Film Production Lighting and Grip Equipment Basics

Learn the film production lighting and grip equipment basics needed to make a movie

By Nikki Wheeler

To make a movie, film production lighting and grip equipment basics must be understood. No matter how short or long a film is, what size the cast and crew is or the size of the budget, professional lighting equipment is still needed in some capacity.

Once a script is read through multiple times, many production meetings will be held with the director to decide on an overall look and feeling for a film. After setting a lighting budget, it is time to obtain the necessary lighting and grip equipment to achieve the desired look. Before choosing film lighting equipment, a lighting designer must consider the following:

1. Know what kind of cameras are being used. New cameras require less video lighting equipment than older models.

2. Consider the filming locations, including the size of the spaces, before analyzing what lighting grip equipment is needed.

3. Understand the difference between lighting scenes for a film and commercials and for photography. Find the right lightweight and highly mobile lights for film production.

Get the most essential movie lighting equipment

The most basic equipment needed for lighting a film are the lights themselves. A good starting point for a low-budget film with basic lighting is between 8,000 and 10,000 watts of tungsten lights.
Try: Find a wide variety of tungsten-halogen lights in singles or in lighting kits, as well as florescent lights at Lowel Light. Find new and innovative lighting fixtures, as well as cameras with built-in lighting perfect for low-budget films and documentaries, at ARRI Group.

Find accessories for movie production lighting

Accessories for lighting are special instruments that attach to the lighting fixtures to manipulate the shape of the light, the edge of the beam, the quality and texture of the light and the color of the light. Accessories include things like top hats, shutters and gobos.
Try: Find a variety of lighting accessories at a discounted rate at Pro Sound and Stage Lighting. StageProductionStore.com has everything from top hats and barndoors to clamps and beam benders.

Search for film grip equipment

Grip equipment is every piece of equipment required to facilitate the lighting, such as holding the lights at certain heights or angles, clamping chords or any other tools. Grip equipment includes carts, arms, sandbags and grip trucks to make lighting equipment mobile.
Try: Find everything needed for lighting grip at Filmtools, from carts and pulleys to ropes and chains. Get more unique, innovative and hard-to-find equipment from Techno Films.

Find power sources for film lighting equipment

Plenty of powers sources are needed, and they need to be evenly distributed to avoid blowing a fuse and halting production. Be sure that there are more than enough power sources for each lighting location in advance of production. A good rule of thumb is that each 8,000 watts require four 20-amp circuits.
Try: Get multi-channel power supplies for lighting and camera equipment from B & H Foto & Electronics. Find transformers with dual input and output from GAM Products.

Try local film and theatre associations, some might be willing to lend out professional lighting equipment for free or next to nothing.
Label all lighting and grip equipment with brightly-colored gaffer tape to keep things straight between crew members.