Grace, who is originally from Canada, has worked on a long list of TV dramas, including the first three series of BBC’s Luther, the last two series of ITV’s Downton Abbey and the US production The Royals. Highlights from feature films include It’s a Boy Girl Thing, Fifty Dead Men Walking and Byzantium.

Grace has always loved physically demanding jobs and has been working as a grip in the film industry for over twenty years. She has worked in Canada as well as in Britain, and has been on set all over the world.

As a grip, her responsibility is to prepare all the necessary gear for shooting, handling highly specialised and expensive equipment. “As a grip, we are part of camera support, so wherever the director of photography wants the camera, we have to set up the necessary equipment, whether it’s a tripod, a dolly or a crane”.

Her colleagues often point out that, remarkably, she is one of the very few female grips working in the industry, a title she shies away from. “I’d rather people didn’t make a big deal about it. No one says that of a woman in hair and make up – maintains Grace – Sometimes people say why you are letting that poor girl lift all of that. They don’t realise it’s my job. They think, because I’m a woman, that it’s too heavy for me, when they don’t realise it is how you use your body and the technique you use to lift things that matters”.

Drama is often one of the most challenging work for a grip, as there are several locations and so much to do, particularly when dealing with large historical estates like Goldsmith Hall where The Royals was filmed.

Yet, Grace always embraces every single challenge with flair. “I don’t take myself too seriously – says Grace – I like to co-operate, I love to work as a team. Once on set, it’s like your second family, you become so close because ultimately, you have to work as one machine to make it successful”.

“I worked with Grace on a prison movie called ‘Screwed’. Very difficult conditions for the grip. Grace had her own prison cell for assembling the equipment. Many crew jokes about being banged up etc. The location was a real old Victorian prison in Scarborough with the classic narrow galleries which meant everything had to be carried up and down the metal stairs. Grace did this with the typical efficiency that she is known for.
As I say I’d rather be in prison with Grace than anyone else.”
– Bryan Loftus BSC

To see Grace’s Profile and download her CV:

https://ra-agency.online/agency/agency/filmcameradepartment/grace-donaldson/

Sourced from: https://app.hiive.co.uk/knowledge/blogs/real-life-stories-of-a-grip-grace-donaldson/1231/