Studioforce

Many Gaffers start their careers on location or in studios fulfilling a variety of roles and gaining vital experience of Film & TV production. They will initially work as a Lighting Electrician (or sparks as they’re often known). Usually a Lighting Electrician is a qualified electrician who goes on to specialise in lighting. From there they will progress to be a Best Boy or Supervisor and then on to the role of Gaffer.

Ensuring that the everyone in the lighting team completely understands the production’s lighting plan and what they need to do to make it work, along with what is expected of them is key. A good Gaffer will ensure that the lighting design is implemented correctly by working from the lighting plan. They tend to include detailed explanations of the lighting rig and how it works within the overall set, along with scale drawings of all lamps and their positions and what lighting gels and circuits they need to use. Time constraints are usually a factor, so they need to ensure that the work required is achievable in the allotted time.

A good Gaffer will combine technical ability with a calm and level head, more often than not they’ll be working in a challenging and highly pressurised environment. Good people skills and the ability to adapt to any given situation are an important part of any Gaffer’s job. It is also important that a Gaffer gets on with the all the teams involved in the production, as well as actors, presenters and other contributors.

Other skills that set a great Gaffer apart from a good Gaffer are: the ability to analyse and problem solve; being flexible and resourceful; being physically fit; good levels of concentration; attention to detail; excellent colour vision and a thorough knowledge of current Health & Safety requirements, including being able to carry out and produce risk assessments and test circuits and produce results within the permitted levels.