Every night a call sheet is passed out for the next day's shoot, telling everyone where and when to report, how they will be transported to the set, what scenes will be shot, and what special equipment will be needed. They signed onto A Midwife's Tale because the subject matter and cinematic ambitions of the project appealed to them. Gaffers light a scene. Using an assortment of electrical lights and filters and other equipment, gaffers can transform a wintry evening into what appears to be a blazing hot summer day. The best gaffers also make brilliant use of natural light.
Grips know how to rig cameras to soar over a scene, zoom out or inch in slowly.
Their gear includes camera dollies, ropes and a large assortment of pulleys. Gaffers and DPs oftentimes have relations that span dozens of films. Peter Stein and the gaffer on A Midwife's Tale, Bob Dracup, had worked together for 20 years. They could work in sync without ever needing to say much to one another. Watching a good art department in action, one learns how many clever ways there are to alter a physical space convincingly using just foam board, putty, paint, and a few boards.