Film crew hire/Oxford/Spark
Hire a spark in Oxford. A spark rigs and runs the lights and the power to the gaffer’s plan.
People book a spark in Oxford for college halls, labs at the Science Park and Harwell, and shoots on the street. A spark, or lighting technician, rigs the lamps, runs the cable and the power, and has the next set-up ready before it’s called. Our spark day rate is £457, the APA/Bectu card rate, and the spark gets all of it.
- 54 five-star Google reviews
- 2 hrs for our team to read your brief, in working hours
- £10m employers’ liability on every crew member we book
- 2,800+ freelance crew on our books, across the UK
Photos: H&CO, Here Now Films, Marcos Paulo Prado, Tri Vo and Adrian Mag
The role
What a spark does on your shoot
A spark, or lighting technician, is part of the lighting crew and works to the gaffer. They unload the lamps, rig them on stands, booms and rigs, run the cable and the distribution, focus and adjust the lights between takes, and strike it all at wrap.
We book a spark who lives in or near Oxford first. If nobody local is free, or the shoot needs more people, we bring crew from London. We add the travel to the quote before anything is booked. In practice, lighting crew for Oxford shoots usually come from London, with the van, and the spark often travels with the gaffer they work with. On a two-person lighting team, the spark pre-rigs the next set-up while the gaffer and the DOP are still shooting the current one. On a conference day at a college venue, with a stage, an interview corner and a sponsor set to light, that’s what keeps the schedule.
- The spark rigs to the plan. Lamps, stands, flags and diffusion go where the gaffer wants them.
- Cable is run safely. It stays out of doorways and fire exits, it’s taped down, and the distribution won’t trip.
- The next set-up is ready. The spark pre-rigs it while the current one shoots.
- The kit is looked after. Every lamp and cable is counted out and counted back.
What’s included
What the day rate covers
In the day rate
- An 11-hour day, including an hour for lunch
- Rigging and focusing lamps to the gaffer’s plan
- Running cable and power distribution
- Pre-rigging the next set-up
- Flags, diffusion and gels, set and adjusted
- Striking and loading out
On top, each on its own line
- Our 10% booking fee and 2% insurance, on the whole quote
- Lighting kit, from the gaffer’s van or a kit house
- A desk operator, for programmable lighting
- Travel from London or outside Oxford, and mileage and parking where the day needs them, at cost
Read how our rates work and the two ways to book in crew rates in Oxford.
Two ways to book
Crew hire or full production
The price depends on who is the producer of record. That’s the company responsible for the shoot. You can book sparks for your own lighting crew, or ask us to run the whole production.
Crew hire
You run the shoot.
10% + 2% booking fee and insurance on everything we book for you, including crew, kit and travel.
We do
- Find, book and brief the crew, and pay them
- Book kit, travel and hotels too, if you want them
- Send the full price before anything is booked
- One person to call all day
- Employers’ liability for the crew we book, and insurance on kit we hire in
You do
- Run the shoot, or your producer does
- The plan, the schedule and the call sheet
- The location, its permission and its public liability
- You’re the producer of record, so the production is your responsibility
The 2% covers employers’ liability for every crew member we book and the kit we hire in for you. It doesn’t cover anything else on the shoot. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, which goes on the quote as its own line.
Full production
We’re the producer of record.
15% + 5% production fee, plus insurance and contingency, on the whole production budget. We quote it as a production.
We do
- Our producer plans it with you and runs the day
- Locations, permits, kit, studio, travel and hotels, booked and paid in our name
- Insurance for the whole shoot, public liability included, plus the risk assessment and the call sheet
- One contract and one invoice, so overseas teams need no UK company
You do
- The creative calls
- Signing off the plan and the budget
The 5% pays for our production insurance across the whole shoot, including £10m public liability, and the contingency.
If your own producer or director will run the day, book crew hire. If you want us to run the production, ask for a full production quote.
On the day
An example day with a spark
A night exterior for a brand film on Merton Street. It’s one of the listed streets in the centre, so Oxfordshire County Council had 30 working days’ notice. The shoot starts with a wide of the street, then a two-hander in a doorway further along. The times are an example. The call sheet sets the real ones.
- 16:00 Load in The gaffer’s van has come from London with the spark. If it drives into the Zero Emission Zone before 7pm, the daily charge goes on the quote. The kit goes to the set by hand.
- 16:30 Power There’s no mains power on the street, so the lamps run on batteries. The spark checks every battery and runs the cable where nobody will trip on it.
- 17:30 Rig Stands are weighted and kept tight to the set, and flags keep the light out of the eyes of people walking past.
- 19:30 Last light The daylight fades, and the lamps take over.
- 20:00 Turning over The crew talk on radios with earpieces to keep the noise down, and the spark adjusts the lamps between takes.
- 21:30 Second set-up The spark pre-rigged the two-hander in the doorway while the wide was shooting. Now they put a flag in and bring a lamp down a stop.
- 22:45 Wrap Everything is struck quietly, counted and loaded, and the street is left as it was.
We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with Oxfordshire County Council.
Types
Types of lighting technician we book
These are the lighting crew, from the gaffer down.
Gaffer Runs the lighting department £550 a day
The gaffer plans the lighting with the DOP and runs the crew, usually with their own van. See gaffers in Oxford.
Book the gaffer first, because the gaffer decides how many sparks they need.
Best boy The gaffer’s second Quoted on the brief
The best boy runs the sparks and the kit. They keep track of what’s on the truck, what’s on set and what goes back to the kit house in London.
Good for big lighting crews and shoots that last several days.
Spark Rigs and runs the lights £457 a day
A spark rigs, runs cable, focuses and strikes the lights to the gaffer’s plan.
Good for any shoot with more than a few lamps, a fast schedule or a company move.
Desk operator Programmable lights and cues Quoted on the brief
A desk operator runs a lighting desk for colour-changing LEDs and effects.
Good for music videos, events and stage shoots.
Rigger Lights up high Quoted on the brief
A rigger puts lamps on trusses, ceilings and grids, and works at height to the rules.
Good for stage rigs, venue builds and big location set-ups.
What it’s for
What people book a spark for in Oxford
Founder films for spin-outs and biotech
Founders are filmed in labs and offices at the Oxford Science Park, Begbroke and Harwell Campus. The spark pre-rigs each set-up in the next room.
Conferences and events at college venues
The spark pre-rigs the stage, an interview corner and a sponsor set before the doors open. Crews film the talks and record interviews between the sessions. Keble is one of the colleges that takes location filming.
Brand films and adverts on the street
Brands shoot on Broad Street, the High and Turl Street, with the lamps on batteries. Oxfordshire County Council handles filming on streets and pavements.
University and research films
Crews film several set-ups in labs and lecture theatres. The spark pre-rigs each one in the next room. Start with the University’s filming coordinator or the college.
Heritage locations out of town
Crews film at Blenheim Palace at Woodstock and on the edge of the Cotswolds, with the owner’s permission. Out of town the spark brings the batteries, runs long cables and keeps the lamps steady in the wind.
Recent work
Sparks on our jobs, and how we crew Oxford
Fireside chat · Battersea, London · March 2026
A spark with the gaffer at Many Rooms
For AlTi Tiedemann Global’s fireside chat at Many Rooms in Battersea we booked a DOP, sound, a gaffer with their van, and a spark to rig to the gaffer’s plan. The crew signed AlTi’s NDA, and every line was itemised on the cost sheet, the spark’s included.
How we crew it · Oxford
Sparks who know the gaffer
We start with the gaffer and the spark they usually work with. We book crew who live in or near Oxford when they’re free, and lighting crew for Oxford shoots usually come from London. The pair share the van and arrive knowing the kit, and the travel is on the quote before anything is booked. The bigger lamps come from London kit houses. On a street or a pavement, the stands and the cable go in the application to Oxfordshire County Council first. We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with Oxfordshire County Council.
Before you book
Things to know
The day
- The day is 11 hours, including an hour for lunch.
- Overtime is paid at card rates, and we agree it with you before it happens.
Safety and the street
- Sparks work to the gaffer and the building’s rules on power and working at height. Some buildings and venues want PAT certificates before the kit comes in.
- Lighting stands on streets and pavements go in the application to Oxfordshire County Council, and every stand is weighted and secured. A small crew needs at least 15 working days’ notice, or 30 on listed streets in the centre.
- Private venues, such as the colleges, set their own rules on lamps and power. We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with Oxfordshire County Council.
Paying and changes
- You pay nothing until you confirm the spark.
- We take 50% by card when you book and 50% when you receive the final rushes.
- The quote shows every line, including the day rate, booking fee, kit and travel.
- Cancellation terms are on every quote.
What our insurance covers
- Our insurance covers employers’ liability for the spark we book, up to £10m.
- Kit we hire in for you is insured. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, as its own line on the quote.
- On a crew hire, it doesn’t cover anything else. Public liability, the location and your own kit stay with you, and your venue will want to see your certificate. When we’re the producer of record, our policy covers the shoot.
- Venues usually ask to see it. Oxfordshire County Council, for example, asks for at least £10m public liability for filming on streets and pavements. We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with Oxfordshire County Council.
£457 a day
APA/Bectu card: Up to £457 a day for a lighting technician. We pay the full rate.
| Day rate, 11 hours | £457 |
| Booking fee, 10% | £45.70 |
| Insurance, 2% | £9.14 |
| One day, before travel | £511.84 + VAT |
The 2% covers employers’ liability for the spark we book and the kit we hire in. What it covers
You won’t pay anything until you confirm the spark.
- 50% by card at booking, 50% on the final rushes
- Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours
- Every line on the quote before anything is booked
Or call us on 07412 543822.
Reviews
What clients say about our crews
These reviews come from our Google Business Profile.
Book a spark in Oxford.
Tell us the date, the location and who’s gaffing. Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours. Or call us on 07412 543822.
Check availability
The whole crew
Every crew role we book in Oxford
Send one brief and we send one quote, with every role on its own line. These are our day rates in Oxford, and each crew member gets their full rate:
Production 06
- Director From £500
- Producer From £450
- Production manager £504–627
- 2nd AD £355–448
- Production assistant £400
- Runner £245
Camera 07
- DOP From £850
- Camera operator £529–656
- Focus puller £461–575
- Clapper loader £355–448
- Steadicam operator From £950
- Gimbal operator £529–656
- Drone operator From £750
Data and playback 02
- DIT £527
- Video playback £334–518
Sound 01
- Sound recordist £550
Hair, make-up and costume 02
- Hair and make-up £398
- Costume £519–694
Art department 02
- Art director £675–878
- Set builders £341–512
Post-production 01
- Editor From £350
See how our rates work in crew rates in Oxford, or start from one of our crew set-ups in Oxford.
Production support
Everything around the crew
Sparks need power, kit and a way in for the van. The pages below cover kit hire, permits and parking for the rest of an Oxford shoot.
01
Kit rental
Where to hire camera, lighting and sound kit for an Oxford shoot, and when the crew bring their own.
02
Locations and permits
The county council for streets, the colleges and the University, the Bodleian and the drone rules.
03
Studios and set builds
Studios at Didcot and south of Reading for set builds, and college rooms hired by the day for interviews.
04
Props and wardrobe
Where props and costume come from, and the stylists and hair and make-up artists we book.
Questions
Questions about hiring a spark in Oxford
How much does a spark cost in Oxford?
We pay our sparks £457 for an 11-hour day, including an hour for lunch. That’s the APA/Bectu card rate for a lighting technician, and the spark gets all of it. We add our 10% booking fee and 2% insurance, so one day comes to £511.84 + VAT. Travel from London goes on the quote as its own line.
What does the insurance on a crew booking cover?
It covers two things. The first is employers’ liability for every crew member we book, up to £10m. The second is the kit we hire in for you. That’s what the 2% pays for. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, which goes on the quote as its own line. On a crew hire, you’re the producer of record, so public liability, the location, your own kit and anything you book yourself stay with you. If you want us to be the producer of record, we quote it as a full production, and our insurance covers the whole shoot.
What’s the difference between a gaffer and a spark?
The gaffer runs the lighting department and plans the lighting with the DOP. A spark rigs and runs the lights to the gaffer’s plan.
How many sparks do I need?
The gaffer decides, from the plan. An interview day often needs no spark, and a brand film often needs one. A night exterior on the street, a studio day or a conference set at a college venue may need two or more. A company move, such as an office in the morning and a street in the afternoon, is a good reason to add one.
Do your sparks come from Oxford?
We book sparks who live in or near Oxford first, often with the gaffer they work with. Lighting crew for Oxford shoots usually come from London, with the van. We add the travel to the quote before anything is booked. Our own base is London, at 124 City Road, and we have bases in Manchester, Bristol and Cornwall.
Can we light a scene on an Oxford street?
Yes, with permission. Oxfordshire County Council handles filming on streets and pavements in Oxford, and the lighting goes in the application. A small crew needs at least 15 working days’ notice, or 30 on listed streets in the centre, and the daily fee for 1 to 4 crew is £150 plus VAT. Private places, such as a college, need the owner’s permission. Check with Oxfordshire County Council for the latest.
Does the lighting van pay Oxford’s Zero Emission Zone charge?
Only if it’s driven in the zone, which covers the city centre from 7am to 7pm, every day. A Euro 6 diesel van pays £4 a day, an older diesel £10 and an electric van nothing. There’s no charge for a van that stays parked in the zone and doesn’t move. Parking goes on the quote at cost. Check with Oxfordshire County Council for the latest.
How far ahead should I book a spark in Oxford?
Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours. Book the gaffer first, and the spark comes with the plan. The location usually sets the date. The county council needs at least 15 working days’ notice for a small crew on the street, or 30 on listed streets in the centre, and a road closure needs at least 12 weeks. Check with Oxfordshire County Council for the latest.