Behind-the-Scenes Crew (Grips, Gaffers, Set Builders)

The skilled crew who build, light, and rig everything you see (and hear) on a film set: lighting electricians, grips, sound recordists, carpenters, painters, and prop masters.

Top pay: highest pay, longest training

Gaffer (Chief Lighting Technician): Heads the lighting crew, designing and building the lighting setups the cinematographer wants. Typical pay $115k.
Key Grip: Leads the grip department, which builds camera rigs, dollies, cranes, and the frames that shape light. Typical pay $110k.
Production Designer: Designs the entire visual world of a film: sets, locations, colors, and props. Typical pay $120k.
Art Director (Film & TV): Turns the production designer's vision into buildable plans, managing the set construction and art budget. Typical pay $111k.
Construction Coordinator (Film): Runs the crew of carpenters, plasterers, and painters who build film sets. Typical pay $125k.

Mid pay: solid pay, degree or apprenticeship

Best Boy Electric: The gaffer's second in command, who manages the lighting crew, equipment orders, and the electrical truck. Typical pay $100k.
Set Lighting Technician (Electrician): Hangs, powers, and adjusts the lights on a film or TV set. Typical pay $62k.
Generator Operator (Film): Runs the massive mobile generators that power lights and equipment on location. Typical pay $85k.
Best Boy Grip: The key grip's second in command, managing grip crew schedules, equipment, and the grip truck. Typical pay $95k.
Dolly Grip: Pushes the camera dolly or operates the crane, moving the camera smoothly during a shot. Typical pay $88k.
Rigging Grip: Builds big overhead rigs and scaffolding before the shooting crew arrives. Typical pay $90k.
Production Sound Mixer: Records the actors' dialogue and sound on set, aiming for perfectly clean audio. Typical pay $95k.
Boom Operator: Holds a long pole with a microphone just above actors' heads, staying out of the camera frame. Typical pay $80k.
Set Carpenter (Propmaker): Builds the walls, floors, stairs, and structures of movie and TV sets. Typical pay $70k.
Scenic Artist (Scenic Painter): Paints sets to look like aged wood, marble, brick, or entire painted skies. Typical pay $72k.
Set Decorator: Chooses and places everything in a set that isn't built: furniture, curtains, books, lamps, and clutter. Typical pay $80k.
Leadman (Set Decoration): Leads the 'swing gang' crew that physically moves furniture and decor in and out of sets. Typical pay $85k.
Property Master (Prop Master): Finds, builds, or buys every object actors touch: phones, swords, wands, coffee cups, and fake money. Typical pay $90k.
Greensperson (Greensman): Brings plants, trees, grass, and even fake snow-covered shrubs onto film sets. Typical pay $72k.
Production Illustrator: Draws sets, props, and key scenes for film and TV art departments before anything is built. Typical pay $95k.
Film & TV Graphic Designer: Designs every fake newspaper, label, sign, and screen graphic that appears on camera. Typical pay $85k.
Standby Painter: Stays on set to paint quick fixes and touch-ups during filming. Typical pay $75k.
Marine Coordinator (Film): Plans and runs all boat and water work on film and TV shoots. Typical pay $95k.
Camera Car Driver: Drives the specialized vehicles that carry cameras alongside moving cars in driving scenes. Typical pay $90k.
Lighting Console Operator (Film): Programs and controls lighting from a digital console on film and TV sets. Typical pay $90k.
Video Playback Engineer: Makes phone screens, TVs, and computer monitors on set display the right content during scenes. Typical pay $90k.
Prop House Manager: Runs a warehouse full of furniture, signs, old phones, and oddities that film and TV crews rent to dress their sets. Typical pay $65k.

Starter: fastest way in

Utility Sound Technician: Assists the sound team by wiring actors with hidden mics, running cables, and managing batteries. Typical pay $52k.
Set Dresser (Swing Gang): Moves furniture and decor into place, and adjusts props between takes for continuity. Typical pay $52k.
Art Department Assistant: Helps the art department with research, paperwork, errands, and small builds. Typical pay $45k.

Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.