What is the grip department on a film and high-end television set, how does it work, and who does what? Here are the answers.
Published 29 March 2022 · 5 min read
Every department on a film set has a job, and the grip department's job is movement. In the United Kingdom, grips are the crew devoted to helping the director of photography achieve visual movement — controlling the heavier camera moves using equipment like dollies, cranes and jib arms. If a shot glides, sweeps, rises or tracks alongside the action, a grip almost certainly made it happen.
It's worth clearing up a common source of confusion straight away, because the word "grip" means slightly different things in different places.
In the UK, a grip is specifically the person responsible for camera movement — the dolly, the track, the crane. In the United States and parts of Europe, "grip" is a broader term covering the crew who handle heavier stands and support for both camera and lighting. What a Brit would simply call a "grip" is often described as a "dolly grip" in the US. Same craft, slightly different vocabulary — handy to know if you're working internationally or reading American crew lists.
On a UK set the grip department is an independent department working directly under the director of photography (DoP). That independence matters: the grips answer to the DoP's vision for how the camera should move, rather than sitting inside the camera or lighting teams. They provide both the equipment and the specialist skill to use it safely, which is why grip is as much about engineering and rigging as it is about artistry.
The key grip is the head of the department. They work closely with the DoP and the production team to make sure the grip department is properly staffed and runs smoothly, and they're often responsible for supplying the equipment and crew for a production. On some jobs the key grip is hands-on with the camera all day; on others they step back to run the logistics and staffing while their team drives the moves.
The best boy or best girl grip is the key grip's right hand. On bigger productions this role can become more office-based — helping organise the crewing of the team and the logistics of the equipment. The term is arguably a little dated, but it's still in everyday use on set, so it's worth recognising.
The dolly grip is the person physically operating the dolly during a take — pushing, pulling and jibbing the camera in perfect time with the action and the operator. It's a role that demands rhythm, anticipation and a feel for choreography; a great dolly grip makes a complex move look effortless.
Everyone starts somewhere, and for grips that somewhere is usually as a trainee. Trainees learn the kit, the terminology and the etiquette of set while supporting the wider team — laying track, prepping equipment and watching closely how the experienced grips work.
Grips don't work in isolation. They're constantly collaborating with the camera team (making sure the head, focus puller and operator have what they need), and their work overlaps with rigging and, on some jobs, the lighting department. Good grips are quiet problem-solvers — the ones who find a way to get the camera exactly where it needs to be, whatever the location throws at them.
Grip work in the UK has historically been an insular, word-of-mouth part of the industry, and it remains underrepresented in terms of both gender and ethnic background. That's something we care about changing, and we believe it should be discussed openly. If you're curious about the craft or thinking about a route in, don't assume the door is closed.
If you'd like to talk to an experienced key grip about staffing your production — or about getting started in the department — we're always happy to have that conversation.