how to become a dolly grip
“That’s when we move on to permit days and hire from the outside. A humble Gaffer knows that lighting is a collaborative effort.”. They handle all support gear including camera support, rigging, and lighting. So if you have family to attend to, it just can’t happen if you’re needed on set. Go to the grip trainee profile for details of how to do this. What salary does a Dolly Grip earn in your area? What is the question people should ask about this career but rarely do? Don’t waste your time or money—use Dolly to find on-demand help that works on your schedule at an affordable price. Since the Key Grip is the head of the department, they need to know every position within it to be an effective manager. There’s more encouraging news for aspiring Grips: “You can actually go directly to the studio itself, whether it be Sony, Colombia, Universal, CBS, Warner Brothers; they have their own Grip and Electric Departments. The Key Grip is an essential collaborator in developing the cinematic vision. The extra effort is worth it in the long run because having more money coming in allows the owner to be more selective about the jobs they’ll take within the Grip Department, which can help propel their career.”. We're looking for you. Sometimes he will elect to turn it over to his B camera dolly grip just to get a break. Dolly in: To dolly in, the camera dolly moves toward the subject, producing a close-up camera shot. You can go in and put your name on something called a ‘call board’ and say you’re available to put in any time or days should they need permits. The electricians [and] the gaffer bring in the light. The Key Grip hires and oversees the Best Boys, Dolly Grips, Hammers and Rigging crew for a production. After everyone knows what is going to happen — where the frame lines will be — then the Actors return to their trailers and we shape the light using Stand-Ins. This may seem simple, but it’s surprising how many people can’t get it and become their own worst enemy.”. Interestingly, he describes Rigging Grips as having a combination of construction and engineering mindsets: “If we are flying an overhead off a construction crane, they need to know the physics of wind velocity, size, scale, the whole nine yards. Even if you see things you don’t like, keep it to yourself — don’t be a know-it-all. This is because the dolly grip … “The biggest mistake people make is saying that they already know how to do something. The rigging is as important, if not more important than the production aspect. We also work in conjunction with the camera operator to come up with the best way to do a particular shot, as well as what piece of equipment will work best. And now I can do that and still work. Earnings for Key Grips vary wildly depending on your yearly output and employment time. Book now and see the difference. There are instructions on how to do any grip rig, like motorcycle rigs and car mounts. When the town is busy, it’s a good opportunity to be brought in to work.”. Directors, Producers, Writers, Cinematographers! Give it a try. As wit… Most key grips go to film school and then start to learn from experience on small productions and low budget films before they hit Hollywood. Salary estimates are based on 3 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by Dolly Grip employees. Otherwise, you’ll lose those relationships. The dolly movement is often used for heightened dramatic effect, but not only in classic films. If the dolly has a moveable vertical axis, such as a hydraulic arm, then the dolly grip also operates the "boom". That is really the function of a Grip. When working in the union, most jobs pay the same and while it seems like it may be better to leave a job for a bigger one, you’re burning a connection with that Director of Photography. That also doesn’t just mean lights but shadows, as well. If you do, everyone around you is uncomfortable. Many people don’t understand how creative a Key Grip is. Les Tomita, Key Grip on blockbuster features such as Jurassic World, Furious 7, Godzilla: King of the Monsters and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, starts off by saying that most people don’t really know what Grips do, not even Grips themselves! A dolly, also known as a hand truck, is a type of wheeled cart used to move large, heavy, or otherwise unwieldy objects. “Grips support the whole company and our tools cover the entire craft of filmmaking. Ask the best boy if you can get time on the boom camera and ask the operator for tips. I’ve spent most of my time in Atlanta, not in L.A. “I promised my family that when they needed more assistance, I’d come back home and be close. It’s still filmmaking, but it’s a different, faster, schedule-oriented process.”. Additionally, if a Key Grip has a bad attitude it’ll destroy the morale of their crew. Looking back on his career, Tomita laments the lack of cross-production experience Grips get these days: “We used to have a card system back in the day. “The advice I give to newcomers is this: no matter your opinion, keep it to yourself until you have the experience. Everything that will be done, from lighting setups to how the final image will look needs to be planned out by the Key Grip beforehand. The Key Grip supervises the Grip Department on a film set, providing all support for lights and camera on set. After the lighting is set, the Actors come back for final touches. When setting up a shot, the Cinematographer brings over the Key Grip and the Gaffer after choreographing and blocking the scene with the Director. I had come from the production side and understood what was involved from that perspective. They’ll offer you a commercial for three days or you can choose to do a television show for six months. Dolly equipment. “We have to be able to work under intense pressure so, in terms of personality, you need the ability to focus and be the last person to be screamed and yelled at, but still to work methodically and safely. Measuring Tape. Once someone knows what something is then they can use it. “Even now, I make my Production Technicians spend time rigging so they can understand the tools and labor that go into it. Now that Tomita is a Key Grip, he is settled at the pinnacle of his career and is delighted to have come full circle: “I decided to come home; I’d been doing a lot of traveling, following the tax incentives to places like New Orleans and Atlanta in the last seven years. Anyone interested needs to learn how to manage a grip truck and repair equipment. “In my experience, with having been doing this work for over twenty-one years it all comes down to your attitude,” says Flores. Nonetheless, Tomita suggests that day-playing, infrequent Keys can make around $100,000 over the course of a year, while the in-demand Keys working on the huge studio movies are earning well north of $500,000 and beyond. Then you have the Best Boy, who also works as an Electrician’s Best Boy — they are responsible for people and equipment. One of the best online resources is run by Greg Flores and called GripSupport.com. Snowmobile Dolly Set features heavy-duty steel construction with a rust-resistant, powder-coated finish and hard rubber casters; Ski dolly plates each feature 2 extra-long, 1" (2.5 cm) wide Velcro straps; Ski dolly plates feature an extra wide 2.5" x 1/2" (6.4 x 1.3 cm) deep drop down center channel with a rubber protective liner plate The Key Grip hires and oversees the Best Boys, Dolly Grips, Hammers and Rigging crew for a production. The salary range for Key Grips runs from $41,000 to $131,000. They just need to know what the equipment is and how to use it. I hire the right people. No one really sets out to become a Grip. A "camera dolly" is a sort of low truck usually with four wheels on which is mounted the camera (and often a cameraman plus 1st AC). There’s always the argument about who lights the set; if you ask the Gaffer, they will claim the throne, but ask an experienced Key Grip and they will say it’s a collaborative effort. Once the camera is set up with its support, which usually involves putting it on sticks or a dolly, then we’ll watch … Recently on Magnum, I rigged an electric motorcycle that has the capacity to go 90 m.p.h. They have an enormous amount of responsibility and it is the hardest, most unappreciated job there is. “If they want to learn techno crane then talk to an operator and learn it. If you could describe in one word what makes you successful, what would it be? Sometimes, if the ground is uneven, the dolly is mounted on a small track system (like a railway track), which will allow the camera to smoothly follow actors whilst they move (Hence "Tracking shot") And the Riggers get no glory because they are handling the heavy lifting before the shoot; the studio people and the Actors, etc. There might be explosions or big stunts, ceilings might need to fly and parts of the set might have to move in order to accommodate the Stunt Department ratcheting people through. Your reputation is all you have in this industry and you just don’t need a big personality to make it.”. Laser pointer is useless unless your a dolly grip, bubble levels are usually found in the wedge bucket so that's not really all that needed, hammer is arguable and like you said it's dependent on the show, chalk is another dolly grip item and not usually in my pack, headset is a must in my opinion, unless you wanna rock the Burger King all show. We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. The Key Grip is the head of the Grip Department. You need to rack up thirty days of experience to join, and Tomita says they call these people ‘30 day wonders’: “You put in 30 permitted calendar days within a 365 day period and you become a qualified member of the Local 80 Union. Getting to work with someone like Flores will teach an incoming Grip how to interact with others when they get a chance to be a leader. It can be rented to production, giving the owner additional revenue while they’re working the job. What is important is to keep growing and learning. You have nothing to lose. “It’s good to always ask questions in a polite manner and never be arrogant. No, dollies aren’t Barbies, but rather hefty carts that hold the camera and the Camera Operator as they move along a pre-laid track. This also means that the camera operator will be off, and in addition–affects the shot’s focus. Calmness is infectious.”. It’s just part of the breaking in period. Having the proper experience and due diligence in regards to learning will not only help someone do a better job on set but keep others safe. A dolly can spare you a lot of back-breaking labor during your next moving project, but it’s important to use the device correctly in order to keep yourself and your belongings safe. © 2021 CareersInFilm.com | All Rights Reserved | Content may not be duplicated without express written permission. “Good hiring (two words!). Les Tomita has over 35 Key Grip credits in his career and has keyed on some of the biggest blockbusters over the course of his 38 years in the business. Working on a film set is an opportunity to constantly be learning, even when someone has been a veteran. In order to develop your career and get to that point where you pick and choose what you do, much of your career is having to do what you’re offered (even if it’s six months of straight nights in mid-winter in Alaska).”, Nonetheless, there is balance to be found if you want to stop short of becoming a Key Grip. Union members receive a set pay scale based on each project and can expect overtime if days run over schedule. .endless sources of jobs in our industry. You have to be there to execute. Key grip jobs are a manager position, so some experience as a grip or on a film set is expected. As far as the production side goes, the artistic aspect, that can be taught. © 2021 CareersInFilm.com | All Rights Reserved | Content may not be duplicated without express written permission. This process is repeated for every setup until all of the shots for the day have been achieved.”. “When you get into the industry, people overlook the numbers; in the Grip Department on the production side, we have the Key Grip, a Best Boy, two Dolly Grips, maybe five extra Hammers. If you can get in as an entry-level PA, you’ll get to watch the whole industry with some perspective and understand which department gels best with your own skillset.”, As a young adult, Tomita loved photography, construction, fixing and building things: “I was the perfect combination for a Grip. Rental house work teaches a person everything about the equipment and what gear is out there. There doesn’t need to be yelling on set, only clear communication and respect. Production hates having extra people and equipment on set, but it saves a lot of time in the long run.”, Tomita points to his union (Local 80 in Los Angeles) for classes and training: “You can go to the union and sign up for special classes and seminars, but the best thing to do is to get out there, be aggressive and get your name on someone’s list.”. Many Grips start off non-union, earning less than their union peers while they build their careers. Filter by location to see Dolly Grip salaries in your area. When people think of the film industry, they often think of cameras and Actors, but the industry itself is different from any other; everyone has a particular skill set for it. Some dollies include a mechanic or hydraulic arm that can be attached to the camera for certain shots. His highlights include Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, Meet The Fockers, Transformers, G.I. They shape light for a cinematic quality. He says, “Mother Nature doesn’t wait for us to shoot a two-minute scene in thirteen hours, so we custom-build day-for-night locations so we can shoot night scenes during daylight hours.” This brings Tomita to the second major aspect of the Grip Department that a Key Grip needs to manage: rigging. “It’s a must. Then you can make an educated decision and say, ‘I’d really like to get involved in camera’ or ‘I love electric and lighting or the Grip Department.’ The interesting thing about our industry is that most people don’t really know what people in other departments do. It’s not the easiest thing to do, but it is doable. For all that, though, you need to roll up your sleeves and get dirty. Key Grip Greg Flores has worked in the film industry for over twenty years in the Grip Department. It’s the Grips on those ladders making final adjustments before they’re ready to go. That’s no use!”, It turns out that when it comes to safety on set, after the 1st AD, the Key Grip is responsible. This includes personalizing content and advertising. From how to record sound, to how to operate a dolly grip. They need to be able to picture things and be visual. We have to build these structures outside without them blowing over. Being a successful freelancer means forging relationships both in the workplace and outside of it while knowing personal limits. I’ve done features the entire time, including 85% of Michael Bay’s films. When they catch a break and get onto a large film or television show, those people find themselves in hot water. Dolly out: To dolly out, the camera operator moves the dolly away from the subject. It’s crazy! While the Grip Department is usually known as a very physical job that involves moving lots of heavy gear and stands, it is extremely creative at the top. You need to get on to that list. In cinematography, the dolly grip is a dedicated technician trained to operate the camera dolly.This technician places, levels, and moves the dolly track, then pushes and pulls the dolly and usually a camera operator and camera assistant as riders. The first step on the lighting ladder is grip, the person who does all the heavy lifting and moving of wires and anything else electrical. For an example, I did the movie Dope. How much does a Dolly Grip make? The national average salary for a Dolly Grip is $30 in Canada. It’s just an evolutionary position.”, Tomita illustrates some of the safety challenges he faces on a day-to-basis on his current job on Magnum P.I. And as a department head, you simply cannot be missing. Anybody can order a techno crane but it takes experience to know when it will be necessary, not only artistically but also economically. The Riggers know what to do immediately and I know how long it’s going to take them to resolve it. The rigging team works a day or two ahead of the production team to help set up lights and equipment so people can move faster on set. But the engineering skills are so specific, so brush up on those!”. Book a Dolly. A lot of people do Key Grip on small films and then promote themselves to that job title. Consistency for Dolly Grips. http://www.theaudiopedia.com What is DOLLY GRIP? A degree from a film school isn’t required to become a key grip. It can also be good for a person to get experience as a Rigging Grip.”. They’re also just working with students, which isn’t bad, but doesn’t provide the same learning opportunity that comes from watching a veteran work. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised. That’s how I entered the Grip Department. You have nothing to lose. “Ask the right questions and find the right mentors. “My job as Key Grip is just to stand next to the Director and the Cinematographer and say, ‘I need,’ ‘I want,’ ‘I have to have.’ And I delegate to my Best Boy. The Best Boy Grip takes care of a lot of the behind-the-scenes work. “When you start looking at it, pay attention to the numbers. That’s not necessarily what it is today, but that’s how the department came to be.”. I got a job offer halfway through but I stayed and it worked out because that Cinematographer went on to do the film Cake. If we’re shooting it on stage, we’re rigging huge blue or green screen panels for the Visual Effects Department so it’s much more effective to bring the Keys in in pre-production and we can work together. Even if it is true and there’s nothing new to learn, it shuts down the relationship. The competition when there’s only one role in a show vs. twenty or thirty possible roles in Grip or Electric or Effects, it becomes clear where the work is!”. What does DOLLY GRIP mean? So this is an adventure for me, a learning curve. There are some really bad dolly grips running around out there and that's what a lot of operators are used to. Working as a Grip is the best entry-level position in the field to grab. Of course it should. Tomita leaves one last gem for anyone considering sharpening their skills to become a Grip: “The thing that most people don’t really know until they become a Grip is that they cannot be afraid of heights! Work in a grip and electric rental house. “The best way to be financially successful in the grip industry is to own gear. Don’t betray your real emotion. “We fly very large panels of blue or green screen these days for after effects. It’s about adjusting cameras, adjusting lights, tweaking, dimming, panning, right at the last minute. Directors, Producers, Writers, Cinematographers! As a PA, you get to see every aspect.”. Once a person develops this tenacity and can get steady work, they’ll build a network that will help them get promoted over the years. The days are typically five days a week, ten to twelve hours a day, whenever it works best for the scene. “During that pre-photography prep period, we plan and engineer and do all the technical scouting to see what the project entails. When a Key Grip accepts a job, we come in about six weeks earlier than anyone else. Those people are pre-rigging and pre-setting everything prior to the production company coming in. Flores is a film industry influencer with Intellifluence. I followed the old-school, professional filmmakers. If you are construction-minded, there is set building and construction. Tomita expands on this idea: “If you’re computer-savvy, there’s graphics and set design. We're looking for you. It gives practical experience that will prove invaluable for someone who wants to become a Key Grip. Buy all the essential hand tools that will be needed on set. and, despite his vast experience in the industry, this is his first TV gig: “This is the first television I’ve done in my career. Within production, we have the Key Grip, and I am essentially the manager, the department head. For example, when a Best Boy Grip gets their break to become a Key Grip they will often take a Grip they’ve worked with to become their Best Boy. From there they can get on set and watch more experienced people work.”. Says Tomita, “Nobody knows that. CareersinFilm.comPO Box 43562Las Vegas, NV 89116United Statescim_mail( 'info', 'careersinfilm', 0, false ); This site and your information are secure. It’s an entry-level position. Key grip or first company grip: the boss or head of the grip department. Hey, what do you think about, real quick, trying our new Film Career FinderFilm Career Finder? It’ll make people do anything for you.”. The more things a person can do, the more gigs they can land.”. It drags down everyone else. It’s totally free and could help get your career moving fast! There are a lot of people that don’t have that in them. The Grip Union offers classes to its members, usually about twelve or thirteen courses, but these are only for working professionals. It can be so busy that there are no qualified, available technicians and they bring in permit hires. There’s only one Director, only one Cinematographer, one First AD, one First AC, maybe a couple of Operators. At a certain point, you'll become eligible to join the union, I.A.T.S.E. Above him might be a best boy, but usually it is the gaffer. With that in mind, it is highly important that the dolly grip works to be on the same page with the camera operator. The Dolly Grip builds and maintains all of the equipment on which cameras are mounted on a film set. It’s an art, and it’s hard, so much harder than operating.”, Tomita also explains that as a Rigging Grip, if you’re missing for a day, no one really notices. The skill and bravery involved in rigging are incredible, says Tomita: “We are building huge blue screens in areas like Atlanta where there are flash floods, high winds, and storms that pop up within minutes. It’s support equipment. We have lighting, digital imagery, playback . Make sure your number is on their sheet and start building your thirty days. They handle orders, learn what things cost, and hire people under the supervision of the Key Grip. You can do this by doing the following: Join Bectu. I want to be the opposite, to treat my crew with respect and patience so it becomes the work culture, always saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ whenever I make a request on set. If they want to do dolly gripping then they should hang out with the Dolly Grips or go work at JL Fischer. If you could describe in one word what makes you successful, what would it be? The rule is that as long as the Local membership is exhausted, you can hire from outside the union roster. There is a lot of creativity as a Key Grip but what allows that creativity to happen is hands-on experience: witnessing how another Key Grip builds a specialized rig, how they deal with the sun and what gear they order.