Grip vs Gaffer: What's the Difference?

It’s true, grips and gaffers aren’t the same. But it’s understandable why people get confused. Both departments work closely together on set, and if you're new to production, it can look like we're all doing the same job.

As a gaffer who's spent years collaborating with some incredible key grips, I'll break down exactly what each role does, how we work together, and why both departments are essential for a smooth production.

Gaffer vs Grip: The Simple Answer

The simplest way to understand the difference is this: gaffers are responsible for lighting and electrical, while grips handle camera support, rigging, and light modification.

However, the reality is more nuanced, and the line between grip and electric work can get pretty blurry, especially when you're problem-solving on the fly. In practice, there's significant collaboration and overlap between the two departments, but understanding the subtleties of each role will help you work more effectively on set.

What Does a Gaffer Actually Do?

A gaffer, also known as the chief lighting technician, is the head of the lighting department and works directly with the Director of Photography (DP) to execute the DP's creative vision. They lead the electric department, making them responsible for lighting safety, including electrical distribution and lamp placement. 

As a gaffer myself, let me tell you what my day looks like:

• Designing and implementing lighting setups based on the DP's requirements

• Managing all electrical distribution and ensuring safe power usage

• Leading the electric crew, such as best boys and set lighting technicians (SLT)

• Positioning light fixtures, setting intensities, and controlling color temperature

• Running cable distribution and calculating power loads for the entire set, not just lights! That means everything from the wardrobe streamer and video village is included. (You know, so we don't blow any circuits)

• Maintaining and prepping lighting gear and equipment

If it plugs in and makes light, it's in my wheelhouse. For example, when the DP says, "I want a soft, high-key look with a book light setup," that's my problem to solve. I'm figuring out which fixtures we need, how much power we're pulling, and whether we can plug four Aputure 600Ds into two 20A circuits without tripping a breaker. (Spoiler: you can!)

What Does a Grip Do?

Now let's talk about grips. The key grip leads the grip department, and their job is everything that modifies, supports, or moves the camera and lights, but not the lighting fixtures themselves.

Grips are responsible for:

• Rigging and mounting cameras on dollies, jibs, car mounts, and cranes

• Building and positioning light modifiers, such as flags, nets, diffusion, and bounce boards

• Setting up stands, C-stands, and rigging points for lighting equipment

• Controlling and shaping light using negative fill, cutters, and diffusion frames

• Ensuring crew and cast safety for all rigging

Here's a good rule of thumb: if you need a light somewhere, the gaffer provides the light. If you need something to hold that light, the grip provides the stand, rigging, or mount.

When I'm setting up a book light with bounce and diffusion, I'm providing the light source and power. But the grip team is building the frame for the diffusion, setting the C-stands for the bounce board, and making sure that the whole setup is stable and safe. See how we work together?

Grips also handle all the light control that doesn't involve actually touching the light fixture. Want to flag off the background? That's a grip with a flag on a C-stand. Need to knock down the intensity on someone's face without adjusting the light? Grip's throwing a single net. Need some negative fill to add contrast? That's grip territory.

Where Grip and Electric Work Together

Okay, here's where it gets interesting. On a real set, grip and electric (G&E) collaborate constantly, and there's a lot of overlap in our responsibilities.

Let's say you're rigging a 4x4 frame of full grid cloth to soften your key light. Who does what? Electric provides and positions the light source, while grip builds the frame and sets the diffusion. However, both departments may coordinate on placement and safety.

For another example, let’s say we need to rig a light from a ceiling or truss, a gaffer will run the power and hang the fixture. But the grip is providing the rigging hardware, speed rail, and safety cables. We're literally working hand in hand to make it happen.

The best gaffers and key grips have a tight working relationship because our departments are so interdependent. I've worked with key grips who anticipate exactly what I need before I even ask for it. That's the kind of collaboration that makes a set run smoothly.

Common Misconceptions

Let me clear up some myths I’ve heard over the years:

"Grips are just assistant electricians."

Nope, grip is its own department with its own specialized skills. A great key grip has knowledge of rigging, physics, and practical problem-solving that's completely different from what I do as a gaffer. Grip work is technical, creative, and highly skilled. Key grip and gaffer get paid the same rate for labor, too! And most importantly, the gaffer is not the key grip's boss 😅

"Gaffers don't need to know about grip equipment."

Also wrong! A good gaffer understands what grip can do and knows enough about grip gear to communicate effectively. I can't tell you how many times I've worked with grips to figure out the best way to rig something or shape light. Understanding each other's tools makes everyone's job easier.

"It doesn't matter who does what as long as it gets done."

Eh, kind of true on small productions, but on professional sets, these roles exist for good reasons: safety, efficiency, and expertise. When everyone stays in their lane (while collaborating closely), the whole production runs better. Plus, insurance and union rules often dictate who can do what, especially when it comes to electrical work and rigging.

Quick Reference: Who Do You Call?

Still not sure who to ask for help on set? Here's a cheat sheet:

Call the Gaffer if:

• You need a light moved, adjusted, or replaced

• You're dealing with anything electrical (power, circuits, cables)

• You need to change the color temperature or intensity

• You want advice on lighting setups or gear

Call the Key Grip if:

• You need flags, nets, diffusion, or bounce boards

• You need stands, rigging, or mounting hardware

• You're setting up a dolly track or camera movement

• You need something built, secured, or moved

When in doubt? Just ask! Nobody will be mad that you asked the wrong department. We'd rather answer a quick question than watch you struggle, or worse, create a safety issue.

Why Both Departments Matter

At the end of the day, grip and electric are two sides of the same coin. You can't have great lighting without great grip work, and you can't have great grip work without great lighting. We're partners in making the image look incredible.

When a DP walks onto a set and sees a G&E team working together seamlessly, they know it's gonna be a good day. When communication breaks down between departments, that's when things get messy (think: missed shots, safety issues, wasted time).

As a gaffer, the best productions I've worked on have been those where the key grip and I have a mutual respect and understanding of what each department brings to the table. We're collaborating to execute the DP's vision and make beautiful images.

Two Departments, One Vision

So, grip vs gaffer—what's the difference? Gaffers run the lighting and electrical systems, while grips manage the rigging, provide support, and perform light modifications. Both are essential, both are skilled, and both work together to create the visual story you see on screen.

If you're new to production, take time to learn what each department does. Shadow a gaffer and a key grip if you have the opportunity. Understanding these roles will make you a better filmmaker, producer, or crew member, and you'll know exactly who to call when you need something on set.

For those hiring crew, make sure to budget for both a skilled gaffer and a key grip. Trust me, attempting to combine these specialized roles into one job is a recipe for disaster.

Tyler Kaschke is a freelance gaffer with a grip truck based in Lafayette, Colorado, serving Boulder, Denver, Golden, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, and the Rocky Mountain region at large. 

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