6 • The Southwest Portland Post
Lawson brothers team up
on “Grimm”
(Continued from Page 1)
Lawson majored in tele-
communications at the University of
Oregon. His junior year he talked himself
into an internship at Portland’s KOIN
television in commercial production.
After graduation, he began looking for
work in that field.
“I did a Shriner’s All Star Game; that
was my first paying gig. Holding a
microwave wand on the far sideline.”
He worked in sound production for
Blazer Broadcasting, but things took off
for him in the late 1980’s when he got
hired as best boy for one of the many
made-for-TV-movies that filmed in
Portland.
The key grip, Don Duffield, liked
what he saw and after working with
Bruce Lawson on another movie, he
recommended the “rookie” to act as key
grip on the third film.
“I thought, geez, I’m just a kid –
I’ve only done local commercials and
sports,” Lawson remembers. But he
did it.
Now, Lawson heads a grip team of
twelve members, including his two
brothers. You’ve seen the titles, but
what do they actually do? Simply put,
they’re problem solvers.
“You have to be good at lots of
different things to solve everybody’s
problems. If wardrobe needs someplace
to hang the second change of clothes,
they come to you for a c-stand.
”The electricians have their lights, but
they don’t have sandbags to make them
safe, so we have to level them up and
make them safe.”
The most creative work comes after
the lights are set.
“I like to say we sculpt the light. We
diffuse the light and put the shadows
back in.
”We make it look real and we make
it look more beautiful.“ Or, on location,
they might put up a giant swath of silk
FEATURES
overhead to soften the sunlight.
Grips are also in charge of camera
movement. Brian is the dolly grip on
the camera.
“There are three pieces to the ‘camera
creature,’ Bruce Lawson said. “There’s
the head, which is the camera operator.
There are the eyes, which is the assistant
cameraman and he focuses.”
Then there’s Brian, who’s the body
and the feet. His job is to actually put
that head of the camera creature in the
right spot. Managing the needs of the
grips is the best boy, who is Brent.
“He’s like my business manager for
the department,” Lawson says. “He
makes sure we have all the manpower
we need when we need it, plus all the
special gear, and he also takes care of the
paperwork for each episode.”
Twenty-five years ago the brothers
formed BLT – Brothers Lawson Team.
In 2010, they joined with another
Wilson High graduate, Mark “Sparky”
Haleston to form Elite Camera Cars, after
Haleston learned of the opportunity to
buy a special trailer and crane.
They use them to film in cars that
actors pretend to be driving, but are
actually on the trailer. The purchase was
an expensive gamble.
“We brought those up, not really
knowing where it would work,” says
Lawson. “But we felt like it was going
to be a good investment for the price.
And we were right. We use the crane –
the ‘elite’ – probably two or three days
every episode.”
There is a lot more local work, partly
because of the state tax incentive to
production companies for shooting
here.
“The incentive says they have to
spend a certain amount in Oregon,”
Brent Lawson said. “They don’t require
you to hire the crew, but the more
vendors they hire in the state, the
better.”
However, the other part of that
equation is having the professional
January 2015
Brothers Brian, Bruce and Brent Lawson stand by one of their trucks filled with everything
necessary for grip work on the NBC television series, “Grimm.” (Post photo by KC Cowan)
vendors necessary. “Grimm” sound
mixer Tyler Stephens said producers
want to hire capable crews locally,
because bringing crew up from Los
Angeles is too expensive.
“So, having the Lawson team here
and their equipment is essential to
bringing a production into a fringe
market like Portland,” Stephens said.
I t ’ s p ro v i d e d y e a r s o f s o l i d
employment for the Lawson brothers.
Not in Bruce Lawson’s job description
are all the other things he does on set.
One crewmember dubbed him the
“mayor of Grimm,” because he is
always promoting charitable activities,
like a toy drive, or volunteering at the
Oregon Food Bank.
Film and television crews work
notoriously long hours; 12-hour days
are common. But working on “Grimm”
is a happy place to spend those hours.
In a sense, the crew becomes “family.”
“I’m just lucky I get to work my real
family, too,” Bruce Lawson said.
Maybe there’s something in the water.
In addition to the Lawsons, there are seven
other Wilson High alums who work on
“Grimm.” “Grimm” airs Friday nights at
9 p.m. on KGW-TV, Channel 8.
Baby Boot Camp
fitness program
(Continued from Page 7)
by Nike and other local stores.
Hasman has weaved a variety of other
supportive programs together with
local businesses. A baby signage class
is scheduled and a reading program
for parent and toddler was organized
at the library right around the corner.
Baby Boot Camp, founded in 2001,
follows the guidelines set by the
American College of Obstetrics and
Gynecology and the American Council
on Exercise.
“I couldn’t be more excited to bring
moms together in Southwest Portland
for not only a fantastic fitness class but
fun and friendship for them and their
little ones,” Hasman says.
For more information, contact www.
babybootcamp.com. The first class is free.
POST A TO Z BUSINESS CARD DIRECTORY 503-244-6933
Fox Accounting & Tax Services, Inc.
(503) 246-6994
10151 SW Barbur Blvd., Suite 106D, Portland, OR 97219
connie@foxaccountingandtax.com
Enrolled Agents with over 20 years
experience providing Tax Preparation
and accounting services to individuals
and small businesses. Let us put that
experience to work for you. LTC 5289C
Your Ad Here
Just $69 per month for a year!
Call 503-244-6933 for more
information.
Deadline is Jan. 19.
Enrique Gomez Morayta, MD
Board Certified Internal Medicine Integrative Holistic Medicine
Longer Appointments, 30-60 min
Same Day Appointments • Minimal to No Wait Time
Human and Warm Healthcare • Personalized Attention & Quality Care
Integrative Holistic Approach • Mindful-Based Stress Reduction
9221 SW Barbur Blvd, Suite 208
Portland, OR 97219
Connie Fox, EA
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD HANDYMAN
20 years in Multnomah Village!
“Call Kenny!”
Kenneth S. Morse
CCB License #195820
503-939-5452
morseks@aol.com
Excellent SW Portland references
Tel (971) 285 0065
www.healthylivingim.org