The Filmmakers

Film 101: Can't tell the difference between a crane and a dolly? Get a grip!

Don't hold up your movie education any longer. Learn what a key grip does on set in our final Film 101 lesson from The Filmmakers.

Don't hold up your movie education any longer. Here's what a key grip does on set

Film 101: Can't tell the difference between a crane and a dolly? Get a grip!

7 years ago
Duration 0:48
Don't hold up your movie education any longer. Here's what a key grip does on set.

Maybe you've never really had a grip on what exactly a "key grip" does. That's where this lesson in Film 101 comes in.

First of all, you've got to understand that a grip is someone who's in charge of camera equipment. They're responsible for setting up dollies, cranes, mounts — you name it — and it's also their job to move all those high-tech tools around as needed.

That makes the "key grip" their boss, and on top of supervising their crew, they get to choose the gear a particular shoot will require. 

Film 101 host Amanda Parris will continue the lesson from here, so don't "hold up" your movie education any longer. Watch and learn!

Previously covered on Film 101:

Film 101: The executive producer

Film 101: The assistant director

Film 101: The second unit director

Film 101: The art director

Film 101: The steadicam operator

Film 101: The foley artist

Film 101: The props master

Film 101: The best boy

Film 101: The gaffer

Film 101: The boom mic operator

The Filmmakers airs at a new time this week. Watch the show Saturday at 10 p.m. (10:30 NT) on CBC Television, or stream it at cbc.ca/watch. After the episode, stick around to see this week's feature presentation, Across the Line.