SCENE 01 / GRIP EQUIPMENT SERVICES
Grip Services
Professional grip crews and equipment for camera and lighting support across Mexico.
Grip equipment services provide the mechanical support hardware and rigging that shapes light and positions cameras on set. In Mexico, grip teams work at Estudios Churubusco and across Mexico City's production facilities, as well as on location from Baja California to the Yucatán Peninsula.
We source grip equipment and experienced grip crews who understand Mexico's diverse filming environments. With packages available from Mexico City-based rental houses, our team coordinates equipment with your key grip's specifications, ensuring all hardware meets Mexican production safety standards.
Capabilities
Grip Department Solutions
From dolly operation to complex rigging, we provide experienced grip professionals and complete equipment packages for productions of any scale.
01
Camera Support
- Dolly and track systems
- Crane and jib operation
- Slider and motion control
- Specialty camera mounts
- Vehicle camera rigs
Camera Movement
02
Lighting Support
- Stands and rigging
- Diffusion and flag work
- Overhead frames
- Silk and bounce control
- Negative fill setups
Light Control
03
Rigging
- Truss and grid systems
- Safety rigging
- Overhead installations
- Set piece mounting
- Specialty rigging solutions
Structural Support
04
Specialty Grip
- Car and vehicle mounts
- Process trailer operation
- Greenscreen support
- Rain and wind effects
- Mechanical effects support
Specialty Solutions
On Location
Grip equipment and key grip teams across CDMX, Guadalajara, Cancún — Estudios Churubusco dolly heritage, Fox Baja tank-deck rigging, Sicario Sonora desert sandbag and overhead work
Here is how this works in practice. We set up grip kit packages and key grip teams across Mexico through STIC-union grip electricians running Fisher 10/11 dollies, Chapman PeeWee IV/Hybrid IV, Matthews DC-Slider, Doorway Dolly, J.L. Fisher cranes, plus 12-foot ladder, 6×6/8×8/12×12/20×20 silks and rags, ultrabounces, mole-richardson C-stands, Matthews flags and cookies, sandbags by the hundred-count, Lemos quad rigging gear, and Current Studio jib arms.
On the ground, Major rental houses include Cinecolor and Lemon Studios CDMX, Estudios Churubusco grip department (since 1945 — Mexico's deepest stock), and Fox Baja Studios Rosarito's tank-deck grip warehouse (built for Titanic 1997 Cameron). Cross-border resupply from Filmworks LA, Quixote LA, and Wooden Nickel via Tijuana adds Russian Arm Ultimate Arm packages, Edge Arm, Pursuit Systems camera cars, and oversized condor-mount rigs same-day.
Here is the short of it. Field grip work covers Sonoran desert sandbag-and-overhead sequences for Sicario and Sicario 2's Roger Deakins-anchored borderlands look, Yucatán Maya jungle hand-rigging (Apocalypto 2006 — Gibson's mid-canopy rope work), Copper Canyon (Sierra Madre Occidental — 4× deeper than Grand Canyon) rim rigging via Tarahumara-railway truck access, Real de Catorce (San Luis Potosí — Mexico's Marfa-equivalent ghost town) and Sumidero Canyon Chiapas remote pads. Studio work runs through Estudios Churubusco soundstages (sixteen total — The country's largest govt-owned), Televisa San Ángel (largest Spanish-language studio in the world — Bardo finishing partner), TV Azteca Ajusco, Argos Comunicación, and Lemon Studios CDMX.
On the ground, Heritage interior rigging at Palacio de Bellas Artes (INBAL-permitted no-bolt protocols), Centro Histórico CDMX, Coyoacán La Casa Azul, and INAH archaeological sites (Teotihuacán, Chichén Itzá, Palenque, Monte Albán) needs marble-floor-friendly soft sandbags, rubber-tipped C-stands, and zero-residue tape inventory. ATA carnet (SAT/Aduanas) handles cross-border grip-truck customs.
FAQ
Our Grip Network
What does a grip department do?
The grip department supports both camera and lighting. They operate dollies, cranes, and camera support equipment for camera moves. They also handle all non-electrical lighting support: stands, rigging, diffusion frames, flags, and bounce/negative fill.
What positions are in a grip department?
Key Grip leads the department and works closely with the gaffer and DP. Best Boy Grip manages equipment and logistics. Dolly Grip operates camera dollies. Company Grips handle general grip work. Rigging Grips focus on pre-rigging and construction.
When do I need a grip vs. an electrician?
Electricians handle anything electrical—lights, power distribution, cables. Grips handle physical support and rigging—stands, camera movement equipment, flags, diffusion frames. The gaffer supervises electrics; the key grip supervises grip.
What equipment is included in grip packages?
Grip packages typically include C-stands, flags, nets, silks, bounce boards, apple boxes, sandbags, clamps, and basic rigging. Dollies, cranes, and specialty equipment are usually additional items quoted separately.
Do your grips have rigging certifications?
Yes. Our rigging grips hold appropriate certifications for overhead work, truss systems, and safety rigging. Complex rigging work is supervised by certified rigging supervisors meeting industry safety requirements.
Can you provide grip trucks with equipment?
We coordinate complete grip truck packages through our rental partners. These include the truck, driver, and comprehensive grip equipment. Crew is booked separately based on your production's needs.
Related Services
Productions in Mexico that need this often pair it with Portable Power Solutions, Gaffer & Lighting Services, and LED Lighting Systems for full coverage. Most projects also draw on Lighting & Grip and Green Screen Filming.
On Set
Need a Grip Team?
Tell us about your production and we'll recommend the right key grip and crew for your needs.