Meet The Gaffer on YouTube
A place to get familiar with lighting and grip gear, lighting skills, and the people who use them every day.
Below you can find links to areas of interest within Meet The Gaffer. You can also use PLAYLISTS on YouTube here.
Level 1 — Basics of Gripping and Electrics
“Running” a C-stand is essential stuff
This was one of the first episodes because a lot of grip work on set starts with properly setting a C-stand.
Click on an image to watch the episode
Before you work with generators…
Here are a few straight forward things to learn about North American power. My apologies to everyone else.
So you want to be a Freelancer?!
Here are a few important traits to keep in mind as you make your way into this rather loosely defined field.
Knots are right up there with C-stands
Basic grip knowledge includes knowing a few essential knots. Here we go over those and add a few extras.
What’s a Book Light?
A book lights is bouncing light off a reflective surface through diffusion. The two surfaces look like a book.
Level 2 — Beginner
Click on an image to watch the episode
Showbiz is great; If you get paid
It’s not always clear how payment is going to happen, so it’s good to know the concepts and lingo.
Most People don’t start at the top
On a larger crew you might be sent back to the truck to skin a few frames. Here is one way of doing it.
Even if you mostly light by monitor…
There are a lot of amazing, whiz bang tools to help you get the light right. A light meter is a good one to know.
Level 3 — Intermediate
If you like lighting, get to know power
On bigger sets, the power often comes from a power source separate from a building, like a generator.
Click on an image to watch the episode
Power distribution takes practice
Here Alan helps you have an idea of what everyone else is just taking for granted… and maybe not explaining.
How about power near water?!
Yup, there’s another of layer of safety you need to think about and take steps to make sure everything is correct.
What if your subject is moving?
Many people learn the basics of lighting for stationary subjects, a seated interview. Let’s talk movement.
Level 4 — Advanced? Not really, just regular work.
Interior, Exterior, Mom, Child, and Dog
Here’s an episode from 2017 in which we walk through a commercial on location at someone’s home.
Click on an image to watch the episode
Tungsten Lit White Cyc Stage Shoot
Also an early episode from when we weren’t yet using an iPad to control the lights!
Shaping Faces in Spaces
Here spend time in brand new commercial buildings with the designers who brought them into being.
Everybody Loves a Moon Box, right?!
For this location night shoot, we put together a moonbox on a condor for a safety-tech video.
