Should be noted that as described this is the ‘American’ or ‘hollywood’ system not the ‘English’ or ‘European’. More and more internationally the ‘American’ system dominates, but you will still find ‘English’ system used in parts of Europe and Asia, its was common at the height of HK cinema for example. In traditional ‘English’ system ‘Grips’ really only deal with camera mounting and movement while the ‘Sparks’ deal with both lights and flagging. Having worked in both I’d have to say the ‘English’ system actually makes more sense logically as much of the friction between departments is ‘Lighting’ or ‘Electrics’ having to get the ‘Grips’ to flag our lights the way we need the Flagged rather than the way they ‘know’ it should be done, allot of frustrations on set spring from this. The ‘English ‘ system means more responsibility for the lighting aka sparks but less hassle. Part of the reason why the ‘American’ system might have been adopted in hollywood is perhaps because early film lights, carbon arcs, required an operator on each light to nearly continuously monitor it as it burnt. You had to adjust the ‘wick’ or ‘trim the arc ’. You can think of Carbon arcs as basically working by bringing two charged carbon welding rod together so they arc the resulting plasma producing light. As they arc’d this plasma ate away at rods so while one rod was could be advanced forward on a timed screw they didn’t burn completely consistently so the other had to manually adjusted to keep the light produced steady. This meant at least one ‘lamp op’, or two, per light and then, maybe to keep departments relatively same size, the grips became responsible for flagging as well as camera movement. It also helps to concentrate the safety concerns of structural/mechanical rigging of hanging things over people heads separate from those of extremely hot sources of heat and electrical from large power sources. In English system the ‘sparks’ just did both. As I said the American hollywood system has become increasingly common but will still find crews trained both ways if you travel.
I'm loving this series immensely, and with every episode I get comforted in the fact that I don't feel any urge to do cinema, because HOT DANG that is a huge world of skills and professions and therefore _potential problems_ whose brilliant solutions I'm super happy to enjoy at a safe distance. It's sooooo much easier to be a composer, I mean, really.
Considering how jargon-filled this episode was I'm glad that when I directed my first independent movie that I hired a DP with his own crew. All I had to do to was tell the DP in 2 or 3 sentences how I wanted the next shot to look then he organised all the technical details while I ran around putting out other fires.
Very informative and clears out some lack of information, however, what I think might be missing is more hands on equipment. I worked as a PA, and some of the functions are still a bit unknown to me, even though you mentioned and explained them in the video. Thanks.
There's so much equipment that you could make another video of it, which I think is kinda unnecessary, since the people that are working on it know what's what or will get to know about the equipment available and their uses at some later point of their working career. This is more of an introduction to people who have no idea what goes on in a set.
The thing is, this is only valid for big Hollywood productions. Most of us in film school, small productions, and in countries outside of the US will usually work with a maximum of a 3 or 5 people teams. I did a whole short TV series for my national channel with a team of 6 people. The electricians were the cinematographer and his assistant, which was also a camera guy.
Well, even if you are in a smaller production where people have several roles, you still need to identify those roles so you know who does what. Especially if the roles move around between productions.
I know. This course is great for beginners and people who want to know what goes on behind the courtain. Just wanted to give a more realistic point of view.
Unrelated: just saw Lily in Off the Rails at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and she did so great! I kept wondering while watching where I had seen her before, and this show is it!
On the set, one of our talent was getting her neck and shoulders massaged by an assistant. "How should you be listed in the credits?" I asked. "Key grip!"
Crash course on acting please!!! I want to be a director and I hear every source about learning how to be a director telling me that I should learn about acting, at least the principles. So please make a crash course about acting as soon as possible.
I just love and am interested in the arts in general....one of them is film..... I can't wait for theater and drama..... maybe arts history will come after theater...maybe,
I thought you would say something about shooting day scenes at night with special lights. I assume they do that to get better control as well as to avoid daytime crowds.
Great video due to the information but who did the sound for this?? It is awful. Sorry but what mics, boom, lavs??? did they use? It is so distracting. But the I learned a lot yay just sound mixer tisk tisk...
A backlight is not the weakest light. A scrum doesnt change the intensity of the light. And nowadays its not required for grips to set sticks. Its a courtesy and is dependent on how old school your dp is.
Cameron Steinfeld Could any of you possibly explain what difference there is between placing a scrim in front of a lantern versus a sheet of ND filter instead since both ultimately reduce light output to some degree? I come from a theatrical background, so I’m very much used to simply reducing the intensity of luminaires by means of electronic dimming (in the case of tungsten lamps) as opposed to physically blocking the light being emitted using filters. Of course, this is verging into a different topic altogether, but I understand dimming of lamps is avoided due to the warm shift in colour temperature as the intensity reduces, which of course cameras are significantly more sensitive to than our eyes, so you guys always leave lamps running at full intensity and filter externally as needed so colour temperature remains constant, unlike in stage lighting. Do I have the right kind of idea?
There is no such thing as "safety". I would rather be free than suffer under the illusion of safety. For example, risks can be managed although this is less likely with media driven mass hysteria. Time for you kids to grow a spine and cut it out with the unhealthy obsession with "safety"...
For people who adore all things film related- like myself- this series is magnificent! Keep it up!
Her (Lily Gladstone) performance in the Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) was really great.
Crash Course: Film Production is by far my favorite Crash Course series
That's so nice to hear. Thank you so much :)
- Nick J.
This episode was very illuminating.
Scott Korin hehe
Striking!
I see what you did there :D
I can tell your very bright.
Should be noted that as described this is the ‘American’ or ‘hollywood’ system not the ‘English’ or ‘European’.
More and more internationally the ‘American’ system dominates, but you will still find ‘English’ system used in parts of Europe and Asia, its was common at the height of HK cinema for example.
In traditional ‘English’ system ‘Grips’ really only deal with camera mounting and movement while the ‘Sparks’ deal with both lights and flagging.
Having worked in both I’d have to say the ‘English’ system actually makes more sense logically as much of the friction between departments is ‘Lighting’ or ‘Electrics’ having to get the ‘Grips’ to flag our lights the way we need the Flagged rather than the way they ‘know’ it should be done, allot of frustrations on set spring from this.
The ‘English ‘ system means more responsibility for the lighting aka sparks but less hassle.
Part of the reason why the ‘American’ system might have been adopted in hollywood is perhaps because early film lights, carbon arcs, required an operator on each light to nearly continuously monitor it as it burnt.
You had to adjust the ‘wick’ or ‘trim the arc ’. You can think of Carbon arcs as basically working by bringing two charged carbon welding rod together so they arc the resulting plasma producing light. As they arc’d this plasma ate away at rods so while one rod was could be advanced forward on a timed screw they didn’t burn completely consistently so the other had to manually adjusted to keep the light produced steady.
This meant at least one ‘lamp op’, or two, per light and then, maybe to keep departments relatively same size, the grips became responsible for flagging as well as camera movement.
It also helps to concentrate the safety concerns of structural/mechanical rigging of hanging things over people heads separate from those of extremely hot sources of heat and electrical from large power sources.
In English system the ‘sparks’ just did both.
As I said the American hollywood system has become increasingly common but will still find crews trained both ways if you travel.
I'm loving this series immensely, and with every episode I get comforted in the fact that I don't feel any urge to do cinema, because HOT DANG that is a huge world of skills and professions and therefore _potential problems_ whose brilliant solutions I'm super happy to enjoy at a safe distance.
It's sooooo much easier to be a composer, I mean, really.
Great series. As someone who works with the film industry, I wish all our clients would know at least as much as this series teaches.
Considering how jargon-filled this episode was I'm glad that when I directed my first independent movie that I hired a DP with his own crew. All I had to do to was tell the DP in 2 or 3 sentences how I wanted the next shot to look then he organised all the technical details while I ran around putting out other fires.
This entire set of classes have been very informative and helpful to me.
So psyched for special effects!
Gosh I would love a season 2 of this that actually teach you tutorial style in detail.
I love the green slides used for definitions; they’re very reminiscent of MPAA rating notices.
Very informative and clears out some lack of information, however, what I think might be missing is more hands on equipment. I worked as a PA, and some of the functions are still a bit unknown to me, even though you mentioned and explained them in the video.
Thanks.
There's so much equipment that you could make another video of it, which I think is kinda unnecessary, since the people that are working on it know what's what or will get to know about the equipment available and their uses at some later point of their working career. This is more of an introduction to people who have no idea what goes on in a set.
The thing is, this is only valid for big Hollywood productions. Most of us in film school, small productions, and in countries outside of the US will usually work with a maximum of a 3 or 5 people teams. I did a whole short TV series for my national channel with a team of 6 people. The electricians were the cinematographer and his assistant, which was also a camera guy.
Well, even if you are in a smaller production where people have several roles, you still need to identify those roles so you know who does what. Especially if the roles move around between productions.
I know. This course is great for beginners and people who want to know what goes on behind the courtain. Just wanted to give a more realistic point of view.
This was very informative. I was confused and now I ha e alot of clarity.
Unrelated: just saw Lily in Off the Rails at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and she did so great! I kept wondering while watching where I had seen her before, and this show is it!
On the set, one of our talent was getting her neck and shoulders massaged by an assistant. "How should you be listed in the credits?" I asked.
"Key grip!"
Didn't know a single thing about the grip crew. Looks like a cool thing to do.
Felt the same!
This episode was so _shocking,_ but then I got a _grip._
i'll give you all my money for that magnificent joke
Booooo
hahahahhaa
Oh I love these series..... A really good introduction to film production.
Thank you for emphasizing safety. Very important.
awesome video, i have learned a lot!
Are you gonna do music history next? That would be awesome..
It would be really interesting if they made it just like film with 3 courses: music history, music theory and music production.
I love the opening.
So happy to be an electrician
I dont want this series to end
Love the course. Thanks so much :)
I finally know what the dang grips do!
Crash course on acting please!!! I want to be a director and I hear every source about learning how to be a director telling me that I should learn about acting, at least the principles. So please make a crash course about acting as soon as possible.
This was dope af
Awesome!
I just love and am interested in the arts in general....one of them is film..... I can't wait for theater and drama..... maybe arts history will come after theater...maybe,
Back in high school, I used to work in the G&E department in our Stage Crew.
Please do a series on producing a play or musical.
please try crash course geography again
I give you points for the tip.
I thought you would say something about shooting day scenes at night with special lights. I assume they do that to get better control as well as to avoid daytime crowds.
Educational!
Ohhh, it's Michael from scishow as the usher in the intro!
Great video due to the information but who did the sound for this?? It is awful. Sorry but what mics, boom, lavs??? did they use? It is so distracting. But the I learned a lot yay just sound mixer tisk tisk...
Learn more from this then film class
Do you plan on making a calculus crash course series?
I’m in third year of film studies, and I’ve only just learned what grip and electric actually does.
Gianfranc Pipitone wtf? I literally learned it the first day of film school
soooooooo clooose
...to?
- Nick J.
being first
I am a science student. Is this video going to help me?........I'll watch it anyway:)
tahsin musarrat not rly Imo but it's very interesting nonetheless ^^
If it talked about scientific or physics principles related to filming like how lenses capture light, etc.
isn't cc for those who are not majoring in it?
Just because you're a science student doesn't mean all your life should revolve around that.
Nice
A backlight is not the weakest light. A scrum doesnt change the intensity of the light. And nowadays its not required for grips to set sticks. Its a courtesy and is dependent on how old school your dp is.
Christopher Martin yes exactly.
A scrim does change the intensity of light. That's why they are color coded so you know how much light they are cutting aka the intensity.
yea this is correct, scrims change light intensity without diffusing it.
Cameron Steinfeld Could any of you possibly explain what difference there is between placing a scrim in front of a lantern versus a sheet of ND filter instead since both ultimately reduce light output to some degree? I come from a theatrical background, so I’m very much used to simply reducing the intensity of luminaires by means of electronic dimming (in the case of tungsten lamps) as opposed to physically blocking the light being emitted using filters. Of course, this is verging into a different topic altogether, but I understand dimming of lamps is avoided due to the warm shift in colour temperature as the intensity reduces, which of course cameras are significantly more sensitive to than our eyes, so you guys always leave lamps running at full intensity and filter externally as needed so colour temperature remains constant, unlike in stage lighting. Do I have the right kind of idea?
i'm loving the videos but she NEVER blinks
Who else is watching this series because he/she's interested in becoming a filmaker?
I am a amateur, but it's interesting to see how big budget stuff happens.
Watching this series makes me very interested in NOT becoming a filmmaker. I salute your courage if you are!
5:08 "C 47" sounds like an automatic gun. :D
A lot of this information is close to correct.
5:45 u mean block buster lol
Note to Michael Bay- See there are other colored gels besides orange. Told you so.
Michael Bay movies aren't orange because of gels, it's because of the grading in post.
I spy Aranda toon walk by 😁
Under 1k club
yay
6:41 STAR WARS VII :O
am i acc first?!
alexasnotes yes
Goodnight
Why would u put grip and electric together=(
yeet
EXCUSE ME MISS DID YOU MEAN CLOTHESPINS THANK YOU
boo thought craig was coming back with his eagle punch
There is no such thing as "safety". I would rather be free than suffer under the illusion of safety. For example, risks can be managed although this is less likely with media driven mass hysteria. Time for you kids to grow a spine and cut it out with the unhealthy obsession with "safety"...