According to Forbes Magazine, a best-boy grip can expect to make around $50,00 to $75,000 a year if they’re working regularly. A key grip can expect to make between $60,000 to $100,000 a year if they are regularly working.

Similarly, What is the key grip job?

The key grip is the person who runs the grip crew during the production of a film or television series. These men and women are chiefly responsible for positioning a production’s cameras and support equipment. They also oversee the people who position this equipment.

Additionally, How much does a grip make per day? Grip Salary

While salary is dependent on experience, working conditions (budget, location, hours of work, union status), a 2019 report from Career Trend found that an average salary for grips is $30,000, while dolly grips earn between $200 and $300 per shooting day, according to Saddleback University.

What is the highest paid job in the film industry?


Highest Paying Jobs in Film Production

  • Executive Producer. Top of the list is the executive producer – the person who controls the entire project. …
  • Director. …
  • Screenwriter. …
  • Editor. …
  • Other opportunities. …
  • Media Schools.

What does a best boy do on set?

A best boy is the first assistant to the grip crew or the lighting department and fills a number of roles on a television or film set. While the gaffer and key grips work closely with the director of photography (cinematographer), the best boys take care of everything topside to ensure a seamless production.

What is the job of a best boy?

A best boy is the first assistant to the grip crew or the lighting department and fills a number of roles on a television or film set. While the gaffer and key grips work closely with the director of photography (cinematographer), the best boys take care of everything topside to ensure a seamless production.

Why is it called a key grip?

Workers acted as handymen, setting up all equipment needed, working from a kit, container or bag containing their tools. This bag was known as a grip and as the industry evolved and workers began to separate into specialized groups, the name grip stuck with those that worked on rigging.

How much do grips make on set?

The key grip, who is charge of all grip duties on the set, makes an estimated $113,920 on a big-budget film, and perhaps $25 to $35 an hour for work on TV shows and low-budget films, according to Hollywood Reporter.

How much does a key grip make per hour?

Key Grip Salary

Annual Salary Hourly Wage
Top Earners $80,000 $38
75th Percentile $50,000 $24
Average $42,716
$21
25th Percentile $25,500 $12

How much does a gaffer make per day?

A Gaffer’s salary depends on the project. Typically, on non-union commercials, corporate videos or music videos they are based on a 10 or 12 hour day and that rate can vary between $450 USD to $750 USD.

What is the best job in the film industry?


The 20 Best Careers in the Film Industry

  • Makeup artist. …
  • Casting director. …
  • Props manager. …
  • Costume designer. …
  • Production designer. …
  • Sound designer. …
  • Visual effects artist. …
  • Cinematographer. A cinematographer is essentially the head of the film crew.

How do you get rich in the film industry?


To get you started, here’s a list of 35 different ways you can make money as a filmmaker.

  1. Get a distribution deal for your film.
  2. Self-distribute your films.
  3. Shoot corporate training videos.
  4. Make commercials.
  5. Shoot weddings and/or events.
  6. Teach filmmaking.
  7. Edit someone else’s film.
  8. Become a content creator on YouTube.

Who gets paid the most in a movie?

The Hollywood Reporter estimates that A-list movie stars routinely make $15 million to $20 million for top roles in big-budget films. Secondary lead actors in a movie such as “The Force Awakens” earned an estimated $1.5 million to $4.5 million.

What do gaffer and best boy do?

There’s a best boy for the electrical department and a best boy for the grip department. They are second-in-command to the ‘gaffer’ or the ‘key grip’. The gaffer is the head of electricity on set and the key grip is in charge of building, moving and maintaining all the equipment that carries the cameras.

How do you become a best boy grip?


In order to become a grip, you will need to do the following:

  1. Contact as many Grips, Best Boy Grips, and Key Grips as possible. Buy them coffee and have a conversation.
  2. Be frank and honest about your skill sets. …
  3. Be teachable. …
  4. Move to a city where lots of film production takes place.

What does the best boy Electric do?

The Types of Best Boy: Duties and Responsibilities

Best Boy Electric: In this position, you serve as the second-in-command to the gaffer, who is the chief lighting technician and head electrician on a film set. The best boy electric performs tasks like managing lighting inventory and unloading electrical equipment.

Why is it called Best Boy?

Legend has it they were called ‘best boys’ because, back in the day, the people rigging up lighting, electricity or cameras would yell out for a bit of assistance by asking someone to send them ‘their best boy’. As in, the best qualified person from their team for the job at hand.

What does the term best boy mean?

: the chief assistant to the gaffer in motion-picture or television production.

What does best boy in anime mean?

In fact, it’s impossible to define what a Best Boy is, because it varies drastically between fans. It’s not just a favorite character, it’s someone you personally find particularly compelling and intriguing, someone you care for because of specific personality facets.

What is the difference between a grip and a key grip?

Key grip is the supervisor of the team of grips on the film set. The key grip executes tasks from the cinematographer for light placement and camera movement with assistance from their team. The key grip coordinates the rigging on the film set similar to how the gaffer coordinates the lighting.

What is grip slang for?

(chiefly Southern California slang) A lot of something. … (slang) As much as one can hold in a hand; a handful. I need to get a grip of nails for my project.

How much does a best boy make per day?

Best Boy Salary

The average annual salary for a Best Boy is approximately $92,000. Los Angeles minimum wage is $150 or $160 per day, for twelve hours. People offer less for student films and no-budget passion projects.

How do you get a job as a grip?

Like many aspiring film workers, grips often get their start by applying for entry-level jobs as grip assistants, production assistants or other low-level jobs on a film set. If you study film in school, taking part in student productions will help you network and gain experience.

How much do grips make in Los Angeles?

The average pay for a Grip is $58,031 a year and $28 an hour in Los Angeles, California, United States. The average salary range for a Grip is between $42,801 and $70,726. This compensation analysis is based on salary survey data collected directly from employers and anonymous employees in Los Angeles, California.