The dolly grip moves the camera in time with the scene.

The job

You run the dolly that carries the camera: push, pull and boom it through each take, hitting marks and matching the actors so the operator can frame and the focus puller can hold.

On UK units the dolly grip is often the A-camera grip, an experienced grip given the dolly for the show. You keep the dolly and its track in working order.

A typical day

• Build the dolly first thing with the grips.
• At blocking, watch the move with the operator and DoP and mark your positions.
• During lighting, rehearse with stand-ins until the timing's right.
• Run the move each take, adjusting to the actors, then tell the operator if it was clean.
• Between setups, move and rebuild the dolly with the team.

Skills

• Smooth, repeatable moves by feel and timing.
• Reading actors and the operator together.
• Knowledge of dollies, booms, track and the safety rules.
• Fitness and steady hands.
• Calm under repeated takes.

Who you report to

You report to the key grip and work closely with the camera operator. On some productions the dolly grip is the key grip.

How people get in

Dolly grips are experienced grips. You start as a trainee grip, become a grip, gain certification and then take on the dolly. The Level 3 Diploma for Advanced Grips is common at this level. ScreenSkills publishes a dolly/camera grip skills checklist.

Next step up

Key grip, or best boy grip on larger productions. Some specialise in cranes or remote heads.

Find out more

• ScreenSkills: dolly/camera grip skills checklist (PDF)
• ScreenSkills: grip
• Pay: Bectu Grips Branch card, April 2024