Wilkin Chau

The biggest "name" actor I've actually talked to is Stephen Baldwin. Nice guy. On big union sets I don't talk to the stars since I've been kind of trained not to. Heck, I don't even look at them since I've heard of some stars firing guys for the slightest of things. Come to think of it, that goes for most higher up positions. I remember on Silent Hill, I ended up sitting right beside Sean Bean and the director Christophe Gans during lunch. Didn't say a single word. Weird since most of the time on big shoots I'm usually at the grip or electric table. On low budget indie stuff, it's usually a lighter atmosphere so I'll probably end up talking to the cast and director. But no one really big yet.

Hi hats can be used for really low angle shots or can be mounted on a ladder for high angle shots.

Wow, that's a lot in dues especially the initiation fee. More than Technicians. Course, you do get paid way more than us. :) Coco also posted in the grip forum too so for IA873 (toronto) they require you to have worked 200 days. Could be commericals, TV, Film etc. Can be non-paying as well but they would have to recognize it. Meaning I think some things don't count. But the main obstacle would be supply and demand. Last year was so busy they grabbed warm bodies off the street to help. Not kidding. But this year is SOOO dead they aren't accepting permits. Not sure how the different IA technician locals operate in terms of requirements but that's a general idea. I would suggest Coco to contact the local. Plus you would need to find out more since you're not a US citizen?

Where exactly in the states do you want to work? IATSE is the big union in the states and they have many locals. I think it's either iatse.com or iatse.org. Or just google it. They only really accept permits when it's busy. getting your resume (or CV) in order is a good idea. Do you have any experience in the USA on non-union shows? I'm not sure if they recognize work in Spain or not. Try calling the local you are interested in.

To add to that the Best Boy usually leads the pre-rigging of the next set (unless you have a rigging team), does all the fun paperwork, makes sure all the equipment is there at the end of the day, hires (sometimes key does this) and makes sure the number of crew is adequate for the day. The best is usually around doing something. Lighting the next set. Lighting the current setup. inventory checks etc. The Key Grip, you will usually find beside the gaffer and DOP. Key grip is in charge of ordering the equipment, greenlights whether or not something is safe and delegates what needs to be done (setting up a lenser for the camera, tenting windows etc.). Grip or 3rd grip is someone who hopefully has a decent working knowledge of equipment and procedures and does whatever is needed. You'll find some of them at the package (where the most used equipment is), on set, on the next set or wherever. As for the definition of a grip I'd say it would be part lighting and part camera support. But really we get stuck doing a lot of things. Helping build things to putting blankets on walls to help out the sound department.

It really depends on the kinds of things you shoot. Documentary, Commercial, Drama etc. Heck even just saying drama wouldn't be specific enough. I've been on dramas that are indie that didn't have much more lights than what you are suggesting and I've worked on stuff like the Silent Hill movie that had a disgusting number of lights. Is this like a personal kit or stuff you are going to rent? Because if you are going to shoot big stuff don't bother buying because it would cost way too much. From what I've seen of personal lighting kits (3 people i know) they have kinos (some use divas) with diffusion skirts. One guy used it for a kids show, very small kid show. Another person does some documentary type stuff. Like interviews and such. Another question. Is the shoot mainly outdoor or indoor, nighttime or daytime? Typically, if you are going to use lights outside DP's usually go for powerful lights (18K or Pirahanas for example).

Unfortunately David, on low/no budget productions there isn't really a transportation department, driving is done by PA's. Weird. Even on low/no budget stuff you usually have at least one grip, electric, camera, art etc. person who's knows what they are doing. In other words, there's a good chance that person is in the union or is in the biz a few years. But I don't see transport union people on low/no budget stuff. At least in other departments there are actually people in them and one is usually competent. And it really gets scary when the PA has to drive something they have never driven before like a cube truck. Oh well. Guess it's something you have to live with. As for the original question, one thing I'd like to add is it's great if you want to help other departments. But ask first. Sometimes I've seen PA's move stuff that they really shouldn't have moved in the first place. And also don't be afraid to say you don't know how to do something or don't know what something is (like what's a c-stand).

From my experience, dp's like the light spotted first and without any diffusion in front of it. That way, the DP can have the light panned exactly where they want it. Then you start to flood it out to where it's needed. If a diffusion frame is needed is put on after the spotting and flooding is done. Otherwise, the DP doesn't know exactly where the light has been panned to. I've made that mistake before. As far as the switching on or off or panning off, they both pretty much do the same thing. I usually turn it on and off unless I'm working with an HMI light.

Yeah something like that. I use Grid pipe (4 pieces), some sandbags, ratchet straps and 4 hard 90 clamps. You can add in soundblankets as well. The bags and blankets are used to that the rig doesn't hurt the car. 2 pieces of pipe are going lengthwise and are the ones actually touching the sandbags. Attach the hard 90's so that you can fit the other 2 pieces of pipe on top of it. The pipe going width wise (passenger door to driver door) should be a bit longer than the width of the car. But not too much obviously. :) The pipe going lengthwise can (i prefer) a bit longer so that some of it extends past the windshield and some goes a little out the back but again only a foot or so to give you lighting options. Once all 4 pieces of pipe are in place you can ratchet down the rig in at least 2 spots widthwise. Keep note that you may need camping foam or duvateyne etc. because the metal part of the ratchet strap can damage the car. Also make note that you aren't interfering with the wheels. Then you should be ready for the lights. I would use 750 or 2K hangars on the pipe as opposed to cardellinis because the hangars are more stable and won't fidget around as much. And safety chains of course. Oh one more thing. These rigs are usually used on mini-vans because usually when it's set it's possible that you can't use the passenger or driver doors. People usually have to go in the back door. I'm trying to add a picture so I don't really have to explain it. Crap that doesn't work. I can email you some pictures of what it looks like. As far as camera rigs, I think someone posted the high hat with ratchet straps for the hood of the car. As far as a side mount is concerned I've only used the one you can rent from WFW. I guess you could use the rig I mentioned and then say use a 750 hangar, a couple of cardellinis and a grip arm and head on the camera. And something like another hangar, arm, head trick for support (and rope, safety chains). But I don't know how heavy this camera is so I don't know if that would be enough.

Yeah something like that. I use Grid pipe (4 pieces), some sandbags, ratchet straps and 4 hard 90 clamps. You can add in soundblankets as well. I'm trying to add a picture so I don't really have to explain it.

A high-roller or overhead stand in canada is called a sky-high. The grip book is alright but it doesn't give you all the equipment names plus you have to factor in that there are various names for equipment. I found that some of the stuff named in the grip book is called something else in Canada. Like a Big ben in US is called a goal post in Canada. Or the 750-2k adapter is usually called a buttplug. Some 2K lights are called blondes while some 1K's (red backing) are called redheads. You can totally tell whoever made up these nicknames was a guy. :)

I doubt the IMDB is going to change. The database is mainly to find actors and directors. Technical stuff like camera/grip/lighting don't really matter to them or to probably most people who surf that site. I look up that stuff from time to time but I'm a grip. Although it does kind of irk me every time I look up a movie and see that they are pretty poor at updating the crew. Especially if it's a big mainstream movie. In fairness though, I imagine it would be hard to keep everything up to date considering how much film/TV is made each year.

Oh you mean speed wheels? Those are the only kind of wheels I know that would resemble a skateboards. So I'd just plunk the dolly on top of the 1 pair of speed wheels and away I go. For some reason I thought there was something I had to adjust on the dolly itself like you would on the Peewee. Thanks.

Shoot I meant the fisher 11 dolly.

Here's what I physically have on me. Olfa knife 8 inch crescent wrench flashlight NOMA brand (xenon bulb) 2 inch black paper tape Speed wrench that has 13/16 on one end and 15/16 on the other 16 feet measuring tape small hex tool (3/16-3/8) Multi-tool Everything else is in a bag I have rain gear safety harness multi-screwdriver safety glasses hard hat bull's eye level IMO, if your a 3rd grip you don't need to bring drills, 48 inch levels etc. Your key, best and dolly grip would have all the big hardwear.

You'll have do quite a few freebies. Indie stuff like on mandy.com or say the Canadian Film Centre (where I got my start). You could also work for William F. Whites. You'll meet industry people there plus you'll know the gear. I'm also pretty certain that your days at whites counts towards permitee status at IA. but I'm not 100% positive on that. So through your freebies you should at some point meet people in the unions or people in the indie circuit that will get you work. Hopefully paying work. :) Took me about a year before I starting getting paid. Industry is very slow right now in Toronto which worries me. Even union guys I know aren't getting work right now. As someone said before it's terrible right now. Hopefully it picks up but I don't know. Summer is supposed to be the busy time. You aren't likely to get in the either Nabet or IA this year as a permit. They only really take people in when things are busy. And they aren't.

I would add a cresent wrench to that list as well. At least an 8 inch one. Also I'd probably substitute 2 inch black paper tape instead of gaffer tape. I find that I end up having to tape stuff to sets, windows, walls etc. and paper tape is less likely to leave a mark. Although you don't need to physically have this one you at all times I would reccomend getting a speed wrench with a 13/16 hex bit plus a small allen key set (3/16 and 5/16 are the 2 most commonly used). The speed wrench is used for stuff like hard 90's, swivels etc. Some pipe connectors require an allen key. Don't worry, you don't need this stuff on your belt since you wouldn't use these things every day. Just have it a bag somewhere.

I hope this doesn't sound too dumb but how to you alter the fisher 9 so that it works on curved track? I have never used one before and looking at the pictures I don't see tab or leg locks like you would see on a Chapman Peewee. I'm used to the Peewee dolly where there are tab and leg locks on it. PLus is there a manual online for the Fisher series? I found one for the Peewees (chapman-leonard.com) but couldn't find one online so far. I already went to jlfisher.com Thanks