"Grip equipment" in film means the stands, clamps, arms, frames, boxes and rigging that hold lights, modifiers and cameras where the director of photography wants them. A handful of manufacturers make the gear that rental houses and studios actually stock. Here is who they are, where they build, and what each is known for.
What counts as grip equipment
Stands (C-stands, combo stands, baby stands, overhead stands), grip heads and arms, clamps (Matthellini, Mafer, pipe and grid clamps, Cardellini), mounting hardware (baby pins, junior receivers, plates, wall spreaders), lighting control (flags, nets, scrims, silks, frames), apple boxes, sandbags and shot bags, dollies and track, camera support (car mounts, hi-hats, risers), and rigging (menace arms, booms, grip rail). If it holds something on set and is not the light or the camera, it is grip.
The manufacturers
Matthews Studio Equipment (Burbank, California)
Building grip hardware since 1968, a few miles from the Hollywood studios. Introduced the folding-leg C-stand in 1974, standardized the modern combo stand, and helped establish the 5/8" baby pin and 1-1/8" junior receiver standards that every other brand on this list uses. Three Academy Scientific and Technical Awards. Full line from Pocket C-stands to the MAX Menace Arm, with every part sold separately. The original, and still the reference.
Modern Studio Equipment (Los Angeles)
US-built stands, frames and rigging with a strong rental-house following, especially for large overhead frames and heavy stands.
American Grip (Los Angeles)
US manufacturer of stands, combo stands and hardware sold through dealers and rental houses.
Avenger / Manfrotto (Italy)
Part of Videndum. The European rental standard for C-stands, combo stands and clamps; widely used in the UK and EU and available in the US.
Kupo (Taiwan)
Well-made stands, clamps and hardware at a lower price than US or Italian makers. Popular with photographers and smaller production companies.
Cardellini (California)
Makers of the Cardellini clamp, the end-jaw clamp found in every grip's bag alongside the Matthellini.
Impact and Neewer (imported house and consumer brands)
Budget lines sold through B&H and Amazon. Adequate for occasional use; limited parts and service.
How to choose
- If you rent your gear out or work daily: buy what the rental houses stock so every piece matches and every part is available. In the US that is Matthews.
- If you are building a first kit: one Matthews C-stand, a few Matthellini or Cardellini clamps, a set of apple boxes and sandbags, then add lights and stands as the work demands.
- If weight and price matter more than longevity: Kupo or an import brand, sandbagged the same way.
A note on "grip" outside film
Searching "grip equipment" returns fitness gear and industrial matting alongside film hardware. Add "film," "studio," or "C-stand" to the search to get to the right category.
Frequently asked questions
Who makes the best C-stands?
Matthews makes the original folding-leg C-stand and is the standard in US rental houses. Avenger is the European standard; Kupo is the leading value brand.
Is grip equipment interchangeable between brands?
Yes at the mounting points: every brand uses the 5/8" baby pin and 1-1/8" junior receiver. Stand parts (legs, risers, bases) are brand-specific.
What is the difference between grip and electric?
Electric (the gaffer's department) supplies and operates the lights. Grip (the key grip's department) supports and shapes them, and handles camera support and rigging.
