It takes more than technical know-how to get a great new job as a gaffer. You’ll need to do well in the interview by showing how good you are at lighting, solving problems, and working with others.
This article will talk about the 20 most common gaffer interview questions and give you advice on how to answer them well. The best way to get the dream gaffer job is to learn how to give thoughtful answers to these important questions.
Let’s get started!
Showcasing Your Lighting Skills
Many gaffer interview questions will assess your hands-on lighting experience and technical expertise:
1. Walk me through your process for developing and executing a lighting design for a scene.
Use a real example to highlight key steps like reading the script, collaborating with the DP, selecting equipment, creating diagrams, placing lights, and making adjustments during the shoot
2. How do you stay on top of the latest lighting equipment and techniques?
Discuss reading industry publications, taking workshops, experimenting with new gear, networking with other gaffers, and continually honing your craft through practice.
3. What types of lights do you have the most experience working with?
Provide an overview of the various lighting instruments you are highly proficient with, such as HMIs, fluorescent, LED, tungsten, practical lights, etc.
4. How do you ensure scenes are lit safely and efficiently?
Share methods like advance planning, neat cabling, calculating power needs, using stands/rigging properly, and your focus on electrical safety.
5. Tell me about a complex lighting challenge you faced and how you solved it.
Choose an example that showcases creative problem-solving, resourcefulness, and your ability to deliver under pressure.
Demonstrating Leadership Skills
You’ll need to prove you can lead a team and manage complex productions:
6. How would you describe your management style when leading a lighting team?
Share your collaborative yet decisive approach focused on clear communication, fostering talent, delegating effectively, and maintaining accountability.
7. What methods do you use to ensure lighting projects stay on schedule and within budget?
Discuss tactics like advance planning, resource optimization, contingencies for common issues, and transparent budget tracking.
8. How do you handle situations where crew members are not meeting expectations?
Share your approach of clear feedback focused on improvement, additional training, and understanding unique needs – while maintaining positive team dynamics.
9. Tell me about a time you successfully motivated a disengaged team member.
Choose an example highlighting empathy, active listening, and helping them recognize how their contribution matters.
Demonstrating Collaboration Skills
You’ll need to prove you can work effectively across departments:
10. How do you collaborate with directors and DPs to understand their vision and deliver lighting that brings it to life?
Discuss listening closely, asking thoughtful questions, translating abstract ideas into technical plans, and experimenting together to find solutions.
11. Share an example of when you had to manage competing priorities between departments.
Recount when you balanced needs diplomatically through compromise, creativity, and determining the most crucial priorities.
12. Tell me about a time you faced pushback from another department and how you handled it.
Share how you found common ground through open communication, education, and determining solutions that worked for all teams involved.
13. How do you stay in sync with other departments during complex, evolving productions?
Discuss tactics like proactive status updates, contingency planning together, and maintaining an open dialogue to get ahead of potential issues.
Proving Your Problem-Solving Chops
You’ll face questions testing your ability to think on your feet and handle uncertainties:
14. Tell me about a time you had to improvise and problem-solve on the fly during a shoot.
Choose an example highlighting how you rapidly assessed the situation, tapped your experience, and implemented creative solutions under pressure.
15. How do you stay focused when plans change suddenly and you have to modify your lighting approach?
Share proven techniques like taking a breath, prioritizing most critical tasks, balancing speed and precision, and maintaining constant communication with your team.
16. Describe a situation where you had to overcome unforeseen obstacles and still achieve the intended lighting effects.
Demonstrate perseverance and out-of-the-box thinking by detailing an example where you had to get crafty when standard approaches failed.
17. What do you do when you realize that your lighting set-up is not working as intended?
Discuss quickly making incremental tweaks, collaborating with the DP on solutions, having back-up plans/gear ready to go, and knowing when to reset completely.
Showcasing the Right Attitude
You’ll need to prove you have the ideal demeanor for this fast-paced, collaborative role:
18. Describe your work ethic as a gaffer.
Share how you are relentlessly dedicated to achieving the intended vision through meticulous preparations, willingness to go the extra mile, and commitment to continuous improvement.
19. How do you maintain motivation through long, difficult shoots?
Discuss seeing the big picture, taking pride in your work, camaraderie with your team, embracing challenges as opportunities to excel, and keeping stress in check.
20. Why are you passionate about working as a gaffer?
Convey genuine enthusiasm by sharing how bringing visions to life through lighting fulfills you creatively and technically, and mentioning your lifelong passion for the craft.
Take the Stage
Preparing stand-out responses to these common gaffer interview questions is the best way to demonstrate your technical abilities and leadership skills to hiring teams. Be sure to practice your answers so you can deliver them with confidence and poise. I wish you the best of luck shining bright in your upcoming interviews!
What’s a gaffer good at?
- Understanding light means having an artistic eye and knowing how to use different lighting effects and the tools you’ll need to do them.
- Know a lot about electricity: circuits, power supplies, motors, cables, fuses, thermal relays, fault current protection switches, heating, lighting, air conditioning, and more.
- Skill in making movies: know how the movie is made, especially the role of the director of photography and how the gaffer works in the picture.
- Talking to people: be able to make plans and show them to the crew; be able to talk to the lighting crew and the director of photography well; be clear and easy to reach even when you have to make quick decisions under pressure.
- Organization: stick to the budget, plan the crew’s schedule and the equipment they’ll need, set priorities, and meet deadlines.
- When working at heights, you should know how to climb ladders because most lights are set up above your head.
Who does a gaffer work with?
Best boys (a generic term referring to technicians of any gender) are mainly responsible for logistics. They make sure that the right lights are turned on at the right time and in the right places. They also deal with paperwork, including stock and equipment ordering, risk assessment, schedule changes and timesheets. Bests boys may work very long hours. Many best boys work freelance, though will continue to work with the same few gaffers.
Lighting technicians set up and test lighting equipment, place lights, and take care of all the light bulbs and traces or filters that are put on top of lights to make effects. They work to the instructions of the gaffer and best boy. Work may be long and physically demanding and require a good head for heights. They are also responsible for the safe installation and operation of lighting. They access and monitor power supply systems and install wiring.
Console operators operate the dimmers and intelligent lighting (computerised lighting that reacts to a lighting desk). To mix the lighting effects on set and get the look the director of photography wanted, they set up the dimmer board and control cables, programmed it, and used it. Many start their careers in light entertainment and theatre before working on feature films and TV drama.
Electricians who work as practical lighting electricians get safe access to a building’s power supply by taking a feed from the fuse box. They might also take down old light fixtures and temporarily install new ones, as well as wire useful props like kettles, fires, and table lamps. Before giving the building back to the owner, they have to be able to do portable appliance tests (PATs) and circuitry tests.
Generator operators load and transport generators, ensuring they are fully operational and meet the specifications of the production. They must be qualified electricians. Some have HGVs licences so they can drive the truck for the generator. Once it’s set up, they work as practical lighting electricians.
What A Gaffer Does On Set: Crew Breakdown
FAQ
What are the duties of a gaffer?
What qualifications do I need to be a gaffer?
What is the difference between a gaffer and a DOP?
What is a gaffer in the film industry?
