Grip Day Rate in LA (2026): What to Charge, What to Expect

Grip rates in Los Angeles in 2026 sit at the high end of the country, anchored by the deepest crew bench, the highest cost of living, and IATSE Local 80's signatory work driving the union floor. Working LA grips at the generic level pull $400-700/day non-union; key grips on union features pull $1,200-1,800/day with full pension and health.

This guide is the practical breakdown of grip rates in LA in 2026: by role, by project type, with kit fees and overtime. For a deeper grip career path, see How to Become a Grip in Los Angeles.

Quick Reference Table

Role	Non-union day rate (LA, 2026)	Union day rate w/ P&H
Generic / 3rd Grip	$400-700	$700-900
Best Boy Grip	$500-900	$900-1,200
Key Grip	$600-1,200	$1,200-1,800
Rigging Grip	$400-700	$700-900
Rigging Best Boy	$500-900	$900-1,200
Rigging Key	$700-1,200	$1,200-1,500
Dolly Grip (specialty)	$500-900 + dolly day rate	$900-1,200 + dolly
Crane Operator	$700-1,500 + crane day rate	varies
Steadicam Op (often a grip cross)	$800-2,000 + rig day rate	varies

The lower end of each range applies to indie features, music videos, low-budget commercials. The upper end applies to mid-budget commercials, episodic TV, and major studio features.

For the broader rate context across all departments, see Film Crew Day Rates by Role and City (2026).

By Project Type

Indie Features and Music Videos

Role	Day rate range
Generic Grip	$400-550
Best Boy Grip	$500-700
Key Grip	$600-900

Indie features and music videos are most LA grips' day-to-day work in their first 1-3 years. Rates are real but capped by indie budgets.

Mid-Budget Commercials

Role	Day rate range
Generic Grip	$550-700
Best Boy Grip	$700-900
Key Grip	$900-1,200

Commercial work in LA pays well consistently. The agency-driven commercial market keeps rates stable even when streamer rates fluctuate.

Episodic TV (Non-Tentpole)

Role	Non-union	Union (Local 80)
Generic Grip	$600-750	$800-950
Best Boy Grip	$750-950	$950-1,200
Key Grip	$950-1,200	$1,200-1,500

Episodic streamers and traditional TV usually run 5-day weeks for 4-6 months at a time. Union shows include P&H benefits worth ~25% on top of straight day rate.

Major Studio Features and Streamer Tentpoles

Role	Union (Local 80)
Generic Grip	$900-1,100
Best Boy Grip	$1,100-1,400
Key Grip	$1,400-1,800 +
Rigging Key	$1,500-2,000

These are signatory shows where union rate floors apply. The high end can stretch significantly on tentpoles with specialty rigging work.

Kit Fees

Kit fees are extra payments to grips who bring personal gear. For working LA grips, kit fees are a meaningful percentage of total day pay.

Role	Typical LA kit fee
Generic Grip	$50-150/day
Best Boy Grip	$75-200/day
Key Grip	$100-250/day
Dolly Grip	$50-100/day for personal tools (separate from dolly rental)
Rigging Grip	$75-150/day

What's covered:

• Personal hand tools (Knipex, multitools, screwdrivers, hex keys)
• Gloves
• Knife
• Pony clamps in personal sizes
• Sharpies, gaffer tape, electrical tape
• Personal walkie surveillance kit
• Knee pads, back belt
• Headlamp + backup
• Sometimes specialty clamps and hardware key grips have collected over years

What's NOT covered (production rents): dollies, c-stands, flags, nets, silks, sandbags, baby plates, apple boxes, lifts, rigging hardware in standard sizes.

Productions occasionally try to roll the kit fee into the base rate. Don't accept that without negotiation. The kit fee compensates the use and depreciation of personally-owned gear; it's a separate line from your labor.

Overtime

Standard non-union OT in 2026 LA grip work:

• Hours 1-10: straight time (day rate ÷ 10)
• Hours 10-12: 1.5x straight time
• Hours 12+: 2x straight time
• 6th day: 1.5x of prorated day rate
• 7th day: 2x of prorated day rate

Union shows (Local 80 covered) follow contract OT rules, which include penalties for missed meals (typically $20-50 per crew per missed meal interval) and short turnaround penalties.

A $700 day rate translates to $70/hour straight time. Working a 14-hour day means: ($70 × 10) + ($105 × 2) + ($140 × 2) = $1,190 for the day, not $700.

Indie producers sometimes pay flats. Don't accept a flat for a day you suspect will run long unless the rate is already 1.3-1.5x of standard.

Weekly and Multi-Day Rates

For ongoing series or multi-day commercial campaigns:

Role	Weekly rate (5 days)
Generic Grip (non-union)	$2,500-3,500
Generic Grip (union)	$3,500-4,500 + P&H
Best Boy Grip (non-union)	$3,500-4,500
Best Boy Grip (union)	$4,500-5,500 + P&H
Key Grip (non-union)	$4,500-5,500
Key Grip (union)	$5,500-7,500 + P&H

Weekly rates are typically 4.5-4.8x of equivalent day rate (slightly less per-day in exchange for guaranteed days).

What Drives Rate Variation Within the Range

Why two LA generic grips might charge differently:

Years of experience. A grip with 5+ years of consistent set days commands the higher end of the range; a grip with 1-2 years sits at the lower end.

Specialty skills. Dolly grips, crane operators, Steadicam operators, and rigging specialists charge premiums.

Reel and references. Grips who've worked on premium streamer content (Marvel, A24, major prestige TV) charge more than grips whose credits are mostly indie shorts.

Kit quality. A grip with a fully-stocked personal kit charges higher kit fees and often a slightly higher base rate because they need less from production.

Reputation. The grip community in LA is tight; grips with strong reputations get repeat calls at the top of the range.

Project budget perception. A streamer-funded project pays more than an indie short, even for the same grip on the same day.

How LA Grip Rates Compare to Other Cities

For 2026, applying our city multipliers (LA = 1.0x baseline):

City	Multiplier	Generic grip range
Los Angeles	1.00x	$400-700
New York City	0.95x	$380-665
Atlanta	0.85x	$340-595
Toronto	0.90x	$360-630 (often paid in CAD equivalent)
Chicago	0.85x	$340-595
New Orleans	0.80x	$320-560
Albuquerque	0.85x	$340-595 (often premium for tax-credit shows)
Austin	0.80-0.90x	$320-630

LA grips occasionally travel for out-of-town work and command LA rates plus per diem and travel pay. This is a real source of LA grip income on shows that prefer LA-based key grips.

What Producers Should Budget for Grip in LA

For producers planning shoots, the budget line for grip is the day rate plus:

• 10-30% kit fees on top
• 10-20% OT contingency
• 7.65% in payroll taxes if paying as W-2 employees
• 1-3% if running through a payroll house

A $700/day generic grip is realistically a $900-1,000/day budget line when fully loaded.

For a full producer's budget breakdown, see Production Budget Template for Indie Filmmakers and How to Crew Up a Low-Budget Short Film.

How LA Grips Should Negotiate

Three rules:

1. Quote a range, not a number. "I'm typically $600-750 depending on length and crew size" leaves room.

2. Confirm everything in writing. Day rate, kit fee, OT treatment, call time, wrap target, parking. A simple email deal memo is enough on smaller productions.

3. Charge for prep and travel days separately. Prep days are typically half rate. Travel days are typically 8 hours straight time. Don't roll prep into a free day.

For the working deal memo template, see Crew Deal Memo Template.

When to Negotiate Above Range

Times when working LA grips can push rates beyond the typical range:

• Last-minute booking. 24-48 hour notice typically warrants a 10-20% premium. See How to Find a Grip in LA in 24 Hours.
• Specialty rigging or technical complexity. Complex jib, crane, or rigging work warrants specialty rate.
• Out-of-LA shoots. Per diem ($75-100/day), travel pay (8 hours straight time per travel day), and accommodation on top of your standard rate.
• Kit-heavy shoots. If the production is using significantly more of your kit than usual, negotiate the kit fee up.
• Over 12-hour-a-day shows. If the production schedule consistently runs long, negotiate either OT in writing or a higher flat that accounts for the expected hours.

Where LA Rate Browsers Help

For reference and benchmarking, NeedaCrew's City Rate Browser shows entry, mid, and senior rate ranges for grip and other roles across 60+ US cities. The browser updates as platform postings provide new data points throughout the year.

For LA grips, the browser shows current platform-derived ranges at:

• All Roles → Lighting & Grip → Generic Grip / Best Boy Grip / Key Grip / Dolly Grip / Rigging Grip
• Filterable by Entry / Mid / Senior

This is useful both for negotiating (knowing your range) and for benchmarking after a few years (am I behind market?).

How NeedaCrew Helps Working LA Grips Find Rate-Appropriate Work

NeedaCrew is the US/Canada marketplace for film crew and casting. Productions in LA post grip gigs with rate, role, and shoot dates upfront so you see what the budget is before you apply.

For working grips:

• Profile with photos, gear list, and kit details
• Saved searches for LA grip-specific work
• Direct messaging with key grips, DPs, and producers
• Notifications when LA grip calls match your role

For LA grip key positions especially: producers seeking key grips often filter by union status, rate range, and recent reel — having your profile updated and your rate range visible makes you findable.

Sign up free on NeedaCrew →

TL;DR

• LA generic grip non-union 2026: $400-700/day; union: $700-950 + P&H
• LA key grip non-union: $600-1,200; union: $1,200-1,800 + P&H
• Kit fees add $50-250/day depending on role
• Overtime: 1.5x at hour 10, 2x at hour 12 (standard non-union)
• LA rates are baseline (1.0x); other cities run 0.80-0.95x
• Specialty (dolly, crane, Steadicam) charges premiums on top of base grip rate
• Last-minute booking warrants 10-20% premium

Get on NeedaCrew →