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- Work on exciting film and tv projects overseeing the lighting and electrics
- Opportunities to travel and work on a wide range of different projects
- Hours can be long and you may need to spend a lot of time away from home
As a Best Boy on a film or tv production, you'll be the right hand person for the 'Gaffer' or chief lighting technician. You'll normally be a highly skilled electrician and lighting technician in your own right,
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Oversee the team of electricians needed to deliver a production
- Manage the work of the electricians in your team
- Liaise with other people in the production team like assistant directors or special effects technicians
- Ensure everything is running smoothly
- Take direction from the gaffer and manage the set up of lighting rigs, ensuring they have the necessary power supplies
- Ensure that health and safety procedures are followed on site
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You'll need to work both in studios and out on location. Hours can be long during filming and you may need to spend long periods of time away from home.
You'll need
Although you don't need a degree to become a lighting technician studying a specialist qualification in lighting design, technical theatre, or film may help you gain the skills and knowledge you need.
Most lighting technicians are qualified electricians, so getting started by doing an apprenticeship or completing a qualification in this field is often a good way to start as you'll have a good technical foundation on which to build your skills.
Volunteering as a lighting technician on plays and amateur films and productions can be a good way to build up your skills and knowledge - and even more important in this industry is building up a network of contacts, so attending events or building up relationships with those working in the industry are good first steps into your first job.
CAREER PROSPECTS
Most best boys are freelancers and move from project to project, often with the same group of electricians and gaffer.