Detroit · Lighting & Grip
Hire a gaffer or grip in Detroit
Gaffers, best boys, electricians, key grips, dolly grips and generator operators — the department that makes the frame look like anything at all.
Free to post · 3% only when a booking is paid · Rates stay private between you and the crew member
Lighting & Grip roles, and what they cost in Detroit
Standard non-union day rates for a 10 hour day. These are the figures WUD plans against, not quotes — what you agree is between you and the crew member. Commercial work typically runs about 20% above these, branded content about 10%.
| Role | On the day | Day rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gaffer | Builds the light and keeps the set electrically safe. | $750 |
| Best Boy Electric · BBE | Runs the electric crew and the order, so the gaffer stays on the floor. | by quote |
| Electrician · Electric, Juicer | Sets, cables and powers the lamps. | by quote |
| Key Grip | Rigging, camera support, and crew safety around it. | $700 |
| Best Boy Grip · BBG | Runs the grip crew and the truck. | by quote |
| Dolly Grip | Lays track and moves the camera on the take. | by quote |
| Grip | Flags, nets, stands, and anything holding something up. | by quote |
| Generator Operator · Genny Op | Power on location, and the fuel and noise that come with it. | by quote |
Four steps, start to paid
Post the call
Your dates, location, rate and the roles you need.
Crew answer
Crew apply or bid. Nobody sees anyone else's number.
Sign
Offer the booking. They approve, counter or decline, and you both e-sign the deal memo.
Pay once
30% goes out as a deposit, the balance at wrap, both through Stripe.
Gaffer or grip in Detroit?
Put your role, rate and reel on WUD and the calls come to you. Free to join, and your rate is never shown to other crew.
Hiring lighting and grip in Detroit
What does it cost to hire a gaffer in Detroit?
A gaffer works out around $750 for a 10 hour non-union day in Detroit, and a key grip around $700. Those are WUD’s planning baselines rather than quotes, and they cover labour only — lamps, grip kit, generators and trucks are hired separately.
Does the day rate include lighting kit?
No. These are labour rates. Package, grip truck, generator and expendables are quoted separately, and a gaffer will usually price them with you once they know the location and the look.
When does the crew get paid?
The producer funds the whole engagement when the booking is signed. 30% reaches the crew member as a deposit straight away and the balance goes out once you confirm wrap, both through Stripe. WUD charges 3%, and only when a booking is paid.
How many lighting crew do I need?
A small interior can be a gaffer working alone. Once you are moving lamps between setups, or working on location power, it is normally a gaffer plus a best boy or an electrician, and a key grip for anything rigged or on a dolly. WUD’s crew planner suggests a department for your project type and budget.
I gaffer or grip in Detroit — how do I get work here?
Join free, set your role and day rate, and lighting and grip calls reach you. You approve, counter or decline each offer, and payment runs through Stripe.