Good evening ladies and gents,
I just came back from my C&G BS:7671 18th Edition exam and realised that I'm still missing some information regarding the legal requirements to call oneself a lighting designer/gaffer/spark in the UK.
I thought maybe it would be a good idea to open a thread about these details especially here where(UK) you cannot just decide overnight that you want to be a gaffer but actually need to get qualified.
My questions are
What are the minimum requirements to call yourself a Spark or taken seriously as one? (besides BS:7671, I heard that also NA7909(3) is recommended to get things started)
Do you need to get certified as an electrician to even begin your journey towards becoming a gaffer?
In your experience as a gaffer, which qualifications/courses you absolutely had to get to be part of larger productions?
Can you be part of an union if you are not fully certified as an electrician? (e.g. BECTU)
How far can you wing it as an unofficial gaffer? (uncertified) Which is the point where the law prevents you from working on set no matter your experience?
Thank you for your time and hope other users will find this helpful ^__^
Best,
TheDragon