Grip and Electric Tool Belts

Set lighting technicians manage lamps and power distribution for lighting on film and video sets. The Grip department manages light modifiers, camera support, and rigging for camera and lighting.  In order to run both departments efficiently and safely there are a select number of tools that technicians either carry with them at all times, or have close at hand to use when the time comes for a certain tool. Everyone’s going to have different preferences, so this is going to be more a jumping off point to help you show up to work looking prepared.

Here are the components that make up an everyday belt. We’ll go through the common items that you’ll need to work as either a grip or set lighting technician, then get into specifics for each job.

Belt Components

Tool Belt – a belt that you can put your pouches on and take them off quickly for what ever reason, lunch, 10-2 etc, no tool belt work environments.

Mini Tool Pouch – Holds the common tools.

Expendables Pouch – Most people will use a small binder clip to attach cube taps to their belt, but I like to use a small pouch instead. It’s a repurposed tape measure pouch and will hold all the expendables you’d need including c-47’s.

Tape Roll – Rope with various tapes for the job at hand. You can buy one or you can make one with some rope and a carabiner.

Glove clip – Makes your gloves easy to grab.

Tape Measure Pouch – An enclosed pouch with to keep your tape measure.

Multimeter Pouch – A small pouch to keep your multimeter in with a strap so the tool does not fall out.

Head Lamp Pouch –  Zip up pouch that keeps your head lamp. A pouch for a head lamp really helps keep it off when you are not using it. Having it loose in your gig bag or dangling from your belt seems that it always turns on and the battery goes dead when it is time to actually use it.

Radio Pouch – Helps to keep your walkie talkie on your waist. You’ll think you don’t need one until your walkie jumps off your belt multiple times in a day.

General Tools and Expendables

These are some tools anyone working in grip or lighting should have:

Maxi-Flex Gloves – Thin gloves that will keep your dexterity while you work. Can get them from Amazon or your local expendables shop. Have a few pairs!

8” C-Wrench – Can be found at any hardware store

4-in-1 Screwdriver These screwdrivers will have small and large phillips and flat head bits. Should take care of 95% of the screws you come across. Can be found at any hardware store.

Knife – Obviously everyone will have their favorite, but mine is the Gerber EAB Pocket Knife. It looks cool and is super slim.

Head lamp – I prefer a headlamp since you can work with both hands.

Diagonal Cutters – These are great for a variety of things, cutting zip ties, rope, anything where your knife might be a little dangerous to cut with.

2” Black Photo Papertape – This is the lifeblood of the grip and electric departments. Everyone should carry a roll on their belt. Don’t feel like you have to buy one though, they’re expensive and should be provided by production. We’ve linked to a pocket core roll that can fit on your hip a little easier than a full size roll.

Ballpoint Pen – For filling out start paperwork, how else are you gonna get paid! The pilot G2 is an excellent choice.

Sharpie – Thin point and Thick tip. Some will also carry a silver sharpie to be able to write on black tape. Be sure to keep this upside down in your pouch otherwise the tips will dry up.

Generally those are the tools and belt accessories that you’ll need. If you’re going in to work as an electric, you’ll need some additional tools:

Electric

Socket tester – Use this to see if an outlet is hot. Can also check to see if it’s properly grounded. This is a bit more reliable than the “Sniffer” that you’ll see people using.

Multimeter – This will allow you to read voltage on a given line. You can also use the continuity tester function to see if a globe has gone bad or if something is properly grounded. Some will include an amp clamp to tell you how much amperage is on a given cable run.

Wire strippers – Depending on the job this might be something you keep back at the cart, others might require you to have this more readily available.

Needle Nose Pliers – Great for pulling out hot scrims.

Electrician scissors – small but very strong scissors that can cut through thin metal and wires. Also handy to cut gels for a gel frame.

C-47’s – Clothespins for those not saavy. Used for clipping gels onto a light.

1” White Gaffers Tape – Keep this handy for labeling stingers or dimmer channels.

¾” Black Electrical Tape – For doing simple electrical projects.

Then if you’re looking to work as a grip, you’ll need a very different set of tools.

Grip

25’ Tape Measure – Once you have this on you, you’ll realize how much time it will save you from running back to the carts, trying to get the perfect cut of duvetyne or the right size rags.

3/16” Speed wrench – an allen head ratcheting wrench used for speed rail fittings

11/16” Ratcheting Wrench –  for modern cheseboros.

⅞” Ratcheting Wrench – for larger cheseboros

11/16” and ⅞” Ratcheting Wrench – Can also get this both in one tool which can be handy.

Hammer – Getting set walls in place or maybe just some percussive maintenance.

Torpedo Level – Handy to have on you to level a stand for the electric department, or maybe just a slider.

That covers pretty much everything when it comes to tool belts for the lighting and grip department. You might find yourself on a show where you are constantly using zip ties and kino clips and it might make sense to carry those. Don’t be rigid with what you keep on your belt and you’ll find there’s always something you can do to make yourself a little bit more efficient!

Bolt Lighting Rental Inc is a lighting rental house located in the San Francisco Bay Area. We’re committed to training the next generation of technicians everywhere. Check out our instagram for daily educational content.

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