Ever read the credits after the movie is over?

[CatWoman]

What the fuck is a "best boy"???

[Abelman]

1. To answer both questions:

1. Yes.
2. I have no damn clue.

[bigwillq]

2. I don't leave until the credits are over

That's just how I am.

I thought I was the best boy!:P

[CatWoman]

3. Matcom and DS1 might disagree with you about that

:D

[DS1]

7. I am Boy Most Excellent

dunno what this 'Best Boy' thing is all about.

[bigwillq]

9. You are an excellent boy

DS1. But CatWoman told me i'm the best!:P

[bigwillq]

8. Tell them to "Bring It On"!

:P

[Book Lover]

4. Yes; an electrical professional

More than that, I cannot say...

[MuseRider]

5. I aways read the credits

didn't the best boy used to be called the gaffer? No clue. :shrug:

[bridgit]

6. services the "key grip"?

:shrug:

[Kikosexy2]

10. I believe...

he's pretty much a go-fer--go fetch coffee, go fetch this, go fetch that--fluff this, fluff that!

[BrklynLiberal]

11. Always, & Search and ye shall find -- ta da-

http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/19990920.html

Dear Yahoo!:
What is a best boy? I always see them on the credits of a movie but I haven't been able to find out what they are.
Christa
Anderson, Indiana
Dear Christa:
We've wondered about best boys too, as well as key grips and gaffers. We considered two different plans of attack for finding your answer.

First we played with advanced search expressions on Alta Vista: we enclosed "best boy" in double quotes to indicate that both words should appear together, and added the terms gaffer and grip to the search string like this:

+gaffer +"best boy" +grip

The same three terms in a different order produced zero results, but the above sequence returned a winner -- Robert Glatzer's entertaining Salon Magazine article titled "Movie credits 101."

This detailed anatomy of moviemaking explained that the gaffer is chief electrician or lighting technician on a production set and that the best boy is the gaffer's first mate. Both work for the director of photography, setting up lights and equipment, orchestrating the shoot. Grips are crewmembers who move the equipment and assemble it on the set or on location. The chief of this crew is known as the key grip. As you might expect, the bigger the production the more exotic credits like dolly grip, wrangler, greensman and Foley artist.

Our ace in the hole was the Internet Movie Database -- we had a hunch we'd find the right resource there. So we checked in at IMDb to confirm our findings. After a bit of clicking around we located the Movie Terminology Glossary, and verified what we'd already learned.

Recently, we spotted a "Best Girl" in the credits of a video rental. Can't remember what the film was... but it proves that even job titles borrowed from the nautical days of whaling and sailing have to change with the times

[tjdee]

12. I let the film marinate in my brain during the credits....

and I think it's disrespectful of everyone who isn't an actor to get up and flee the theater while the credits roll.

I actually get kind of irritated when whomever I'm with does that--my sister does it all the time.

[Elidor]

18. I sat through the entire credits for Return of the King

It added 45 minutes to the movie.

[NV Whino]

13. I usually read the credits

I have many friends in the business and it's always a treat to see that they are working. None are Best Boy, however.

[skygazer]

14. I always read the credits

To the extent that I've been known to recognize the name of the lead carpenter or the "hairdresser to Mr. So-and-so". It's almost scary.

I also count the number of steps in any set of stairs I go up or down. :silly:

[stinkeefresh]

15. a non-google response:

A best boy, we were taught at USC film school, is actually the head carpenter.

The grips (under the leadership of the key grip) actually move lights from place to place and put them on stands, according to the Cinematographer's (or Director of Photography, "DP"- same thing) plan. They do NOT plug them in or focus them- that's the gaffer's job. Both grips and the Gaffer are part of the DP's team, but the best boy is not.

The gaffer's team are called electricians. I've never heard of the Best Boy being on the electric team.

[Rabrrrrrr]

16. I always strive to wait until the credits are over before leaving

Unless I'm with some dumbass artless jackanape who thinks credits are "boring".

And no answer for the best boy, since someone else already answered it.

[Historic NY]

17. Yup especially if I worked on a project........

usually I look for the consultants or researchers. I was told I qualified for SAG, but I figured one union is enough.

[DELUSIONAL]

19. Yes -- my nephew is a sound editor

and I like to see his name scroll by.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

20. Hi there, CatWoman,

My husband and I ALWAYS stay to see the credits. Seems respectful. And sometimes you see some additional footage to the movie! It's rare, but it does happen, and those who leave during the credits MISS OUT! hehehe

:woohoo:

:hi:

[Tesibria]

21. I always read them and am

surprised to see the 6 degrees of hollywood

"best boy" is the head handyman for the production, I think.

[salin]

22. believe it or not

I did a stint on a movie set. Been a few years - but I think the best boy had to do with assisting the gaffers.

and so pray tell what are the gaffers? has to do with the electrical stuff and the lighting.

But it was only one movie and more than a few years ago... I could be wrong.