GRIP COURSE

Shaping the Light

The Grip Department is responsible for rigging and striking all camera and lighting needs on a film set. They are critical to the production’s success by upholding the sets safety standards and collaborating with the director on “shaping the light” in order to establish the overall theme.

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At The Film Foundry, Grip training provides students with firsthand experience designed to simulate real production shoots. Students are immediately immersed in the film world by receiving their first call sheet, starting the practice of familiarizing industry standard outlines of shooting schedules, reporting times, and the locations of each class. Because our instructors are industry professionals, students will be mentored through every step, role, and phase of the grip department’s day. At The Film Foundry, we don’t simply train you how to place gear around a set, but rather guide you to develop the intuition necessary to work in the entertainment industry.

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ABOUT THE COURSE

The Grip Department is overseen by the Key Grip and are responsible for setting up, rigging, and striking equipment. A grips main goal is to “shape the light” on a production set. There are also many points of crossover within the grip department. Most commonly, grips can be associated with Gaffers as Grip-Electric and the Key as Riggers. There are also grips working with the camera crews building tracks, mounting multiple rigs on moving autos, and setting up crane shots. Grips play a vital role within any production.


This course, taught by Daniel Wall, is an intensive 8 weekend course which will have you ready to jump onto a film set! 

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Funding options are available. Get in touch or register today!

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WHAT WILL I LEARN IN THE GRIP COURSE?

  • Breakdown of grips roles and responsibilities

  • Basic equipment & tools

  • Walkie-talkie intro & etiquette

  • Run through a day in the life of a grip

  • Grip truck

  • Best boy position and duties

  • Build production set ups using grip equipment

  • Learn the “shaping of light”

  • Expendables

  • Grip Gear

  • Diffusion, gels & frames

  • Bounce and diffuse light

  • Equipment organization

  • Reflecting light

  • Overheads, knots, SAFETY

  • Ladder safety

  • Hang grip gear from a grid

  • Laying dolly track

  • Level track and maintenance

  • Dolly and jib movements

  • Rigging technique

 

WHAT WILL EACH SESSION HOLD?

Begin your Acting Career!

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SESSION 1: INDOOR INTERVIEW SET UPS

GOALS:

  • Explain Grip work

  • Run through of basics equipment and tools

  • Walkie-talkie intro and explanation of walkie etiquette

  • Run through a day in the life of grip

  • Introduce Grip truck

  • Explain Bestboy position and duties

  • Build an interview setup using mostly C-stands and smaller flags

  • Begin to explain the “shaping of light”

SESSION 2: INDOOR SCENE SETUPS

GOALS:

  • Overview of previous week

  • Review expendables

  • Practice setups that are slightly more difficult, introducing more gear

SESSION 3: OUTDOOR INTERVIEW SETUPS

GOALS:

  • Create setups with larger gear

  • Explain different types of diffusion and gels

  • Practice gels on frames

  • Introduce bouncing and diffusing light

  • Concentrate on set organization

SESSION 4: OUTDOOR SCENE SETUPS

GOALS:

  • Concentrate on overheads, knots, SAFETY

  • Practice diffusing and reflecting light

SESSION 5: STUDIO SETUPS

GOALS: 

  • SAFETY

  • Practice ladder safety

  • Hanging grip gear from grid

SESSION 6: DOLLIES, JIBS, CRANES

GOALS:

  • Laying dolly track and installing dolly

  • Setting up level track and maintainence

  • Practice dolly and jib movements

SESSION 7: RIGGING

GOALS:

  • Practice different pipe grid setups

  • Rigging techniques

SESSION 8: LIFTS AND PARALLELS

GOALS:

  • Practice mounting gear and SAFETY

 
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ONCE YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE COURSE, YOU WILL BE ON YOUR WAY TO BEING QUALIFIED FOR THE FOLLOWING ROLES:

Entertainment Industry:


• Gaffer 

• Best Boy 

• Key Grip 

• Dolly Grip 

• Grip  

• Film Electrician 

• Large Venue/Specialty Lighting & Rigging


Multi-faceted positions:


• Independent productions

• Community service productions (churches and non-profits)

• Local commercial

• Local broadcast

• Basic electric in local soundstage productions or in metropolitan areas

• Local TV access stations, 

• Small business marketing

• Training videos

• Infomercials

• Local theatre companies

• Streaming prosumer productions

• Set lighting technician

• Managing safety practices of the electrical department (requires solid work experience)

• Lighting Programmers 

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