Key Grip

The key grip leads the grip department, the crew that rigs equipment and moves the camera safely. Grips build and operate dollies, track, cranes, and car mounts; secure stands and overhead frames; and handle the rigging that lets a camera or light sit somewhere it otherwise could not.

In many productions, particularly those working in the American system, grips also shape light without touching the electrical side. They set flags, nets, diffusion, and bounce boards so that light from the gaffer's fixtures falls where the director of photography wants it. Practice varies by country and crew tradition, so the exact division between grips and electricians is not the same everywhere.

The key grip's second is traditionally called the best boy grip, who manages crew and equipment. A dolly grip is often a dedicated position, because smooth, repeatable camera moves timed to an actor's performance are a skill of their own.

Like the gaffer, the key grip usually joins scouts during pre-production to judge access, rigging points, and safety. A scene written in a moving vehicle, on a rooftop, or in a narrow hallway can change the equipment list and the time each setup takes, which flows straight into the shooting schedule and the budget top sheet.