7 Tips For Choosing UK Grip Crews for Hire 

The grip crew or department is one of the backbones of TV and film production teams. Essentially, they assemble and operate any camera equipment and the necessary lighting rigs, dollies, and cranes needed to elevate the cameras. And apart from setting up, the grip crew also coordinates with other production crew members to ensure that the production would make the most of the shoot. 

Suppose you plan to shoot a documentary, film, or commercial anytime soon in the United Kingdom. In that case, you may need to look for reputable grip companies such as Kinetik and others to help you in production. 

And as such, this article lists some tips and tricks to help you choose the best grip crew for your production needs. 

• Assess Your Needs 

Every shoot has diverse needs. In most cases, you should consider the nature of your shoot. If you’re recording a film or commercial on a busy street, you may look for a grip crew with different tripods, cranes, and dollies and the knowledge to operate them. 

You may also look for a grip team that could help operate drone cameras if you prefer panoramic shots. In connection with this, you may choose the crew with skills on how to support cameras despite the unlikely locations to provide you with the most suitable angles and clips.

• Refer To Production Guides Or Directories

Online production guides or directories may help provide you with detailed listings of UK grip crews for hire. And while these listings may not tell you how qualified a crew is, they can give you access to websites and contact numbers of teams you’ll potentially work with. 

You can easily refer to these directories for information about any reputable and reliable grip crew for hire in the United Kingdom.

• Evaluate The Strengths 

Grip crews always have something great to offer. Some may be experts in setting up production equipment, such as cameras and lighting rigs. Some may have experience working in challenging terrain, especially if you need panning movements in your shoot. Other crews may also have substantial knowledge and skills in creating lighting setups, which can assist and collaborate with the electrical team.

While the type of camera equipment plays a role in this job, the crew’s skills are also worthy of consideration. To determine if your potential unit fits your needs, you may check out their past projects and the feedback of the production teams they once worked with. 

• Start Early 

If you’ve been in a film or commercial production in the past years, you probably know that projects come and go. In other words, some months may have many available grip crews while others may not.  

To avoid competing aggressively with other production teams, you may need to start looking for one early. Apart from having a lot of options, you’d also have a longer time to check all your available options. This way, you could pick what may suit your camera support needs. 

• Ask For Recommendations

One of the best approaches to find the best UK grip crews for fire for your production needs is by asking people in the industry for recommendations. You may talk to an art or film director, production head, and commercial crews in most cases.

For example, if you’re doing a reality TV show, you may ask referrals from people who’ve done similar projects. Perhaps, they recently worked with a skilled grip crew. Or, if you’re into avant-garde projects, you could ask referrals for crews who worked for art-house and similar groups. If your project includes filming or providing coverage for music festivals, seek people who’ve produced some.

Doing so allows you to know the pros for a specific production genre. And since they are referrals from reputable colleagues in the industry, you’re more likely to find a reliable grip crew to collaborate and work with. 

• Look At The Other Services Offered

In some cases, grip crews don’t just provide their camera support and rigging services but also other services, such as equipment rental, tracking vehicles, and many others. The more services a grip company may provide, your project can enjoy more services. However, you may still consider your budget when considering this factor. 

• Consider Your Budget 

Shooting films, commercials, and documentaries can be financially challenging. So, when choosing UK grip crews for hire, it’s essential to look at your production’s budget.

However, it’d be worth noting, too, to prioritize quality over cheap rates and offerings. While you may think you’re saving money by opting for crew companies that offer you lower rates, it may not be the case always. In some cases, you may need to spend more in the long run for needing to reshoot mediocre scenes. 

Wrapping Up 

A grip department is a must in every filming project. If you need one, you may consider reading the tips and tricks in this article to guide you. This way, you could smartly narrow down your choices and allow you to make more informed decisions when selecting the finest UK grip crews for hire that can help you complete the production you can be proud of.