Working as a Best Boy In Film, Television and Commercial

Last Updated 5 days ago

The Best Boy is one of the most important—and most misunderstood—roles on a professional film set.

At a high level, the Best Boy is the right hand of the department head. In the lighting department, that means working under the Gaffer. In grip, it means working under the Key Grip. Regardless of department, the job is fundamentally about organization, communication, and forward planning.

This page serves as a general overview of what it means to work as a Best Boy on professional film, television, and commercial productions.

For department-specific breakdowns, see the dedicated guides on Best Boy Electric (2nd Electric) and Best Boy Grip (2nd Grip), which go deeper into the technical and on-set realities of each role.

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What Does a Best Boy Actually Do?

Strip away the department labels and the job becomes very clear.

A Best Boy is responsible for making sure the crew, gear, and logistics are in place so the department can function efficiently. While the Gaffer or Key Grip focuses on execution and creative problem-solving, the Best Boy handles the operational side of the department.

On most productions, the Best Boy also acts as the primary liaison between the department and production, keeping communication clear and preventing small issues from turning into major delays.

Core Responsibilities of a Best Boy

Supporting the Department Head
The Best Boy assists the Gaffer or Key Grip in running the department day to day. This includes managing crew, anticipating needs, and solving problems before they reach the key.

Crew Hiring, Scheduling, and Management
Best Boys are often responsible for sourcing additional technicians, booking rigging crews, and coordinating schedules. This can involve last-minute calls, schedule changes, and constant communication with production.

Equipment Ordering and Inventory
Managing gear is a major part of the job. Best Boys help build equipment lists, track what’s on the truck, arrange additions or exchanges, and ensure gear is returned properly. Poor gear management costs time and money, and production notices immediately.

Pre-Lighting and Rigging
Pre-lighting upcoming scenes or locations is one of the most valuable contributions a Best Boy can make. This may involve scheduling a pre-light crew, supervising rigging, or handling the work directly on smaller shows. Efficient pre-lighting is often the difference between smooth shooting days and constant catch-up.

Liaising With Production
The Best Boy frequently represents the department when dealing with Assistant Directors and production management. When the key is tied up on set, the Best Boy keeps communication moving and decisions from stalling.

Equipment Maintenance and Troubleshooting
While not all repairs can be done on set, the Best Boy is expected to identify issues early, handle basic fixes when appropriate, and keep faulty gear from becoming a safety or scheduling problem.

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Skills That Make a Strong Best Boy

Technical Knowledge
A Best Boy needs a strong working knowledge of their department’s tools and systems. You don’t need to know everything, but you must be able to troubleshoot, spot problems, and support your crew effectively.

Problem-Solving
Broken gear, missing crew, changing schedules—this is normal. The job is about finding solutions quickly without creating new problems elsewhere.

Communication
Clear, calm communication is essential. You’ll be dealing with technicians, department heads, production staff, and vendors—often under pressure.

Attention to Detail
Film production lives and dies by details. Best Boys track call times, equipment lists, access points, power needs, and safety concerns constantly.

Prep and Production Meetings

Prep is where good Best Boys earn their reputation.

During prep, you should be reading the script thoroughly, reviewing visual references and lighting discussions with the Gaffer or Key Grip, coordinating workflow and approach with your department head, attending production and department meetings, and assisting with equipment lists and schedules.

Strong prep reduces chaos on shoot days.

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The Best Boy Binder

Every Best Boy should maintain a centralized system for information, whether physical or digital.

This typically includes the script, shooting schedule, equipment lists, crew and vendor contact information, time sheets, deal memos, notes, diagrams, and tech scout information. Organization is not optional in this role.

The Tech Scout

Tech scouts are critical for grip and lighting departments, and the Best Boy plays a key role.

During a scout, you should be listening closely to lighting and staging discussions led by the Gaffer or Key Grip, identifying cable runs, power sources, and staging areas, flagging access issues and safety concerns, coordinating shared needs with other departments, and noting special rigging or equipment requirements.

The better the scout, the fewer surprises later.

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On Set as a Best Boy

At the start of the day, your priority is helping the department get up and running: staging gear, running cable, and supporting the Gaffer or Key Grip. Ideally, much of this was planned during prep or the tech scout.

As the day progresses, the Best Boy balances paperwork and scheduling, communication with production, preparing for upcoming scenes, supervising pre-lights or rigging, and supporting the crew as needed.

On smaller shows, you may function like a senior technician. On larger shows, your role becomes almost entirely managerial.

Best Boy Electric and Best Boy Grip

While the core responsibilities of a Best Boy are consistent, the technical focus and daily workflow differ significantly between departments.

For detailed breakdowns, see Best Boy Electric, working under the Gaffer, and Best Boy Grip, working under the Key Grip. These guides cover department-specific skills, expectations, and career paths.

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Final Thoughts

Being a Best Boy is demanding, stressful, and often invisible—but it is one of the most important training grounds for department leadership.

You learn how productions actually function, how to manage people and gear under pressure, and how to support creative work without slowing it down. Mastering this role prepares you for positions like Gaffer or Key Grip, and earns trust fast.