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Role

Best Boy Grip

A Best Boy Grip is the Key Grip’s lead assistant and the day-to-day coordinator of the grip department. They organize crew, equipment, trucks, orders, timecards, rigging logistics, and communication so grip work for light shaping, camera support, and safe mounting stays ready and accountable.

Roles

Also known as: Best Boy, BB Grip, Second Company Grip

Reviewed

The title is a traditional department classification, not a gender requirement. The Best Boy Grip connects the Key Grip’s technical plan with the people, equipment, scheduling, and paperwork needed to carry it out.

On a fast-moving set, this person tracks both the current setup and what comes next: crew placement, specialized gear, vehicle access, rigging needs, and safe wrap.

Responsibilities

  • Coordinate grip crew calls, assignments, breaks, timecards, and communication.
  • Manage grip equipment, carts, trucks, expendables, orders, returns, and inventory.
  • Stage the flags, frames, stands, rigging, and camera-support equipment needed next.
  • Support the Key Grip’s safety planning for loads, lifts, overhead work, and moving systems.
  • Coordinate labor and equipment needs with electric, camera, locations, and transportation.
  • Track maintenance, loss, damage, rentals, and department closeout records.

Tools

  • Grip inventories and equipment orders
  • Carts, trucks, stands, flags, frames, and rigging hardware
  • Radios, crew lists, timecards, and call information
  • Safety gear, hand tools, and load-rated hardware

Documents

  • Crew lists
  • Timecards
  • Equipment orders
  • Rigging plans
  • Inventory and damage reports
  • Daily labor notes

Skills

  • Crew coordination
  • Grip equipment knowledge
  • Rigging awareness
  • Inventory control
  • Production paperwork
  • Safe delegation

Career path

  • Grip and Dolly Grip experience commonly leads to Best Boy Grip work.
  • The transition requires leadership, equipment planning, paperwork, rental-house coordination, and the ability to anticipate the Key Grip’s priorities.

Work environment

  • The role moves between set, carts, trucks, rigs, and production channels, often balancing urgent setup needs against safe equipment and labor control.

Pre-production responsibilities

  • Help build grip crew, equipment, truck, and rigging plans.
  • Coordinate rental inventory, tests, pickups, and advance work.

Production responsibilities

  • Turn the Key Grip’s priorities into crew and equipment assignments.
  • Maintain department records and anticipate upcoming setups or company moves.

Post-production responsibilities

  • Supervise inventory, returns, damage documentation, and truck wrap.

Common questions

Who does the Best Boy Grip report to?

The Best Boy Grip reports to the Key Grip and helps run the department’s crew and logistics.

Is the Best Boy Grip the same as a Dolly Grip?

No. The Best Boy coordinates the department; the Dolly Grip specializes in camera movement and dolly systems.

What does a Best Boy Grip do day to day?

Day to day, Best Boy Grip work commonly includes Coordinate grip crew calls, assignments, breaks, timecards, and communication., Manage grip equipment, carts, trucks, expendables, orders, returns, and inventory., and Stage the flags, frames, stands, rigging, and camera-support equipment needed next.. The exact balance changes with the production schedule, crew size, and the point at which the role joins the project.

What skills matter most for a Best Boy Grip?

The most useful skills are Crew coordination, Grip equipment knowledge, Rigging awareness, Inventory control, and Production paperwork. Together, they help the role make dependable decisions, communicate a clear handoff, and respond to notes or changing conditions.

Which tools and documents does a Best Boy Grip use?

Common tools include Grip inventories and equipment orders, Carts, trucks, stands, flags, frames, and rigging hardware, Radios, crew lists, timecards, and call information, and Safety gear, hand tools, and load-rated hardware. The role also relies on Crew lists, Timecards, Equipment orders, and Rigging plans so decisions, approvals, continuity, and delivery requirements remain traceable.

How does someone build experience for a Best Boy Grip?

Grip and Dolly Grip experience commonly leads to Best Boy Grip work.

How does a Best Boy Grip vary by production?

The scope changes with format, budget, location, crew structure, and the production's technical method. The role moves between set, carts, trucks, rigs, and production channels, often balancing urgent setup needs against safe equipment and labor control.

Production variations

Large productions
A separate rigging grip unit may have its own Best Boy under the Key Rigging Grip.

Often compared with

Best Boy Grip vs. Best Boy Electric
Best Boy Grip coordinates grip labor and equipment. Best Boy Electric coordinates electrical lighting labor, power, fixtures, and cable.

Union and local practice notes

  • Grip titles, jurisdiction, and staffing vary by agreement and geography.

Related entries

Sources