In short: Grip is the crew who shape light, rig stands and carry the camera on moves. This glossary covers the terms you will hear most: C-stand, flag, scrim, silk, gobo and sandbag, among others. The safety notes are general guidance only. A competent person must assess the actual rig.
This glossary covers grip terms as they are used on UK film and video sets. Some words vary by crew and by country, so check with the grip on the day. The safety notes below are general guidance. A competent person must assess the actual job before any rig goes up, and the weight, height and load of the rig decide what is safe.
Granary's own grip kit includes C-stands, flags, bounce and apple boxes, all included with a studio space hire. Crew can be booked on top.
Apple box
A wooden box used to raise a light, a stand, a camera or a person to a set height. Full and half sizes exist, and the half is used where the full height is too much. Stack boxes only as the rig and the crew member allow, and check the stack is stable before anything is placed on it.
Black wrap
Heavy black foil that folds over a light to cut its spill, or to shape an edge of light. It is quick to fit and easy to tear, so keep spare sheets to hand.
Bounce
A reflective board, usually white, silver or gold, that sends light back onto a face or a set. A bounce is one of the cheapest ways to soften and fill shadows, because it uses light that is already there.
C-stand
A folding stand with a long, adjustable arm, used to hold flags, scrims, reflectors and lights in position. C-stands can tip if the legs are not spread and the arm is out over a heavy load, so weight the base as the manufacturer directs. General guidance only: a competent person must assess the rig.
Clamp
A metal clamp that fixes a light, a flag, a board or a grip head to a stand, pipe or rail. It is the link that holds most of the rig together, so check it is tight before you let go.
Cucoloris
A board, usually wood or metal, with irregular cut-outs, placed in front of a light to break it into patterns. Often shortened to cuke or called a cookie, it makes a light look as though it passes through leaves or a window.
Diffusion
Any material placed in front of a light to soften it. Diffusion sits on a frame or a stand, and the heavier the material, the more light it cuts.
Dolly
A wheeled base that carries a camera smoothly across a set, usually on track. It lets the camera move in a planned line while the operator keeps the frame steady.
Dolly track
Rails laid on the floor for a dolly to run along. The track must be level and fixed, and the path clear of cable and people, before the first move.
Duvetyne
A heavy, matte black cloth used for flags, drapes and blackout. It absorbs light rather than reflecting it, which is why it is the usual choice for blocking.
Flag
A rigid rectangular frame with black solid stretched over it, mounted on a grip head at the end of a flag arm off a C-stand. It blocks light from part of the shot, such as the edge of a face or a spill onto a wall.
Floppy
A flag with a hinged flap of black cloth, so the same frame can be used full size or folded to about half. It is used to shade an area close to the subject, where a full flag would be too big.
Frame
A metal frame that holds diffusion or silk in front of a light. The frame is the thing that stays on the stand, and the material is swapped as the look changes.
Gobo
A pattern in a metal or glass template that sits in a profile light and projects a shape onto the set, such as leaves or window bars. On a film set the word is also used for any flag or solid that shades part of the shot, so check which one the person means.
Grip head
A swivelling clamp fitted to the end of a C-stand arm, which holds a flag arm, a board or a light at an angle. Tighten the knob before you let go of the arm, or the load will drop.
Overhead
A large frame of diffusion or black, rigged above the set to soften or shade the light from above. Overheads are big, so their rigging and their wind load need a competent person to assess the setup.
Pipe
A metal tube used with clamps to hang or span lights, flags and frames. Pipes carry more weight when they are supported at both ends, so check the rated load before you hang anything from them.
Sandbag
A weighted bag of granular material, placed on a stand foot, a base or a light to keep it from moving. Sandbags add stability only when placed where the manufacturer directs. General guidance: the weight needed depends on the rig, so a competent person must assess each one.
Scrim
A metal mesh placed in front of a light to reduce its output without changing its quality much. It is useful when you want the same light at a lower level, rather than a softer one.
Silk
A translucent white fabric placed in front of a light to soften it. Silks are the common choice for a large, gentle source, and they can be used on a frame or a stand.
Spigot
The metal pin or stud on a stand head or a light that fits into a receiving socket. A spigot that is not fully seated can slip, so check the fit every time a head is moved.
Related terms are covered in the production glossary and the lighting glossary. The grip kit guide explains how these pieces work together, and the sandbag and safe working load guide covers the weighting in more detail.
Related guides
Questions we get asked
What is the difference between a flag and a scrim?
A flag is a rigid black frame that blocks light from part of the shot. A scrim is a mesh placed in front of a light to cut its power while keeping its quality, so the light falls evenly.
What does a grip do on a film set?
Grips rig and move the equipment that shapes light, including stands, flags, diffusion and camera dollies. They work closely with the gaffer, who runs the lights and the electrics.
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