Television and film production involves the cooperation and creative thinking of a group of talented professionals who each have their own unique specialty.  When each member of the crew brings their expertise to the table, incredible images are captured through a variety of mediums. One of the most fascinating art forms behind the scenes is the element of lighting, giving gaffers a pivotal role in the production process. The basic rule is:  no lighting, no shooting. You will find gaffers today working on all genres of feature films and television programming, including multi-camera and single-camera shoots. It is essential for the gaffer to know shoot dates and durations, equipment requirements and all aspects of lighting.  The gaffers work closely with the lighting directors, solving any potential problems as they surface.

“The gaffer’s job is to know how many foot-candles or what f-stop the cameraman needs to get good exposure,” says Patric Abaravich, business representative for I.A.T.S.E.  Local 728 Studio Electrical Lighting Technicians. “Film is at one level, and digital and video is at another higher level. That’s the knowledge the gaffer has: what media is being used and what exposure is needed.” While many lighting technicians choose to work in the trenches, a few have an eye for lighting and ask the right questions. They learn the equipment and lighting techniques handed down from the gaffer. As they become proficient at their craft, they themselves eventually become gaffers. “It’s a shared knowledge; a lot of handed-down knowledge,” says Abaravich. 

Jeff Zueger from Spectrum Films, located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has 20 years of experience as a gaffer.  “ We help put the vision on screen,” says Zueger, “ A light’s a light. It’s going to put out the sort of light it’s meant to.” Zueger mentions that it is the fluorescents that have been the major part of everyday lighting for him in the past 10 years. As technical advances and new lighting equipment hit the market, smaller and lighter equipment will soon be available ─ possibly decreasing the size of future crews.

Dwight Lay, a 16-year gaffing veteran, says that lights are, in fact, changing. “They’re becoming cooler, smaller, and lightweight battery-powered.” When asked about the relationship between the gaffer and the DP on set, Lay asserts that the relationship is “Absolutely critical; it’s all about what the DP wants.”  The job of a gaffer can sometimes even surpass what might be expected to do the job efficiently. Lay remembers a time when filming took place at the bottom floor of a hospital.  “ We were dealing with the high voltage running near water.” It’s important for the gaffer to make lighting situations safe for the crew and actors. The most challenging [lighting techniques] are sometimes the most mundane,” he says. “It’s important for the gaffer to know what’s expected, get his team of professionals together and make it happen.” 

 I caught up with gaffer Sean McElwee on the set of a new music video for the Plain White Tee’s, where he gave me a rundown on what’s expected from a gaffer on a music video shoot. “Music videos tend to work very fast,” says McElwee.  “ That’s a challenge of a gaffer; to work really fast. You have to keep everyone on the same page. When you’re working on a big shoot, everyone tends to spread out. McElwee agrees “as a gaffer it’s your job to make sure your lighting crew knows the plan of attack and is able to efficiently and quickly light a scene as expected.”   To maintain this speed and make the cameraman look good, it’s imperative that today’s gaffers stay informed and updated on the changes in lighting and camera technology. After all, without lights and the professionals who know how to use them, the visual world of content-capturing would become unimaginative.