Tomorrow the shoot needs two extra lamps and three more electricians for a night scene. The gaffer mentions it once, between takes. By the evening, the best boy has booked the people, ordered the kit, told the production office and planned where the extra truck will park. The best boy is the second in command of the lighting or grip department, and the one who keeps it running.

What a best boy does

There are two best boys on most films. The best boy electric works for the gaffer in the lighting department. The best boy grip works for the key grip. Both do similar work. The head of department stays close to the director of photography on set, and the best boy runs everything else.

They start in pre-production, helping with the equipment list and booking crew. During the shoot they manage the truck, track what kit is out and where, hire daily crew for big days, and keep the paperwork for the department. The title is used for women and men alike, and the job has nothing to do with age.

Responsibilities

  • Hire and schedule the department crew, including extra people for big days
  • Order, receive and return equipment from the rental house
  • Keep the truck and the kit organised and accounted for
  • Handle timesheets and send them to the production office
  • Plan pre-rigging and wrapping of sets with the gaffer or key grip
  • Pass changes and extra needs to the production coordinator
  • Step in for the head of department when needed

How the role touches the budget

More than you would expect from the title. The best boy collects the hours of the department, orders extra kit and daily crew, and checks the rental house's paperwork against what actually arrived. Those orders become purchase orders and invoices that the production manager approves. A best boy who tracks kit and hours well makes the weekly cost report for the department accurate.

How people become best boys

Best boys usually come up through the department as electrician or grip. They are chosen by the gaffer or key grip for their organisational skills as much as their technical ones. The next step is often gaffer or key grip.

US and UK titles

The name is used in the US and the UK. Some productions use the more formal "assistant chief lighting technician" for the best boy electric, and in parts of Europe the role is simply called second electrician or second grip.