Film and broadcast power and rigging
A film set needs serious power that nobody can hear and rigging that holds lights and cameras exactly. How production power and rigging differ from site work, and what a shoot demands.
6 min read · 2026-07-19
A film or broadcast production is one of the most demanding power and rigging jobs there is, for a reason that surprises people: the equipment is heavy and hungry, yet none of it can make a sound. Lighting rigs draw serious load, but a generator the crew can hear ruins the take. Cameras and lights hang from rigging that has to be placed and held exactly, often in a desert, a building or a temporary set with no infrastructure. Production power and rigging is a specialist corner of the industry, where silence, cleanliness of supply and precision matter as much as raw capacity.
This guide covers what a production needs from power and rigging.
Power nobody can hear
A production needs heavy power that is silent and clean, because a generator hum or a voltage flicker ruins the shot. Silence is a specification, not a preference.
Powering a production
Lighting, camera, sound and the base camp all draw power, and the lighting peaks are heavy. The supply has to be silent, so sets use canopy generators placed well away and run cable in, and it has to be clean and stable, because sensitive equipment and the look on camera both suffer from a wandering supply. On a remote shoot the production is entirely off grid, so the power plan is the production plan.
Rigging for film
| Need | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Silent generators | Power without engine noise on the take |
| Clean, stable supply | Lights and cameras need steady power |
| Lighting rigging | Hold heavy lights exactly where the shot needs |
| Camera platforms | Stable, precise positions for cameras |
| Base camp power | Supply the unit, catering and facilities |
Silent
power on set
Clean
stable supply
Precise
rigging and platforms
Off grid
on remote shoots
Planning a shoot
- 1
Total the load
Size power for the lighting peak plus camera, sound and base camp.
- 2
Site the generators
Place silent sets far enough away to keep the sound clean.
- 3
Plan the rigging
Rig lights and cameras to hold exactly where the shot needs.
- 4
Fuel the schedule
Plan fuel for long shoot days and any night work.
Fuel and silence over long days
Shoots run long, often into the night, with the power running throughout. Plan silent sets and the fuel to keep them running, because a generator that runs dry or gets noisy stops the production.
We supply silent power, rigging and the logistics a production needs, including on remote desert shoots. Tell us the shoot and we will scope the power and rigging.
Need this on a live job?
Send the spec and dates. Indicative rate back in minutes, certified crews and clearances handled.