Okuzeka
Film & Television vocabulary · Lighting

Best boy

Meaning in film & television, with examples

nounAdvanced term

In film & television, best boy means: A senior assistant in the lighting or grip department who helps manage crew, equipment, schedules, and daily practical operations.

In Turkish: ışık veya grip ekibi başyardımcısı

How it is used

In film crews, this title usually appears as best boy electric or best boy grip, supporting the department head with organization and coordination.

Example sentences

  1. When two extra lamps were added to the hallway scene, the best boy reorganized the crew and sent a runner for more cable.

    Here the term refers to the person handling practical department coordination after a lighting change, not making the main artistic decision.

  2. The best boy checked the equipment list at wrap and flagged that three battery chargers were still missing from the truck.

    In this example, the role includes tracking gear and supervising department workflow so the shoot stays organized.

Common collocations

  • best boy electric
  • best boy grip
  • lighting department
  • equipment list
  • gafferThe head of the electrical and lighting crew on a film set, who carries out the cinematographer's lighting plan.
  • lightingThe use and arrangement of light sources on set to show the action clearly and to create the mood and look of a scene.

More terms: Lighting

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: