Preparation determines what happens on set. Day-of problems are almost always unresolved preparation problems. Unchecked equipment, a question not asked of the director, a location scouted too quickly — every gap costs lost time, tension, and sometimes a missed shot.
This checklist is the one a key grip with thirty years of set experience applies to every shoot — from short films to HBO series. It is not exhaustive. But it covers the points that training programs do not mention.
Why Is Grip Preparation the Most Critical Phase?
A professional shooting day costs between tens and hundreds of thousands of euros depending on the scale. An hour lost in the morning because essential equipment was not planned for is a real cost — immediate, visible, impossible to make up.
The key grip is one of the few technicians whose preparation errors show up immediately on the schedule. If the track needed for the opening shot is not there, the shot does not happen. No other department compensates.
“On an HBO shoot, preparation takes as long as the shoot itself. It’s a rule I’ve applied from the start: for ten shooting days, I plan ten days of preparation. Productions that try to cut corners there pay twice the price on the day.”
Preparation is not just technical. It is also a communication phase — with the director, the director of photography, the 1st assistant director (1st AD), the producer. The earlier information flows, the better each department anticipates.
Step 1 — Read the Script from a Grip Perspective
First action on a new project: read the script or shot list. Not as a viewer — as a grip.
What to look for at this stage:
- Scenes involving described camera movements (tracking shots, crane shots, long takes)
- Locations with particular constraints (tight spaces, exteriors, low ceiling height)
- Night exterior scenes — difficult conditions, longer setup times
- Action or stunt scenes (additional loads, safety configurations)
- Vehicle shots (car mounts, moving platform rigs)
This first read serves to formulate the questions to ask the DP in the prep meeting. The earlier the questions come, the more the answers guide equipment choices before orders are placed.
Step 2 — The Prep Meeting with the Director of Photography
This is the most important meeting of the process. The DP shares their vision of camera movements — which tracking shots, which cranes, what role for Steadicam, what level of precision on which scenes.
Points to cover without exception:
Camera format and total head weight. An ARRI Alexa 35 with anamorphic lenses can weigh 18 kg on the head. With the head and accessories, the total reaches 25-30 kg. The choice of dolly and track depends directly on this.
Shot priorities. Which scenes are most critical in terms of movement? Where will the DP accept no compromise? This hierarchy allows the equipment budget and setup time to be allocated coherently.
Dolly preferences. Some DPs have strong preferences — Fisher 10 for versatility, Chapman PeeWee for heavy productions, Elemack for tight spaces. Knowing these preferences avoids first-morning discussions on set.
Planned long takes. If there are any, identify them precisely and plan the necessary rehearsals. A three-minute long take is not improvised — it is rehearsed until every element is perfectly synchronized.
Step 3 — Technical Scouts
The technical scout with the DP is a location visit with a specific objective: evaluate the constraints each location imposes on grip equipment.
The floor and space scouting checklist:
- Floor surface: hardwood, concrete, tile, carpet, gravel, grass — each surface requires different solutions (wheeled dolly, track, oversized pneumatic tires)
- Grades: even a 1 to 2 degree slope requires shims under the track to ensure stability
- Available space: corridor and passage widths (a standard dolly needs approximately 1.5 m of maneuverable width), ceiling height for cranes
- Location access: how does the equipment get in? Stairs, small-capacity elevators, narrow passages — every logistical constraint translates into time
- Existing cabling: cables on the floor can block dolly wheels; their management is anticipated during scouts, not the morning of the shoot
The weather and exterior scouting checklist:
- Sun orientation according to planned shooting hours
- Wind risks (crane stability)
- Load-bearing ground — waterlogged terrain may not support the weight of a telescopic crane with its counterweight
- Plan B in case of rain (track can be laid under protection, but not all equipment)
Step 4 — Build the Equipment List
After meetings and scouts, the key grip draws up the complete equipment list. This is the basis for the quote — whether for external rental or deployment of owned inventory.
The standard list includes:
Dollies
- Primary dolly type (Fisher 10, Chapman PeeWee, Panther S-Type)
- Secondary dolly if the production requires two simultaneous configurations
- Dolly accessories: jib arm, arm extensions, platforms
Track and travelling systems
- Total length of straight track needed
- Curved track (radius and angle per the shot list)
- Leveling shims
- Junctions and safety locks
Camera support systems
- Fluid heads (O’Connor, Cartoni, Sachtler per the DP’s preferences)
- Base plates compatible with the planned cameras
- Leveling bases (fluid head)
Cranes and jib arms
- Crane type based on required reach (light jib, Egripment arm, Technocrane if needed)
- Motorized head (MoVI, DJI RS series for lighter configurations)
- Appropriate counterweights
Safety equipment
- Straps and sandbags for all overhead rigging
- Track guards (visual markers for the crew)
- Personal protective equipment (gloves, safety footwear for the crew)
Step 5 — Coordination with the 1st Assistant Director
The 1st AD is the schedule manager on set. Coordinating with them during prep is what ensures realistic setup times are built into the schedule — not discovered on the day.
Points to cover with the 1st AD:
Setup time per configuration. A straight-track travelling shot requires 30 to 45 minutes. A telescopic crane, 60 to 90 minutes. These figures go into the schedule — they are not added at the last minute.
Scene order. Two tracking shots in the same direction, in the same location, can share the track — provided they are shot back to back. This is optimized during prep, not on set.
Grip-critical scenes. Shots that cannot be improvised or shortened — long takes, complex crane shots — need dedicated time slots, with rehearsal time before the first take.
Contingency plan. What happens if setup takes longer than planned? Which scenes can shift? Having this discussion during prep avoids tense negotiations on the day.
Step 6 — Transport Logistics and Physical Equipment Preparation
Logistics are underestimated by productions discovering what grip equipment physically represents.
A complete package — 20 meters of track, a dolly, a light crane and accessories — fills a 12 to 15 cubic meter van. On some productions, a dedicated truck is essential. Transport — vehicle, driver, loading and unloading time — is part of the grip budget, whether planned for or not.
Before departing for the shoot:
- Complete inspection of every piece of equipment (bearings, hydraulic cylinders, locking systems)
- Test motorized heads if they are on the program
- Check fasteners and safety systems on cranes
- Exhaustive inventory to avoid omissions — a missing accessory can block the setup of an entire configuration
- Batteries and chargers for electronic equipment
“I learned on the job that a rushed inventory costs dearly. You leave for a shoot with three trucks and two hundred cases — you need to know exactly what is in each case, no exceptions.”
Step 7 — Specific Safety Checks
Safety on set is a shared responsibility. But grip equipment presents specific risks that fall directly under the key grip.
Before any setup:
- Check the load-bearing capacity of the floor for cranes and heavy configurations
- Validate the leveling of all track — unlevel track creates a lateral force on the dolly that can cause a derailment
- Check straps and sandbags on all crane heads
- Establish a safety perimeter around dolly movement zones (actors and crew need to know where not to stand during takes)
- Power cables: no cable under the track without proper protection
These checks are not done once at the start of the day. They are repeated with every reconfiguration. A set that has changed between two shots may have introduced new cables or altered passageways.
To discuss the preparation of your production with Fabrice Mignot, the contact page is the entry point. The services offered detail the types of work available.
FAQ
How far before the shoot should the key grip be contacted?
Ideally, the key grip is contacted at the same time as the director of photography — as soon as the production is confirmed. For a series or feature film, this happens 4 to 8 weeks before the first shooting day. For a commercial or music video, 2 to 4 weeks. Shorter lead times are possible but they reduce the ability to anticipate and increase the risk of missing equipment.
What is a technical grip scout?
A technical grip scout is a visit to the shooting locations carried out by the key grip — alone or with the DP — to evaluate the specific constraints of each location. It produces a report listing the identified constraints (floor surface, available space, ceiling height, location access) and the proposed solutions. This document feeds into the equipment preparation.
Does the preparation checklist change depending on the type of production?
The structure stays the same, but the depth of each step varies. For a two-day short film, preparation can be done in a few days with one DP meeting and a quick scout. For a 40-day series shoot, preparation can take just as many weeks, with multiple meetings, several scouts, and extended coordination with the 1st AD. The intensity of preparation is proportional to the stakes of the production.
What happens when the script changes during prep?
Script changes during preparation are frequent. When a shot is modified or added, the key grip re-evaluates equipment needs and informs the DP and the 1st AD of the implications for setup time. A crane shot added two days before the shoot may require an emergency rental — at a premium. The earlier changes come, the less they cost.
How do you anticipate problems on set?
You cannot anticipate all of them — but you can reduce their probability. Serious preparation (detailed scouts, early questions to the DP and director, equipment checked before departure) eliminates most avoidable surprises. For the rest, experience counts: thirty years on set make it possible to recognize situations that are about to go wrong before they do, and to already have a solution in mind before the problem is official.