Film crew hire/Brighton/Gaffer
Hire a gaffer in Brighton. A gaffer plans the lighting with the DOP and runs the crew that rigs it.
People book a gaffer in Brighton for offices at New England House, conferences at the Brighton Centre and shoots on the seafront. The gaffer turns the DOP’s lighting plan into lamps, stands, cable and power, gets the van to the door, and runs the sparks who rig it. Our gaffer day rate is £550, and the gaffer gets all of it. The van and kit go on the quote as their own line.
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Photos: Here Now Films, Jametlene Reskp, Eli Cooper, Jonah De Oliveira and Egor Myznik
The role
What a gaffer does on your shoot
The gaffer is the head of the lighting department. They work out with the DOP how each set-up will be lit, choose the lamps, plan the power, and run the sparks who rig and focus the lights. On a location they find the power, or bring a generator, and make sure nothing trips, overheats or falls over.
We book a gaffer who lives in Brighton or Hove first. Lighting crew for Brighton shoots usually come down from London, with the van. We add the travel to the quote before anything is booked. Many gaffers own a van of LEDs, stands, flags and cable, so one booking covers the person and the kit.
- The gaffer lights the plan. The DOP describes the look, and the gaffer chooses and places the lamps that make it.
- The gaffer plans the power. At the recce they work out whether the shoot runs on house power, distribution, batteries or a generator.
- The next set-up is ready quickly. The crew pre-rig it while the current one shoots.
- Every rig is safe. Stands are weighted, cables are run and taped, lamps above people are secured, and the PAT certificates are to hand.
What’s included
What the day rate covers
In the day rate
- An 11-hour day, including an hour for lunch
- Planning the lighting with the DOP
- Rigging, focusing and adjusting every lamp
- Finding the power, distributing it and keeping it safe
- Running the sparks, if you book them
- Striking the lights and leaving the location as found
On top, each on its own line
- Our 10% booking fee and 2% insurance, on the whole quote
- The van and kit, at a day rate, on its own line
- Batteries, a generator, a cherry picker or extra power, if the location needs them
- Travel from London or outside Brighton, mileage, and a suspended bay for the van, at cost
Read how our rates work and the two ways to book in crew rates in Brighton.
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 a gaffer for your own shoot, 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 gaffer
Interviews and B-roll on an office floor near Brighton station, with windows on two sides and the van parked outside. The times are an example. The call sheet sets the real ones.
- 07:00 Van in The gaffer’s van has come down from London. It parks in a suspended bay outside, booked with the council 7 working days ahead, and Brighton has no emission charge for vans. The kit goes up in the lift.
- 07:30 Power The gaffer checks the floor’s circuits with the building manager and plans the cable runs so nothing crosses a fire door.
- 08:00 The plan The gaffer walks the room with the DOP. The window becomes the key light, with a soft fill and ND on the glass so the street outside holds.
- 09:00 Rigged and focused The lamps are up, the flags are set, and reflections in the glass are flagged off.
- 13:00 Lunch The crew pre-rig the afternoon set-up in the boardroom next door.
- 15:30 The light changes The sun drops behind the building opposite, so the gaffer brings the key up to hold the look.
- 18:30 Wrap Everything is struck and goes down in the lift, and the floor 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 Brighton and Hove City Council’s pages on the low emission zone and parking suspensions.
Types
Types of lighting crew we book
How big the lighting team gets depends on the look, the space and how fast the day moves. In Brighton it also depends on whether the shoot is on the beach, where there’s no mains power.
Gaffer with a van One person, a full LED kit £550 + van
A gaffer brings their own van of LEDs, stands, flags and cable, and the van goes on the quote as its own line. That’s often all an interview or a small brand film needs.
Good for interviews, corporate films and days in one location.
Gaffer and spark Two people, faster turnarounds Per person
The gaffer runs the plan, and the spark rigs, runs cable and pre-rigs the next set-up. A spark earns their day when the shoot moves, such as an office in the morning and the seafront in the afternoon. See sparks in Brighton.
Good for days with several set-ups, company moves and bigger lamps.
Full lighting crew Gaffer, best boy and sparks Quoted on the brief
A best boy runs the crew and the kit, with as many sparks as the plan needs. The bigger lamps usually come down from London kit houses.
Good for adverts, drama, night exteriors and studio days.
Lighting desk Programmable lights and effects Quoted on the brief
A desk operator runs colour-changing LEDs, practical effects and lighting cues, in a studio or on a music video.
Good for music videos, events and studio shoots with effects.
Batteries or a generator Power where there is none Quoted on the brief
On the beach there’s no mains power, so the gaffer plans the lighting around batteries. For bigger lamps on location, we add a silent generator and an operator to the quote.
Good for the beach, night exteriors and big lamps on location.
What it’s for
What people book a gaffer for in Brighton
Founder and customer films
Many of the city’s tech and games companies work at New England House and round the station. The gaffer lights the office so the faces hold their own against the windows.
Conferences at the Brighton Centre
The gaffer lights the interview corners and any stage set the client brings, so crews can film interviews between the sessions.
Adverts and fashion on the seafront
Brands shoot adverts and fashion on the beach, Hove Lawns and the piers. There’s no mains power on the beach, so the gaffer plans the lighting around batteries. The Sussex Film Office handles the beach, and the pier’s owner handles the pier.
University and research films
The gaffer lights labs and lecture theatres at the University of Sussex at Falmer and the University of Brighton so they look like the real rooms on a good day.
The Downs and the coast
Crews film at Devil’s Dyke, Ditchling Beacon and Seven Sisters, a long way from mains power. The gaffer brings batteries or a generator, and reflectors for the daylight.
Recent work
Lighting on our jobs, and how we crew Brighton
Crew hire · Woolwich, London · January 2025
A gaffer, a van and a company move
A Los Angeles production company booked us to crew a day-in-the-life film for a sportswear brand. It was an interview in the talent’s own third-floor studio in Woolwich, then B-roll on Woolwich Church Street after a 15:30 move. The gaffer walked both locations at the recce, without kit, and brought their own van and lights on the day, priced as one line. With the move in the schedule, they asked for a spark, and we booked one.
How we crew it · Brighton
A gaffer and a van from London
We book a gaffer who lives in Brighton or Hove when one is free. Lighting crew for Brighton shoots usually come down from London, with the van, and the travel goes on the quote before anything is booked. On the beach there’s no mains power, so the gaffer plans the lighting around batteries. Lamps on a street, the beach or in a park go in the Sussex Film Office application first. We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with the Sussex Film Office and Brighton and Hove City 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.
The van and the city
- Brighton’s low emission zone only covers buses, so there’s no charge for a lighting van. A suspended bay for the van needs 7 working days’ notice.
- Tell us the address when you book. The gaffer checks the loading bay, the goods lift and the parking first.
- Lamps on a street, the beach or in a park go in the Sussex Film Office application. Private places set their own rules. The Royal Pavilion prefers LED lights and doesn’t allow UV lights. Electrics there must have been PAT tested in the past year, and on-site power is agreed in advance. We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with the Sussex Film Office, Brighton and Hove City Council and Brighton and Hove Museums.
Paying and changes
- You pay nothing until you confirm the gaffer.
- 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 gaffer 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.
- Private venues usually ask to see it. The Royal Pavilion, for example, asks for at least £10m public liability. We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with Brighton and Hove Museums.
£550 a day
APA/Bectu card: Up to £585 a day for a gaffer.
| Day rate, 11 hours | £550 |
| Booking fee, 10% | £55 |
| Insurance, 2% | £11 |
| One day, before the van and travel | £616 + VAT |
The 2% covers employers’ liability for the gaffer we book and the kit we hire in. What it covers
You won’t pay anything until you confirm the gaffer.
- 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 gaffer in Brighton.
Tell us the date, the address, the look, and where the van can stop. 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 Brighton
Send one brief and we send one quote, with every role on its own line. These are our day rates in Brighton, 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 Brighton, or start from one of our crew set-ups in Brighton.
Production support
Everything around the crew
A gaffer needs power, a place for the van and, on the beach, batteries. The pages below cover kit hire, permits and parking for the rest of a Brighton shoot.
01
Kit rental
Where to hire camera, lighting and sound kit for a Brighton shoot, and when the crew bring their own.
02
Locations and permits
The Sussex Film Office, private places such as the pier, filming on the beach and the drone rules.
03
Studios and set builds
Studios in Brighton for interviews and product shots, and where to go for a bigger set build.
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 gaffer in Brighton
How much does a gaffer cost in Brighton?
Our gaffers are paid £550 for an 11-hour day, including an hour for lunch, and the gaffer gets all of it. The APA/Bectu card for commercials puts a gaffer at Up to £585. We add our 10% booking fee and 2% insurance, so the gaffer’s day comes to £616 + VAT. The van and lighting kit go on the quote as their own line, with the same fee and insurance. Travel from London is extra.
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.
Are your gaffers from Brighton?
We book gaffers who live in Brighton or Hove first. Lighting crew for Brighton shoots usually come down 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.
Do your gaffers bring their own van?
Many do, with LED panels, stands, flags and cable, and the van goes on the quote as its own line. If the plan needs bigger lamps, we hire them from London kit houses with the same 10% + 2%.
Is there a charge for the lighting van in Brighton?
There’s no emission charge, because Brighton’s low emission zone is a bus scheme. A suspended parking bay for the van needs 7 working days’ notice. The council’s rate for removals, building work and events is a £38 admin fee and £51 a bay a day. It lists no rate for filming, so we confirm the charge when we apply. Check with Brighton and Hove City Council for the latest.
What if the location doesn’t have enough power?
The gaffer checks at the recce. If the house power won’t do, we add batteries, or a silent generator and an operator, to the quote. On the beach there’s no mains power, so the gaffer plans the lighting around batteries. Private venues may set their own rules. The Royal Pavilion, for example, prefers LED lights, doesn’t allow UV lights and agrees any on-site power in advance. Check with Brighton and Hove Museums for the latest.
Can we light a street or the beach in Brighton?
Yes, with permission. The Sussex Film Office handles filming on council land in Brighton and Hove, including streets, the beach and parks, and the lamps go in the application. It doesn’t publish its fees, so we ask it for a price and add the permit to the quote. Private places, such as Brighton Palace Pier and the Royal Pavilion, need the owner’s permission. Check with the Sussex Film Office for the latest.
How far ahead should I book a gaffer in Brighton?
Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours. The notice that sets the date is usually the location’s. A suspended parking bay for the van needs 7 working days’ notice, and a road closure can take up to 12 weeks. Check with Brighton and Hove City Council for the latest.