Grips (IATSE Local 80)

Overview

IATSE Local 80 is the union representing motion picture grips, rigging grips, dolly grips, best boy grips, craft service personnel, marine department workers, first aid employees, and warehouse workers in the Los Angeles area. Founded in 1926, Local 80 operates under the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) umbrella and covers the camera support and rigging department whose work enables every camera move, stabilized shot, and practical rigging requirement on a production.

The grip department works at the intersection of camera and lighting. Grips build and operate the camera support equipment that the DP and camera operator use to execute shots. They also rig lighting modifiers (flags, diffusion, bounce materials, nets) that shape the quality and direction of light. The collaboration between the grip and electrical departments on set is one of the most constant working relationships in any camera department.

Local 80 reported approximately 3,419 members in 2025, down from 3,671 in 2024. The local's office is in Burbank, CA, and the phone number is 818-526-0700. General membership meetings are held on the first Sunday of every month (9 months per year) at the Local 80 Sound Stage.

Grip Department Roles

Key Grip

The key grip is the department head, responsible for all camera support work on the production: cranes, jibs, dollies, tracking vehicles, and any custom rigging required for complex shots. The key grip works directly with the DP and first AC to understand support requirements for each setup and plans the equipment package accordingly. On union productions, the key grip is a Local 80 member.

Dolly Grip

The dolly grip operates the camera dolly during tracking and dolly shots. Dolly operation requires precise physical control over dolly speed, direction, and height changes, often in coordination with focus pullers adjusting focus during the same shot. Experienced dolly grips develop an intuitive sense for camera movement rhythm that makes their work a specialized craft within the department.

Best Boy Grip

The best boy grip manages the grip department's logistics: equipment orders, inventory tracking, crew roster, and coordination with the production office on grip department costs. The best boy mirrors the best boy electric's organizational role in the electrical department.

Rigging Grips

Rigging grips prepare locations in advance of the shooting unit's arrival, building scaffolding, rigging lighting positions, laying dolly track, and constructing any structural rigs required for complex setups. On large productions, a separate rigging key grip and rigging grip crew work ahead of the main unit throughout the shoot.

Membership and Qualification

How to Join

Local 80 is not an entry-level union. Membership requires accumulating a specific number of qualifying days on Local 80-covered productions. The exact number of days required varies year to year and is set by the local's membership committee. The typical path involves 1-3 years of consistent non-union grip work before a grip has enough qualifying days to join.

The membership process requires:

1. Qualifying days: A specific number of days worked on Local 80-covered productions (varies by year)
2. Sponsorship: Sponsorship by an existing member or proof of qualifying experience
3. Initiation fee: Payment of the initiation fee (typically several thousand dollars)
4. Swearing-in ceremony: New members must be sworn in at a General Membership Meeting, conducted by the Local 80 President in person

Dues and Fees

Based on the most recent available filings:

Dues are paid quarterly. Members must remain current on dues to maintain good standing and remain eligible for union dispatch.

What Membership Provides

• Access to union signatory work (most major studio and streamer productions in LA)
• Pension and Health (P&H) contributions on every signatory day worked
• Mandatory rate floors that are higher than non-union rates
• Meal penalty protections and overtime/turnaround enforcement
• Voting rights on the local's contracts and leadership

Wage Rates

Local 80 members work under the IATSE Basic Agreement for theatrical and television productions, with separate rate cards for commercials under the AICP agreement. Rate cards are available to members at iatselocal80.org/rate-card.

Commercial Contract Rates (AICP, effective October 2022)

Theatrical/Television Rates

Theatrical and television rates are set under the IATSE Area Standards Agreement and the Basic Agreement, with rates varying by budget tier (low budget, modified low budget, full budget). Members should consult the current rate card on the Local 80 website for specific theatrical and television hourly rates, as these are updated with each contract negotiation cycle.

Non-Union vs. Union Day Rates (2026 Market Rates)

Union day rates include P&H contributions on top of the base rate, making the total cost to production higher than the day rate alone.

Meal Penalties and Working Conditions

Local 80 enforces meal penalty provisions when productions fail to provide meals within required timeframes. The current meal penalty structure:

At a Studio

Outside a Studio

What Filmmakers Should Know

For Directors and DPs

Engaging the key grip in prep, before the equipment package is locked, allows experienced grips to propose solutions to movement challenges that the DP may not have considered. Key grips with long careers often have custom rigging solutions for common problems that save significant time and cost on set. On union productions, the key grip will be a Local 80 member who brings their own crew from the local's roster.

For Producers

Local 80 rates by classification and the equipment costs of the grip package (dolly, track, crane, and associated equipment) are both significant below-the-line budget components. Signing an IATSE agreement commits your production to hiring IATSE-covered grips and paying IATSE minimums plus P&H contributions. For independent productions, IATSE's low-budget and modified agreements provide access to union crews at reduced rates. Non-union productions that hire IATSE members without signing an agreement risk unfair labor practice charges and retroactive liability for unpaid benefit contributions.

For Aspiring Grips

Local 80 is the milestone you reach after 1-3 years of consistent non-union grip work. The career path typically runs: production assistant to swing into grip work, then generic grip, then best boy, then key grip. A starter grip kit (basic tools, gloves, c-wrench, tape, etc.) costs approximately $550 and pays for itself within a few weeks of working. Reach out to best boys directly for opportunities. The grip community runs on referrals.

See Also

For the electrical department that works alongside grips on set, see Studio Electrical Lighting Technicians (IATSE Local 728) in this directory. For the camera department the grip team supports, see International Cinematographers Guild (Local 600) in this directory. For the umbrella IATSE organization, see IATSE in this directory. For current rate cards, visit iatselocal80.org/rate-card. Use the Indie Film Budget Calculator to estimate how IATSE grip department rates and P&H contributions affect your production budget.