worked as a key grip under Kearney on more than a dozen films during
the next decade, including E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Twilight Zone: The
Movie, Ghostbusters, The Color Purple, Legal Eagles, and Alien Nation.
Munoz had planned to best boy under Kearney on Die Hard II. While
waiting for production to begin, Kearney flew to Chicago to finish
Flatliners, and was unavailable when Die Hard II got the green light.
Munoz interviewed with cinematographer Oliver Wood and got the key
grip job instead. He continued to key grip on features such as Bill & Ted's
Bogus Journey, Terminal Velocity, and his personal favorite, Chaplin. "It was
my favorite because [we] were surrounded with incredibly talented
people. The director, Sir Richard Attenborough, is such a class act. Sven
Nykvist, the cameraman, is a legend. It was such a relaxed atmosphere."
In the mid-1990s, Munoz reunited with Kearney, who was serving as
dolly grip, on Mr. Holland's Opus. "That was one of the fun-est times I
had on a picture. It was summertime and my whole family came up to
Portland, Oregon, where we were shooting on location . . . It was a very
pleasant experience because
Stephen Herek is a great, great
director."
Munoz has continued to
key grip on features, adding
2 Days in the Valley, Lethal
Weapon 4, House on Haunted
Hill, and Collateral Damage to
his credits. "I never had any
aspirations to be a key. I loved
being a best boy, but I have
become fond of being the key
grip. After all those years of
being the last one to leave--the
one to shut the doors on the
truck--I kind of like that as the
key, when they call it a wrap, I
just leave."
Professional Profile:
Russell Senato, Key Grip
"I didn't start doing film
work until I was 28 or 29,"
recalls Russell Senato. An
upstate New York native, he
moved south to Virginia after
What do you like
least about your job?
For Senato it's a toss-up:
"Either the fact that we
sometimes have to work
in the most adverse
weather conditions [while
the crew may have moved indoors to shoot,
the grips might have to remain outside in
rain or snow to rig the next shot] or playing
politics with producers and different depart-
ments, instead of just being able to do the
job. That's probably my least favorite part:
the whole politics thing."--Russell Senato
What do you love most
about your job?
"I just love being on the set. I love filmmak-
ing, being part of a project. I really like all
the people you meet--that is one of the best
things about it. I also enjoy rigging the
cameras; it's like being a kid, getting to rig
and tinker with equipment. That's probably
the most fun thing for me: rigging the
cameras."--Russell Senato
VOICES OF
EXPERIENCE
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