is a movie grip salary?

While a film grip's salary is dependent on experience and working conditions (budget, location, hours of work, union status), a 2019 report from Career Trend found that an average salary for grips is $30,000, while dolly grips earn between $200 and $300 per shooting day, according to Saddleback University.

What is the easiest job in the film industry?

What is the best job in film?

How much do movie riggers make?

The average salary begins at around USD $25,104 for an entry-level job, whereas a Lead Character Rigger can earn up to USD $99,000.

How much does Steven Spielberg make per movie?

Earnings and Salary

For his own films, Steven frequently opts for a relatively low upfront salary, $10 million, in exchange for backend points on the gross revenue.

What do electricians do on movie sets?

The Film Electrician lays cable and sets up lights for the Gaffer on a film set. There are two types: a Rigging Electric and an On-Set Electric.