Studio Electrical Lighting Technicians (IATSE Local 728)

Overview

IATSE Local 728 is the union representing gaffers, best boy electricians, generator operators, and set lighting technicians working on motion picture and television productions in the Los Angeles jurisdiction. Founded in 1938, Local 728 covers the entire electrical and lighting department: the crew responsible for planning, rigging, and operating the lighting that the director of photography designs for a production. If you are shooting a union production in Los Angeles and need set lighting crew, you are hiring through Local 728.

The local operates under the 2024-2027 IATSE Basic Agreement, which runs from August 1, 2024 through July 31, 2027. The current contract sets minimum wage rates by classification, overtime and turnaround rules, meal penalty provisions, and pension and health benefit contribution rates. Quarterly dues for active members are $305 for the first quarter of 2024 and $315 per quarter thereafter (approximately $1,250/year). Retirees pay $116/year with a $10,000 life insurance policy or $232/year with a $20,000 policy.

For the current wage schedules, visit the Local 728 contracts page or download the 2024-2027 wage rate PDF directly.

Job Classifications and 2025-2026 Wage Rates

Local 728 covers a hierarchy of classifications within the set lighting department. The following rates are minimum scale wages under Schedule A (prime time dramatic television) effective August 3, 2025 through August 1, 2026:

Rates under Schedule B (non-prime-time, with a 3% reduction) are proportionally lower. For example, an Entry Level Employee under Schedule B earns $46.73/hour and a Rigging Technician earns $53.14/hour during the same period. Rates increase again on August 2, 2026 for the final year of the contract.

Overtime is paid at 1.5x after 8 hours daily or 40 hours weekly. The minimum call is 8 hours (9 hours for daily exempt employees). Meal penalties accrue when crew are not fed within the contractual time window (typically 6 hours from call time, then every 2 hours thereafter).

Membership Qualification and Costs

Joining Local 728 requires meeting specific work-day thresholds through the Contract Services Administration Trust Fund (CSATF) system:

Qualification requirements:

• Work 30 "permitted hire" days for a signatory producer within the lighting department
• Pass a color blind test prior to roster placement
• Be placed on one of two industry rosters: the Industry Experience Roster (IER) or the IATSE Television Commercial Roster (TCR)

Application process:

1. Accumulate 30 permitted hire days on union productions in a Local 728 classification
2. Submit work experience documentation (Employment Verification Letters from production companies or payroll companies like Entertainment Partners, Cast & Crew, CAPS) through the Contract Services Portal
3. Complete preliminary training courses required by CSATF
4. Pass the color blind test
5. Apply for roster placement through Contract Services
6. Once placed on a roster, apply for Local 728 membership

Dues structure (2024):

• First quarter: $305
• Quarters 2, 3, 4: $315 each
• Total annual dues: approximately $1,250 for active members
• Retiree dues: $116/year ($10,000 life insurance) or $232/year ($20,000 life insurance)
• Dues are due January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1. A $50 late charge applies per instance if a member accepts work while delinquent.
• Members who attend full membership meetings receive a $15 dues discount.

The initiation fee for Local 728 is not publicly listed on the website but is processed through CSATF once roster placement is confirmed. Contact the Local 728 business representative directly for current initiation fee amounts.

Gaffer and Best Boy Responsibilities

The gaffer (Chief Lighting Technician) is the head of the electrical department and the DP's primary collaborator in implementing the lighting design. The gaffer translates the DP's visual intent into practical electrical plans: determining which fixtures to use, how to rig them, how to power them, and how to operate them during shooting. This requires both creative visual sensitivity and technical knowledge of electrical systems, fixture specifications, and rigging methods. On a union production, the gaffer is a Local 728 classification at the top of the department pay scale.

The best boy electric (Assistant Chief Lighting Technician) manages the department's logistics: ordering equipment, tracking inventory, managing the electrical crew roster, overseeing the equipment truck, and coordinating with the production office on electrical department costs. The best boy's organizational role complements the gaffer's creative and technical leadership.

Below the best boy, the electrical lighting technicians (set electricians) rig, operate, and strike lights throughout the shooting day. Rigging technicians handle pre-rigging and wrap-rigging work that happens outside the principal photography schedule. The running repair technician maintains and repairs lighting equipment on set. Each of these roles is a distinct Local 728 classification with its own rate card.

Regional Jurisdiction

Local 728's jurisdiction covers the Los Angeles area specifically. Productions shooting in other parts of the United States work under different IATSE locals, each with their own rates and working conditions:

• Local 52: New York and the Eastern US
• Local 481: New England
• Local 600: Has electrical jurisdiction in some areas (though primarily the cinematographers' local)
• Local 728: Los Angeles area only

For productions moving between locations, understanding which local has jurisdiction in each shooting location is essential for compliance planning. A production shooting in both Los Angeles and New York will deal with both Local 728 and Local 52, and the rates and working rules may differ between the two.

Historical Context

Local 728 was founded in 1938 as the film industry's electrical and lighting crew organized under the IATSE umbrella. The local emerged during the studio era when Hollywood's electrical departments were growing in size and technical complexity as sound film production matured and lighting technology advanced from carbon arcs to tungsten fixtures.

The local has negotiated through every major IATSE contract cycle, including the 2021 negotiations that produced the first-ever IATSE strike authorization vote in the union's 128-year history. The 2024-2027 Basic Agreement was ratified without a strike authorization, following the disruptive 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. The current contract includes improved wage increases, enhanced rest provisions, and new streaming residual structures.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For directors and DPs: The gaffer is one of the most important crew relationships on any production. A gaffer who understands the DP's visual language and can anticipate lighting needs before being asked makes the shooting day significantly more efficient. Budget for a senior gaffer at $3,412/week minimum (Schedule A, 2025-2026 rate) plus overtime and benefit contributions.

For producers: Local 728 rates vary by classification and schedule. A full lighting crew on a union production in Los Angeles includes a gaffer, best boy, and multiple electricians and rigging technicians, each at different rates. IATSE benefit contributions (pension, health, and welfare) add approximately 25-30% on top of hourly wages. Meal penalties accrue when crew are not fed within the contractual time window. The 2025 Low Budget Theatrical Agreement_0.pdf) provides reduced rates for qualifying low-budget productions.

For crew members seeking to join: The path to Local 728 membership runs through 30 days of permitted hire work on union productions. Keep detailed payroll records and Employment Verification Letters from every production. Submit documentation through the Contract Services Portal as you accumulate days. The Hollywood CPR program offers an alternative pathway for training and roster placement.

For budgeting: Use the Indie Film Budget Calculator to estimate total lighting department costs including IATSE wages, overtime, and fringe benefits. Remember that rates differ between Schedule A (prime time) and Schedule B (3% reduction), and that the low-budget agreement offers further reductions for qualifying productions.

See Also

For the grip department that works alongside the electrical department on set, see Grips (IATSE Local 80) in this directory. For the broader IATSE structure and the 2024-2027 Basic Agreement details, see IATSE in this directory. For estimating crew costs including IATSE fringes, use the Indie Film Budget Calculator.