Today we’d like to introduce you to Brendan Riel.
Hi Brendan, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’m a local 80 key grip and the owner of Legacy Grip. I’m based in South Pasadena.
As a kid, I was constantly running around with my neighborhood friends making short films. Action movies that made no sense, silly adaptations that missed the mark, and tutorials about things I had no authority teaching. But it all had heart. There was a passion to create. You don’t know what you don’t know, ignorance is bliss, and imposter syndrome isn’t even a blip on the radar. I’d always known from a young age I wanted to be involved in the film industry. There was something so magical about making videos and seeing movies on the big screen. I longed to work on a big movie. Growing up, I tried a little of everything, but I never imagined I would become a grip.
Early in high school, I honed in on cinematography as my passion. Working through camera movement and shaping the look of the image were aspects that I really enjoyed. After receiving my cinematography degree at Emerson College in Boston, I decided to stay out here in Los Angeles. Our last semester in the Los Angeles program places you into industry internment to get you started in your field. A few years of writing content and absorbing an immense amount of knowledge at Shane’s Inner Circle gave way to a transition into the grip world. What I had initially thought was a failure for giving up on my dreams of cinematography has now turned into what I would consider to be the right move. I ended up really loving the grip world. Gripping allows me to have direct input into shaping the image, allows me to problem-solve creative solutions for dynamic camera movement, and feigns responsibility to safely execute plans for complex overhead rigging. It truly is the best of both worlds.
Everything just took off from there.
One feature film led to another, commercials slowly started rolling in, word of mouth spread, and my skills improved. I was lucky to have been able to learn from some top-notch key grips and grips during this time period. They graced me with immense knowledge and patience – patience being a quality I carry over to my crews today. Everyone starts somewhere, and an important part of being a leader is making sure everyone on your team has the mindset and technical prowess to succeed. That is a process that can take time but is ultimately rewarded with respect from your team members and the ability to execute larger and larger projects together.
Legacy Grip wouldn’t have grown into the commercial grip success story it is today without the dedication and knowledge of every single one of our team members. It truly is a team effort. Every single one of our grips consistently makes us look good. Having like-new gear that is meticulously maintained, specialty items you can’t find anywhere else, and creative solutions to difficult lighting and rigging challenges are all great. But when Legacy Grip is out on your job, you can expect the absolute best because of our crew.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’d be amazed to hear about anyone who’s had a smooth road. Everyone’s path is different and rarely straightforward. Mine was no different.
When I was fresh out of school, I kept working at Shane’s Inner Circle for a little while. After that job ended, I struggled to make ends meet. I continued to network with other cinematographers and directors while trying to shoot any project I could. I wound up taking on a few small web design side jobs and started driving for Lyft to pay the bills. Driving long hours gave me ample time to get into my own head. Why wasn’t I getting to where I wanted to be? Why were people around me seemingly more “successful”? Comparison can be the thief of joy.
When I transitioned into doing more grip work, I was still shooting projects on the side. I thought the grip work would provide a more stable income so I could continue pursuing cinematography. It was never my initial goal to transition over to gripping full-time. In the grip world, I kept getting on consistently bigger projects and was introduced to larger and more complex setups. People kept calling me back. Gaining more knowledge and working on bigger sets grabbed my full attention, and I was hooked. I was offered the opportunity to get my days to join Local 80 and decided to join the union. That decision shifted my decision to fully pursue a career as a grip.
I continued to spend a few years working for other key grips and was slowly starting to build up my own accounts as a key. If you had asked me years ago whether or not I would own gear and a grip truck, I would have said I was vehemently against it. I always said I didn’t want to deal with the hassle of gear ownership. It got to the point where I was only key gripping, and it only made sense to put together my own package and rent out my own gear. It became important to me that I customize my kit to suit my needs. Now after the process has been completed and I own a grip truck, I couldn’t be happier. The team and I take great pride in keeping the truck clean and organized.
I am so thankful I landed in the grip world and am humbled to be trusted by my cinematographer friends, gaffer buddies, and grip cohorts. Working with friends and problem-solving creative solutions makes every single project an exciting new challenge. Every growing pain has been completely worth it. Now we look ahead to the next chapter of growth for Legacy Grip and all the people around that support us.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Legacy Grip?
I started my grip company, Legacy Grip, in 2022. Reliable without compromise, Legacy Grip provides grip equipment for Los Angeles key grips in the motion picture, commercial, and music video industries. We aim to create lasting impressions with repeat clients. A grip truck purpose-built to handle the needs of commercial production, Legacy Grip carries a wide variety of rigging, camera support, and light-shaping equipment. Our expansive network of rental houses and industry key grips ensures that all additional gear needs can be accommodated. We are based in South Pasadena.
Legacy Grip specializes in vehicle rigs and specialty camera movement. We love taking a challenging idea and turning it into reality. We have a broad range of tools to achieve the result we’re after – which keeps it fun! Every job is different, with varying needs. One method of setup may work at one location but will require a complete redesign to achieve the same result at another. We don’t work from the neck down. Problem-solving keeps us on our toes all day long.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was always creatively inclined. I dabbled in art, diy projects, and outdoor adventures. I loved working with my hands. My dad had a workshop in the basement, and we were always working on projects. I was a member of the Society of Young Magicians and enjoyed performing magic shows.
The Connecticut weather gave 4 seasons of enjoyment. Boy Scouts gave me a strong foundation for team-building skills and leadership capabilities. Three summers in a row I taught at National Youth Leadership Training, a Boy Scout leadership camp. Topics included public speaking, presentation skills, problem-solving, and leading a team. I earned my Eagle Scout rank, and so many skills have carried over to gripping.
I had a variety of small jobs as a teen. At one point, I worked at a local TV station (where I decided I definitely didn’t want to work in TV), I was a lifeguard, a snowboard instructor, and worked for a local video production company.
I was always a little business-minded, even if unintentionally so. My sister and I had lemonade stands with the neighborhood kids. I started “Brendan Riel Video Production” for my video work. At one point, I had a small car detailing business. I think business sense has always made it possible for the creativity to flow. The creative field was always still very much my focus.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.legacygrip.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legacy_grip
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Legacy-Grip/100094720064548/
