A continuation of our technician tools blog series, this post will focus on the tools needed for people working in the Electric department. If you haven’t already checked out the original tehnician’s tools blog post please give it a read. These are the “must have” pieces of gear a “spark” should carry in their tool belt.
Speaking of tool belts, do you have yours? There are many different places you can get a tool belt.
Here are the 3 easiest:
Although above I link to general pouches I do think Rip Offs makes best pouches for lighting techs. You can find RipOffs Tool Pouches on Amazon.com as well as Film Tools.
Now the Lighting Technician tools that will fill that belt:
C-Wrench
These will be used more by your grip brothers, but still very handy for a spark to carry. Put some sash chord through the hole in the handle and wrap it around your wrist for extra safety when on a ladder. Check some wrenches out!
Multitool (Leatherman)
For a while I was even carrying a leatherman in my day to day life outside of film sets. Although I stopped doing that, they are still about the most handy thing you could carry. Some will come with a holster and some extras even. Look at some here
Screw Driver
Yes, this along with the C-wrench and leatherman are mentioned in the 7 tools every Grip needs post, but they are still necessary for sparks. This series of posts in about the bare minimum you need to show up for a daily job, so get yourself a screw driver. With a picquic you can pull the bit out and use them in your drill. Try doing that with any other screwdriver!
Knife
Use a knife to cut gels, sash, skin frames and whatever else. Be careful.
A Line Tester/
Circuit Tester
A line tester will indicate if a wire has a current flowing through it. Great for quick trouble shooting. A circuit tester plugs in to an Edison and tells you if its hot, it will also let you know if the ground is correct and polarization. Spend a little extra and get one with the GFCI tester built-in.
Clothes Pegs
Otherwise known as a C-47, Clothes Pegs aren’t just for clipping gels on to lights. You can pull one apart and use for very tiny precise leveling or flip them backwards (c-74) and use them to pull scrims out of lights. Pay a little more and get the heavy-duty ones, it’s worth it.
Cube Tap
Used to split a line of AC into 3 U-grounds, these are extremely handy. Pay attention and keep it under 15amps, you don’t want to melt it! Package trucks will carry these, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have some with you at all times. Label them with your name or initials, but be sure to collect them at the end of the day.
These are your “must haves” for electrics! Stock up and be sure that you are ready for your first day on set!
Bonus:
A Viewing Glass
Not completely necessary to be a 3rd or daily, but very handy when aiming a light of trying to spot the suns position on a day exterior. If such an item is out of your budget a fantastic solution is a welders glass.
Honourable mention:
2 inch black paper tape
It didn’t make the main list of bonus because it is considered an expandable and is usually provided on most jobs. Clothes pegs are also an expandable, but they are so important to the job that they had to make the main list.
Black 2inch Paper Tape on Amazon
