What does a grip do?
Theres 3 categories of Grips. Construction, Rigging, and Production. I have done all 3 but I currently do Production. As a Production Grip, I top the lights that hang above the sets and make sure there are no shadows on the walls and that the actors are lit properly for their blocking of the scene. Production Grips are present when the filming is going on. There is a lot more we do but that is the gist of it.
Construction Grips take apart the sets when the set has been shot and put in the new sets for the next episode.
Rigging Grips hang chain motors, put in steal deck, rig the condors, build the flyswatters, etc
As a Grip, we have our hand in almost every part of a movie, tv show, commercial, parties, award shows. When they need to figure how to get a certain shot, they ask a Grip.
Here is a short clip that shows some of the things we do:
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