MATRIX: What exactly does a Rigging Grip do?
GREG: We hang lots of stuff. We hang trusses so the electricians can put up lights, we hang motors, we hang light boxes, we hang anything that hangs pretty much, aside from stunts. We stay in front of, or behind, the First Unit shooting crew, and make sure that everything is all set and prepped for them to come in and shoot. When they’re done shooting, we take things down.
MATRIX: Have there been any particular rigging challenges on this set, the Zion Temple set?
GREG: On this set there’s so much stuff in the way, so getting things in the air is very, very difficult. Where all the boxes of lights are hanging in the roof, there’s a lot of steel in the way, and there are other objects we’ve already hung that are in the way, and working our way around them is very difficult. We have to do a lot of climbing to get around the obstructions, but we do get to have some fun repelling down.
MATRIX: How extensive has this particular project been?
GREG: Extremely extensive, and it’s been very exciting. There’s a lot of new stuff happening on this film. I’ve been working movies for about ten years now, and they’re doing things on this I’ve never seen, it’s really cool. I’m very excited for it to come out.
MATRIX: Did you enjoy the first MATRIX film?
GREG: I actually bought it for my kids, they love it, they think it’s great. When I first bought it, we were watching it an average of three to four times a week. I think it’s pretty interesting, the end part really did it for me when they started getting into the visual effects with Neo being “The One”. So it will be interesting to see what they’re going to come up with now.
MATRIX: Thanks Greg.
Interview by REDPILL
May 2001