How to Find a Grip in Los Angeles in 24 Hours (2026)

You have a shoot tomorrow. Your grip canceled. Or your DP just told you the lighting plan you didn't budget for needs a key grip and a generic. Or you're producing a music video on Friday and forgot to book grip. This guide is the practical version of what to do.

The good news: Los Angeles has the deepest grip community in North America. Finding a working grip on 24 hours' notice is genuinely possible, and the channels that actually work are a small handful, not the entire internet.

The Honest Reality of Last-Minute Booking

Two truths about booking a grip in LA on short notice:

1. The best grips are often booked. Working key grips and best boys in LA are typically booked 1-2 weeks out for episodic and commercial work. The grips you can find on 24 hours' notice are typically (a) the ones who happened to have a hold drop, (b) the ones building their reputation, or (c) the ones whose primary gig is last-minute work.

2. You'll pay a small premium. Last-minute booking signals "this gig has friction" to working crew. Expect to pay 10-20% above the rate the same grip would book for if you'd called two weeks ago. This is fair. They're rearranging their week for you.

If your shoot is small, indie, or music-video scale, last-minute is workable. If you're trying to staff a 6-day commercial in 24 hours, expect a harder time.

The 5 Channels That Actually Work for 24-Hour Grip Booking

In priority order, by speed and reliability:

1. NeedaCrew

Post your gig on NeedaCrew. The platform shows your call to LA-based grips with role and date filters set to your shoot. You'll typically get 5-15 qualified responses within 4-8 hours of posting. Direct message the candidates you want, confirm rate and details, send a deal memo.

This is the fastest channel for most 24-hour grip needs because the platform is purpose-built for this.

2. Direct Outreach to Best Boy Grips

If you have any film-industry contacts, ask one of them: "Who's the best boy grip you'd hire if you needed someone tomorrow?" Best boy grips manage their own crew lists. A best boy with a relationship of trust with you can often pull a generic grip from his crew within hours.

If you don't have contacts, search LinkedIn for "Best Boy Grip Los Angeles" and message 5-7 directly. State the date, the rate, the project, and ask if they're available or know someone who is.

3. Lighting and Grip Rental Houses

LA's major rental houses (Quixote, Cine Lease, Wooden Nickel, Studio Specialties) often maintain crew referral lists. Call your rental house, tell them you need a grip for tomorrow, and ask who they recommend. The rental house wants you to succeed because their gear is going on your truck regardless.

Major LA grip / lighting rental houses:

• Quixote Studios
• Cine Lease
• Wooden Nickel Lighting
• Studio Specialties (SSL)
• Mole-Richardson

4. Facebook Groups

Active Facebook groups for LA crew booking in 2026:

• "LA Production Crew"
• "LA Film Crew"
• "Los Angeles Filmmaking"
• Specific grip-and-electric groups

A clear post stating the date, rate, role, and required gear gets 10-30 responses within hours during business days.

5. IATSE Local 80 (For Union Work)

If your production is signatory and you need a union grip, IATSE Local 80 has a dispatch system for member crew. Call the local's dispatch line.

What to Include in Your Grip Posting

Whether you're posting on NeedaCrew, a Facebook group, or emailing direct, the same info matters. Working grips skip vague postings. Be specific:

PROJECT:           [Indie short / commercial / music video / etc.]
DATE:              [Specific dates, not "this week"]
LOCATION:          [Specific area, e.g., "Eagle Rock, CA"]
ROLE NEEDED:       [Generic grip / Best boy grip / Key grip]
RATE OFFERED:      [Specific number, not "negotiable"]
KIT FEE:           [Yes / No, amount]
HOURS:             [Expected call time and wrap]
GEAR PROVIDED:     [Production-rented / What you have]
PROJECT DETAILS:   [1 sentence about the project]
DEAL MEMO:         [Will be provided]
PAY DATE:          [Within X days of wrap]
CONTACT:           [Email + phone, name of producer]

A vague post ("need a grip Friday, message me") gets fewer responses and worse candidates than a specific post.

Rate Ranges to Expect (LA, 2026)

For last-minute booking, expect rates 10-20% above standard. Standard ranges first:

Role	Standard LA day rate	Last-minute premium
Generic grip	$400-700	$450-800
Best boy grip	$500-900	$550-1,000
Key grip	$600-1,200	$700-1,400
Rigging grip	$400-700	$450-800
Dolly grip (specialty)	$500-900 + kit	$600-1,000 + kit

Plus kit fee (typically $50-250/day depending on the grip's personal kit).

Plus overtime: hours 10-12 at 1.5x, 12+ at 2x.

For the deeper rate context, see Film Crew Day Rates by Role and City (2026) and How to Become a Grip in LA.

The 4 Questions to Ask Before You Book

When you've narrowed to 2-3 candidates, the questions that matter:

1. "What's your kit, and what's the kit fee?"

This tells you what they're bringing (matters for what you have to rent) and what the day cost actually is. A grip with a kit ($150/day kit fee) at $600 day rate is $750/day total; that's the comparable number.

2. "What was the last project you worked, and who was the key (or best boy) grip?"

This is the reference question. Ask the name. Then either (a) text the name to confirm the grip is who they say they are, or (b) recognize the name from another working contact you have.

3. "Are you available for the full schedule?"

Some grips have scheduled holds elsewhere. Confirm they can do every day of your shoot, not just day one.

4. "Are you union or non-union?"

If your production is signatory, you need a union grip. If non-union, both work. Either way, knowing avoids confusion later.

What to Send Once You've Booked

The minimum paperwork before day one:

1. Deal memo with rate, role, days, OT terms, pay date. See Crew Deal Memo Template.
2. Call sheet by 8pm the night before. See Free Call Sheet Template.
3. W-9 request via secure email or DocuSign for tax filing
4. Direct deposit / payment info for fast payment after wrap

Productions that send a clean deal memo and call sheet to a last-minute grip get loyalty for the next time. The next time is when you need someone again, and that grip is the first call.

Common 24-Hour Grip Booking Mistakes

• Posting "looking for a grip" with no rate. Working grips skip these. Specify the rate.
• Asking for "favor day" or "deferred pay" on 24-hour notice. This signals the production is unprepared. Working grips don't take these calls.
• Not having a deal memo ready. When the grip says yes, you should be able to send the deal memo within an hour. If they have to wait until the morning, they'll book elsewhere.
• Calling 5pm Friday for a Saturday call. Sometimes unavoidable, but if you have any earlier window, use it. Best results come from posting 24-48 hours out, not 6 hours out.
• Lowballing on the rate hoping someone desperate takes it. Working grips have established rates. Lowballing wastes your time and theirs.

When You Need More Than a Grip

Grip work is a department, not a role. If you need:

• Dolly + dolly grip: budget $200-400/day for the dolly rental on top of grip
• Crane work: specialty crane operator + grip team, often $1,500-3,000/day combined
• Steadicam: Steadicam operator with their own rig, $800-2,000/day
• Car mounts / process trailer: specialty rigs with dedicated crew

For broader producer-side staffing, see How to Crew Up a Low-Budget Short Film.

How NeedaCrew Books Grips Fast in LA

NeedaCrew is the US/Canada marketplace for film crew and casting. LA is our biggest market.

For producers booking grips:

• Post your gig free with rate, role, location, dates, and any specifics
• Get applications from working LA grips within hours
• Filter by union status, kit, and availability
• Direct messaging to your shortlist, deal memo offline

For working grips:

• Profile with photos, gear, and kit list
• Saved searches for LA grip work
• Notifications when last-minute calls match your role and availability

Post your grip gig on NeedaCrew →

TL;DR

• Yes, you can find a working grip in LA on 24 hours' notice
• Channels that work: NeedaCrew, direct best boy outreach, rental house referrals, FB groups, Local 80 dispatch
• Expect to pay 10-20% above standard rates for last-minute booking
• Specific posting (date, rate, role, hours, gear) gets better candidates than vague
• Ask: kit fee, last project + reference, full availability, union/non-union
• Send: deal memo + call sheet + W-9 request within hours of confirmation

Post your gig on NeedaCrew →