Gaffer

Learn about the duties and responsibilities of the gaffer.

Gaffer

Developed by Jason Tomaric, FilmSkills
ABOUT THIS LESSON

There are three departments that answer to the cinematographer– the camera department, the grip department, and the electric department. The electric department is responsible for running power throughout the set, setting up and managing the lighting. The head of the electric department is the gaffer, and his job is that of the chief lighting technician, translating the cinematographer’s vision into the practical reality of what lights are used, where they are placed, and how power is run to the set.  In this lesson, we’re going to look at the duties and responsibilities of the Gaffer.

  • 19:40 video on the gaffer
  • Illustrated tutorial
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
  • Who is the gaffer?
  • What does the gaffer do on set?
  • What the relationship is like between the gaffer and the cinematographer
  • How the gaffer balances the art and technique of lighting
  • The gaffer's role during pre-production
  • How the gaffer manages the electric crew
  • The creative vs technical input of the gaffer
ABOUT THE LESSON AUTHOR
View full profile
Jason Tomaric

Jason Tomaric

Director, Cinematographer Los Angeles, California
Jason J. Tomaric is an Emmy, Telly, and CINE Award-winning director and cinematographer of four internationally-distributed feature films, dozens of national television commercials, music videos, and the largest film training content library in the world, published author of 8 books - used in many top universities, and creator of AccuSkills.com, an industry-changing learning management platform. 
 
Jason has worked in Los Angeles and around the world in over 20 countries. His clients include Disney, NBC/Universal, National Geographic, McDonald’s, Toyota, Scion, Microsoft, and Paul Mitchell, with narrative work screened at Sundance, Slamdance, and South by Southwest film festivals as well as on Netflix and on all broadcast networks.
 
Jason has taught and/or guest lectured at some of the nation's most prestigious film schools including UCLA, Columbia College, John Carroll University, Kent State University, San Francisco State, University of Notre Dame, and numerous film festivals.
 
Jason has written eight industry-defining books, all sold in bookstores, and used in film schools around the world. The American Society of Cinematographers hails Jason's books - "There are no wasted words in Tomaric's tome, which concisely summarizes each facet of the director's craft.  It's difficult to think of a step in the process that Tomaric fails to address." 
 
Jason’s DVD training series on Hollywood film production have trained filmmakers in over 40 countries, with distributors in Europe, Hong Kong, New York and Australia.
 
In 2010, Jason launched FilmSkills, which combines the world’s largest film training video library with his proprietary learning management system.  Adopted by 47 universities within the first year, FilmSkills is now the leading industry-standard training solution for motion picture and television production.
 
In 2015, Jason launched AccuSkills.com, an industry-changing learning management platform that bridges the gap between academia and industry.
CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS LESSON
Blain Brown

Blain Brown

Cinematographer, Author, "Cinematography: Theory and Practice" and "Motion Picture and Video Lighting"
Blain Brown is a Director of Photography based in the Los Angeles area. He has been Director of Photography on 14 feature films as well as national commercials, promotional films, industrials, music videos and documentaries. He has worked all over the U.S. and throughout the world as well. He has completed projects as a director, editor and screenwriter. Blain has written two of the most industry-defining cinematography book of this decade, "Cinematography: Theory and PRactice," and "Motion Picture and Video Lighting."
Dan Riffel

Dan Riffel

Gaffer, "Iron Man", "G.I. Joe," "Hancock," "Spiderman 3," "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" and "Charlie's Angels"
Dan is a Los Angeles-based gaffer with numerous A-list credits including Battleship, Cowboys and Aliens, Iron Man 1 & 2, G.I. Joe, The Mummy, Hancock, Live Free or Dir Harder, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Spider Man 2 & 3, Charlie's Angels, and many more.
David Stump, ASC

David Stump, ASC

Academy Award and Emmy-winning cinematographer, "A Quantum of Solace", "Flight Plan", "Fantastic Four", and "X-Men"
David Stump, ASC, works on numerous motion pictures and television productions as Director of Photography, as Visual Effects Director of Photography and as a Visual Effects Supervisor, garnering Emmy nominations and an Academy Award for Scientific and Technical Achievement for Camera Data Capture Techniques.  His credits include such projects as James Bond 22 A Quantum of Solace, Flight Plan, Fantastic Four, X-Men 1 & 2, Into the Blue, Garfield, Panic Room, Deep Blue Sea, Batman Forever, Hollow Man, Men of Honor, Stuart Little, The Sphere, Contact, Batman & Robin, Mars Attacks, Executive Decision, Stargate, Free Willy, and What Love Is, among others.
 
A member of the Producer's Guild of America (PGA), the Visual Effects Society (VES), the Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers (SMPTE), the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), Stump has been involved in Digital Visual Effects for over 20 years, since the advent of Computer Generated Images for film.  He has also been involved in shooting High Definition images for many years and has been an advisor and consultant to numerous HD camera manufacturers.  In 2001 he was accepted for full membership into the American Society of Cinematographers, where he is currently chairman of the Camera Subcommittee of the ASC Technical Committee.  His work there helps to shape the future of digital cinematography, by bringing together working cinematographers with the builders of their tools. He is currently working on a book that will demystify digital and high definition cinematography.
 
Harry C. Box

Harry C. Box

Camera Operator, "Heroes," "Brothers and Sisters," and Author of "The Set Lighting Technician's Handbook"

Harry C. Box has worked in television and motion picture production since 1989. Over the years he has done substantial work as a lighting technician, gaffer, camera operator, director of photography, and as an educator. His recent credits include network and cable television series, such as "Heroes" (NBC), "Brothers and Sisters" (ABC), and "Everybody Hates Chris" (CW). He has worked on major motion pictures, independent feature films, telefilms, documentaries, music videos, commercials, and industrials. Harry has also written "The Set Lighting Technician's Handbook," now in its fourth edition.

Ron Sill

Ron Sill

Gaffer, "Christmas in Connecticut," "Iron Eagle," and "Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby"

Ron is the resident Gaffer with Arri Lighting in Burbank, California, he has worked in the camera and electrical department for over 20 years. His credits include: "Christmas in Connecticut," "Iron Eagle," "Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby," and 16 episodes of "Mike Hammer, Private Eye."