American Cinematographer - March 2022 - 51

K
ey grips work with equipment that can be large,
heavy, difficult to maneuver, linked to an electric current,
suspended from a height, or pose some other
danger to people on set. Therefore, an important part
of the key grip's job is to ensure the equipment is safe,
and to speak up if they see a potential issue - before
it becomes hazardous.
Key grip Bodie Hyman (The Muppets, The Mick, Key & Peele) has been
working in the industry for 20 years, and says maintaining an awareness
of safety comes down to a mindset. " Early on I worked with James Kwiatkowski,
who [has been a frequent] key grip for Steven Spielberg, and
he taught me the mentality of 'things will go wrong, so always keep an
eye out for what could go wrong,' " he says.
As an example, Hyman notes the challenges of working on The Muppets,
which required the set to have spaces below floor level. " We pulled
out swathes of steel deck, and the flooring ended up littered with holes
- we were creating literal pitfalls. " The grips put up caution tape and
added lips around the edges of the holes, but Hyman says the real solution
is proactive and constant communication about potential threats.
" I would make an announcement before shooting, every time, " he says,
adding that he always pointed out where the holes were, some of which
might have changed from the last shoot or from rehearsals.
Hyman says that anticipating risks is even more important when
shooting with vehicles. " When you have actors in cars, it gets really
dangerous - cameras outside cars, cars on trailers, shooting car-to-car
- things can go south really quickly. I remember being a young grip
standing in the woods watching cars go past, and my job was to yank the
cameraperson into the woods if something went wrong. That seemed
cool as a young man, but now that I'm older and more experienced, it
doesn't seem like such a good idea. Now we have remote heads, which
are a better solution. "
Vidal Cohen, key grip on the series The Rookie, Masters of Sex and Californication,
says, " I tell all my grips: 'If you see something you are not
happy about, get me on the radio. If you think there is imminent danger,
just stop it. Even if it turns out to be safe, I am the department head and
I will back you up.' "
Cohen spent eight years in the U.S. Marine Corps, which is where he
began to learn about safety. " The Marines take safety really seriously -
there is a consequence for everything that happens in the Marine Corps. "
When he transitioned into the entertainment industry, he was surprised
to find that there are big differences in safety education and awareness,
depending on location.
On one international shoot, he recalls, " one person didn't understand
why you couldn't do an electrical tie-in while standing in a puddle of
water! " On another occasion, Cohen, the cinematographer and the gaffer
walked into a courtyard where the crew was erecting a scaffolding. The
main supports had no adjustable feet, so the local crewmembers were
jamming pieces of scrap wood underneath the supports to keep them
level. " We were horrified, " he says. " They said, 'We do that all the time.'
And we said, 'Maybe, but you're not doing it this time.' "
Cohen adds that one very helpful resource during his 28-year career
has been having access to people like Kent Jorgensen, IATSE's Safety
Opposite page: Key grip Michael Anderson (third from left), director/
co-creator Jonathan Nolan (far left), stunt coordinator Doug Coleman
(second from left), 1st AD Jamie Marshall (right) and crew work out
logistics on the set of HBO's Westworld. This page: Key grip Bodie
Hyman (left) on the set of the ABC series The Kids Are Alright, working
alongside operator David Sammons (right) and dolly grip Chuck May.
Committee chair, who has 25 years of experience as an IATSE safety
rep. " You can call Kent at any time and get a ruling on a safety issue, "
Cohen says. He recalled one setup that made him uncomfortable, which
involved an insert car on a trailer with dolly track next to the car. Cohen
called Kent, who informed him that according to OSHA (Occupational
Safety and Health Administration), they could not do that setup. Kent
then offered a safer alternative. " I went to the 1st AD, and we fixed the
problem. Invoking OSHA is often enough to ensure that a problem is
addressed. "
Manny Duran, whose credits include Thor, Fantastic Four and X-Men:
First Class, has been in the grip department since 1998. " Experience is
MARCH 2022 / 51
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE FILMMAKERS.
American Cinematographer - March 2022

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