A best boy is the senior crew member who helps run either the grip department or the electrical department on a film or television production.
There are usually two versions of the job:
- The best boy grip reports to the key grip.
- The best boy electric reports to the gaffer.
The title may sound informal, but this is not a beginner position. The best boy organizes crew, equipment, schedules, communication and paperwork so the department head can concentrate on the technical and creative demands of the shoot. ScreenSkills describes both versions of the role as a central point of communication within their departments.
Think of the role this way: the gaffer or key grip decides what the department must accomplish. The best boy helps make sure the right people and equipment are in the right place, at the right time, with the correct information.
WHAT IS A BEST BOY IN FILM?
A best boy is the operational lead directly beneath a department head in the grip or lighting crew.
The best boy grip works under the key grip. This department deals with camera-support equipment, camera movement, track, dollies, cranes, mounts and rigging. Grips also shape or control light with equipment such as flags, frames and diffusion, but they do not normally design the lighting plan or operate the electrical distribution system.
The best boy electric, sometimes called the assistant chief lighting technician, works under the gaffer. The electrical department installs and operates lighting equipment, distributes power, runs cable and supports the lighting plan developed by the gaffer in collaboration with the director of photography.
Both jobs combine technical knowledge with supervision and administration. A best boy might help solve an equipment problem one minute, check tomorrow’s labour requirements the next and then call a supplier about a replacement part.
Exact duties vary. A large studio production may divide the work among several senior crew members, while a smaller project may combine responsibilities. ScreenSkills notes that role boundaries depend on a production’s size and budget band, and that some lighting departments may employ more than one best boy.
BEST BOY GRIP VS. BEST BOY ELECTRIC
The two positions occupy similar places in their respective hierarchies, but they do not manage the same equipment or risks.
| Area | Best boy grip | Best boy electric |
|---|---|---|
| Reports to | Key grip | Gaffer |
| Department | Grip | Electrical or lighting |
| Main operational focus | Grip crew, camera-support systems, rigging and grip equipment | Lighting crew, fixtures, cable, power distribution and electrical equipment |
| Typical equipment |
Track, dollies, mounts, cranes, stands, flags, frames and rigging systems | Lighting fixtures, cable, distribution boxes, generators, control equipment and related machinery |
| Main documentation | Equipment orders, schedules, crew records, hire agreements and safety paperwork | Lighting plots, plans, patch lists, equipment records, schedules and electrical documentation |
| Key risks | Mechanical loads, camera movement, overhead work, equipment security and rigging | Electricity, circuit loads, grounding, cable routes, equipment testing and work at height |
The best boy grip helps the key grip plan crew and equipment for camera movement and rigging. ScreenSkills lists responsibilities such as working with suppliers, coordinating equipment deliveries, overseeing rigging and derigging, maintaining department paperwork and responding when production schedules change.
The best boy electric performs a comparable management function for the lighting department. The role can include arranging equipment, booking technicians, updating plots and patch lists, checking that kit works and making sure the crew has what it needs. Electrical technicians may take instructions from the best boy while setting up fixtures, cable and distribution equipment.
One department handles a heavy camera rig. The other has to distribute power safely across a location. Both need organization, but the technical decisions are different.
WHERE DOES THE BEST BOY FIT IN THE FILM-CREW HIERARCHY?
The reporting structure can be simplified like this:
GRIP DEPARTMENT
Director of Photography
to
Key Grip
to
Best Boy Grip
to
Grips, Dolly Grips, Rigging Grips and Additional Crew
The key grip works with the director of photography and director to plan camera movement, grip equipment and technical solutions. The best boy then helps translate those plans into equipment lists, labour requirements, schedules and daily crew instructions.
ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT
Director of Photography
to
Gaffer
to
Best Boy Electric
to
Lighting Technicians, Generator Operators and Additional Crew
The gaffer leads the lighting department and develops the technical lighting approach. The best boy organizes much of the department’s daily operation, while lighting technicians install, adjust and operate the equipment.
This does not mean the best boy simply passes instructions downward. The department head may be beside the director of photography discussing the next setup while the best boy deals with a late equipment delivery, changes a crew call, checks paperwork or reorganizes the order in which equipment will move.
That is why “assistant” can be a misleading description. The best boy is assisting the department head, but often by supervising an entire operational system.
WHAT DOES A BEST BOY DO BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER A SHOOT?
A list of duties does not fully explain the job. The work becomes clearer when it is divided by production phase.
Before filming begins
During prep, the best boy studies the production schedule and identifies what the department will need. This can include reviewing locations, gathering technical information, discussing equipment choices and helping estimate crew requirements.
A best boy grip may help determine which dollies, track, mounts, cranes or specialist rigging systems need to be ordered. They may speak with equipment suppliers, organize delivery times and confirm that the location can accommodate the machinery.
A best boy electric performs similar preparation for lighting equipment and power. They may coordinate fixtures, generators, distribution equipment, vehicles and additional technicians. Lighting plans and patch lists must stay current as locations, scenes and schedules change.
Prep also involves less visible work:
- Booking or confirming crew
- Collecting start paperwork
- Tracking the latest scripts and schedules
- Preparing purchase orders and hire agreements
- Checking equipment availability
- Coordinating vehicles and access
- Confirming safety documentation
- Planning for backup equipment or replacement parts
A missed detail during prep can become an expensive delay once the full cast and crew are waiting on set.
During the shooting day
The best boy usually starts by making sure the department is ready for the first setup. Crew members need assignments. Equipment must be unloaded, placed and checked. Any changes to the shooting plan must reach the right people quickly.
During production, the best boy may:
- Assign tasks to crew members
- Coordinate equipment movement
- Track equipment in use
- Arrange additional labour
- Communicate with production and other departments
- Update the department head about delays or shortages
- Resolve minor logistical problems
- Record overtime or schedule changes
- Replace missing, faulty or damaged equipment
- Monitor safe working practices
The job shifts constantly between the set, the truck, the production office and the radio.
Suppose the next scene now requires a camera move that was originally scheduled for tomorrow. The key grip may concentrate on the technical design while the best boy checks whether the correct track is available, moves crew into position, coordinates access with locations and works out how the change affects later setups.
In the electrical department, a last-minute location change may create a different problem. The best boy might need to revise equipment requirements, confirm the available power source, adjust crew deployment and make sure updated information reaches technicians and suppliers. ScreenSkills places logistics, crew management, equipment readiness and communication at the centre of both jobs.
At wrap
When filming ends for the day, the department cannot simply leave.
Equipment must be powered down or secured, broken down, counted and loaded correctly. Cable routes and rigging areas need a final check. Damaged or missing items should be documented rather than discovered when the rental house sends an invoice.
The best boy may also need to:
- Check that equipment has been stored safely
- Confirm that all work areas have been cleared
- Reconcile inventory
- Arrange repairs or replacements
- Prepare equipment for the next day
- Approve or submit crew time information
- Complete purchase orders and expense records
- Organize rental returns
- Review the next call sheet and schedule
A tidy truck is not just a matter of pride. When a department has to find one specific piece of equipment before sunrise, organization becomes part of production speed.
BEST BOY VS. GAFFER, KEY GRIP, AND GRIP
| Role | Department | Level | Main focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaffer | Electrical/lighting | Department head | Plans and leads the technical execution of lighting |
| Best boy electric | Electrical/lighting | Senior assistant and operational lead | Organizes lighting crew, equipment, logistics, records and daily workflow |
| Lighting technician | Electrical/lighting | Crew member | Installs, operates and removes lighting and power equipment |
| Key grip | Grip | Department head | Leads camera-support, movement, rigging and light-modification work |
| Best boy grip | Grip | Senior assistant and operational lead | Organizes grip crew, equipment, logistics, documentation and workflow |
| Grip | Grip | Crew member | Builds and operates assigned grip and rigging systems |
The gaffer and key grip remain department heads. They make higher-level technical decisions and work closely with the director of photography.
The best boy keeps the department functioning around those decisions.
A grip or lighting technician generally performs the work assigned within the plan. The best boy has to understand that work well enough to assign it, monitor it and spot problems before they grow.
WHAT SKILL DOES A BEST BOY NEED
Department knowledge
A best boy cannot lead through paperwork alone.
The crew must trust their understanding of the equipment, workflow and hazards. A best boy grip needs deep knowledge of grip systems and camera-support work. A best boy electric needs strong lighting and electrical competence.
Without that foundation, it becomes difficult to estimate labour, identify missing equipment or judge whether a plan is practical.
Organization
Call sheets change. A replacement part arrives at the wrong gate. A scene moves from an interior to a wet exterior.
The best boy has to keep track of people, equipment and paperwork without allowing every change to become a crisis. ScreenSkills includes logistics planning, equipment management, schedule tracking and document control among the role’s central skills.
Communication
The best boy communicates upward, downward and sideways.
They speak with the department head, crew, suppliers, production office, locations department and other technical teams. A vague instruction can waste time. A problem reported too late can shut down a setup.
Good radio etiquette matters, but so does knowing when a conversation should happen privately rather than over an open channel.
Leadership
A strong technician does not automatically become a strong supervisor.
The best boy has to assign work, check progress and correct problems without creating unnecessary conflict. They also need to recognize when someone lacks the experience required for a task.
The department head should not have to settle every routine disagreement.
Safety judgment
Grip and electrical work can involve heavy machinery, suspended loads, moving cameras, electricity, generators, cable, work at height and difficult locations.
ScreenSkills emphasizes that grip equipment carries serious health-and-safety implications. Its electrical role profiles also require competence in wiring, testing, circuit protection, fault finding and safe power distribution.
A best boy should be willing to stop or question a task when the conditions are unsafe, even if the schedule is tight.
Administration
Timesheets, contracts, hire agreements and purchase orders are not glamorous. They still affect whether crew members are paid correctly, whether equipment can be returned and whether the department stays within its approved costs.
ScreenSkills lists contracts, licences, timesheets, insurance documents, invoices, hire agreements, schedules, petty cash and safety certificates among the paperwork that may fall within the role.
HOW DO YOU BECOME A BEST BOY?
There is no single required route, but most people build substantial department experience before taking on the position.
A common grip path looks like this:
Grip trainee or production entry role → Grip → Experienced or specialist grip → Best boy grip
A common electrical path may look like:
Lighting trainee or entry-level electrical work → Lighting technician → Experienced technician or lead position → Best boy electric
ScreenSkills classifies grip trainee as an entry-level role that works under close supervision. Its best boy profiles, by contrast, require the person to manage equipment, crew, schedules, communication and safety. That gap helps explain why best boy is not usually someone’s first professional credit.
Rather than counting years, consider whether you can already:
- Perform your department’s core work safely
- Anticipate equipment and labour needs
- Read call sheets and production schedules
- Keep accurate records
- Explain tasks clearly
- Delegate work
- Communicate problems early
- Remain calm when the plan changes
- Earn the trust of a key grip or gaffer
Some people gain early experience through student films, independent productions, equipment-rental companies or entry-level set work. Progress usually depends on the quality of that experience, not only the number of credits.
Education can build a useful foundation. Vancouver Film School’s Film Production diploma covers cameras, lighting and grip fundamentals, production planning, crew operations, set protocol and safety through hands-on production work. It does not make a new graduate immediately qualified to supervise a professional grip or electrical department; that level of responsibility still requires on-set experience and proven department competence.
HOW MUCH DOES A BEST BOY MAKE?
There is no reliable universal annual salary for a best boy.
Film and television crew members are commonly hired by production. Their total earnings therefore depend on the contracted rate, number of working days, production schedule and any applicable overtime or additional payments.
In British Columbia, IATSE Local 891 is one of the unions within the British Columbia Council of Film Unions. The current BCCFU agreement covers 2025–2028, but individual productions can operate under different schedules and rate categories. Local 891 publishes a production’s rate sheet after that production has signed a letter of adherence.
That means two Vancouver productions shooting during the same year may not necessarily use the same rate sheet.
When checking a best boy rate, confirm:
- The production and agreement
- The effective dates
- Whether the classification is grip or lighting
- The applicable schedule or budget tier
- Whether the published figure is hourly, daily or weekly
- How overtime and turnaround are calculated
- Whether fringes or additional payments are included
- How many days of work are actually booked
An annual salary estimate can look precise while hiding months without production work. A current union rate sheet gives a better starting point, but it still does not guarantee a full year of employment.
Non-union productions may negotiate rates differently. Before accepting a job, crew members should confirm the rate, expected hours, overtime terms, equipment arrangements and payment schedule in writing.
CAN A WOMAN BE A BEST BOY?
Yes. A best boy can be a person of any gender.
The title describes a crew position, not the worker’s gender. Backstage’s production guide explicitly notes that either a man or woman may work as a best boy, and IATSE’s own profiles include women and nonbinary professionals credited as best boy grips.
Some productions use alternatives such as best grip or assistant chief lighting technician. ScreenSkills uses “best boy/assistant chief lighting technician” for its lighting checklist. Usage is not completely standardized, so the final credit may depend on local practice, the production and the worker’s agreed title.
“Best girl” is not an automatic replacement. A production should confirm the professional’s preferred and contracted credit rather than guessing.
WHAT IS IT CALLED A BEST BOY?
The exact origin of the term is not well documented.
Merriam-Webster traces its first known use in this film-production sense to 1931. A commonly repeated explanation says a gaffer or key grip might once have requested another department head’s “best boy,” meaning the most capable available assistant. Published accounts describe this as a theory rather than settled history.
The name stayed even as film crews and working practices changed.
What matters now is the role behind the credit: a trusted senior crew member who can manage a department’s daily operation beneath the gaffer or key grip.
IS BEING A BEST BOY A GOOD CAREER?
It can be a rewarding career for someone who enjoys technical work but also wants responsibility for people and logistics.
The job offers a chance to become deeply involved in production, build relationships with experienced department heads and prepare for possible progression toward key grip or gaffer work. No two productions present exactly the same equipment, locations or technical problems.
There are trade-offs.
Work can be project-based and irregular. Shooting days may be long, and the department can be under pressure when equipment fails or a schedule changes. The best boy also carries responsibility for safety, crew communication and costly equipment.
The role may suit you when you:
- Enjoy technical problem-solving
- Notice missing details early
- Can manage people without losing patience
- Like planning equipment and logistics
- Stay composed during schedule changes
- Accept irregular hours and project-based work
- Are comfortable with both physical production and paperwork
It may be a poor fit when you want a predictable schedule, dislike administration or prefer to focus exclusively on creative decisions.
BEST BOY CAREER-READINESS CHECKLIST
Before pursuing the position, ask yourself:
- Can I perform the department’s work safely without constant supervision?
- Do I understand the equipment well enough to identify mistakes?
- Can I estimate the people and time a task will require?
- Do I keep reliable equipment and time records?
- Can I give clear instructions over a radio?
- Can I delegate without disappearing from the work?
- Do I report problems before they affect the shoot?
- Can I stay organized when the call sheet changes?
- Would a gaffer or key grip trust me to keep the department running while they focus elsewhere?
Being the fastest person to carry equipment is not enough.
BUILDING THE FOUNDATION FOR FILM SET WORK
The path to best boy usually begins long before someone receives the credit.
You first need to understand how a set operates, how technical departments communicate and why safety, preparation and crew discipline matter. Then comes department experience: handling the equipment, solving ordinary problems and becoming someone a key grip or gaffer can rely on.
Vancouver Film School’s 12-month Film Production diploma program introduces students to lighting and grip techniques, camera systems, production planning, crew operations, set protocol and safety through hands-on film projects. Those foundations can support entry into production work, but the best boy position remains a senior goal that is earned through further professional experience.
FAQ
What does “best boy” mean in film credits?
It identifies a senior crew member in the grip or electrical department. A best boy grip reports to the key grip, while a best boy electric reports to the gaffer.
Is a best boy higher than a grip?
A best boy grip normally has more supervisory and administrative responsibility than a grip. The position helps coordinate the grip crew under the key grip.
Is a best boy the same as a gaffer?
No. The gaffer heads the electrical or lighting department. The best boy electric reports to the gaffer and manages much of the department’s daily operation.
What is the difference between a best boy and a key grip?
The key grip leads the grip department and plans its technical work. The best boy grip helps organize the crew, equipment, logistics and paperwork required to carry out that plan.
Is best boy an entry-level job?
No. It is a senior crew role. Entry-level grip trainees work under supervision, while a best boy may supervise crew, manage equipment and cover for the key grip at short notice.
Does a best boy need a degree?
There is no single universal degree requirement. Department competence, safety knowledge, experience and the trust of a gaffer or key grip matter more than holding a particular academic credential. Some jurisdictions or productions may require specific trade qualifications, certifications or union eligibility.
What comes after best boy?
A best boy grip may eventually progress toward key grip work. A best boy electric may progress toward becoming a gaffer. Advancement depends on technical ability, leadership, professional relationships and production experience rather than an automatic promotion.
How are best boys paid?
Pay is normally set by the production agreement or individual deal. In British Columbia, workers should consult the applicable IATSE Local 891 production rate sheet rather than relying on a generic annual salary estimate.