<P> The best boy also commonly accompanies or stands in for the key grip or gaffer during technical scouts . During shooting, the best boy may also cover for the key grip or gaffer when he or she is on break or otherwise away from the set . </P> <P> On films with very small crews, the electric (lighting) department often consists of only a gaffer, a best boy, and a few electricians . The grip department may include only a key grip, a best boy, and a few grips . Large - scale productions such as major films commonly include full - time rigging and second unit crews, and in total may hire many dozens of grips or electricians at one time . </P> <P> It's unclear why this term came to be used as a job title on film sets . As OED says, "It has been suggested that it originated as a term for a master's most able apprentice, or alternatively that it was transferred from earlier use for a member of a ship's crew, but confirmatory evidence for either of these theories appears to be lacking ." The earliest known appearance of the phrase in print is 1931 from the Albuquerque Journal: "Among the electricians...the department head is the gaffer, his first assistant is the best boy ." </P> <P> As the gaffer is sometimes credited as the chief lighting technician, the best boy electric is sometimes credited as the assistant chief lighting technician . </P>

Where did the term best boy come from
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