“Gaffer”? “Key grip”? “Foley artist”? As the Academy Awards presentation approaches, let’s explore the origins of these strange job titles, which scroll by in movie credits. We’ll ...

A gaff, of course, is a mistake; does that mean a gaffer is someone responsible for making mistakes? Nice work if you can get it, but can you? And what about the key grip and the best boy?

Also known as chief lighting technician, the gaffer plays a significant part in the film industry’s grip and electrical department. Serving as the head of the electrical division, a gaffer’s ...

Second in command, assisting the gaffer or key grip. According to IMDb, "The origin of the term is from 'pre-union' filming days when the line between Grip and Electric departments was less rigid.

Knox says gaffer may have originated in 19th century theaters where candles were used for lighting and stagehands extinguished them with long-handled gaffs. Grip is self-explanatory, he notes ...