Gaffer

Gaffers work closely with the director of photography (DoP) to bring to life the overall look of a film by creating and controlling light.

They work with the DoP to understand the desired light effects and figure out how to achieve them. They go on recces too see how the lighting will work on location and draw up a list of the kit that will be needed to achieve the artistic vision.

Then they pitch for the kit. They put in a request to the line producer for the equipment they need and appoint a best boy to hire the crew and order the gear. During filming, they work out the positioning of the lights and fastest way to change the lighting setups between shots. Gaffers mediate between the DoP and the rest of the lighting crew.

They’re also responsible for safety and need to comply with the law on electricity, driving and employment.