Virtual Production & Gaffer/Key Grip Roles - What's Changed?

Hey everyone, Jason Fong here. Been Gaffing for a good while, mostly commercials and smaller features. I've noticed a real shift with virtual production gaining traction, and it's got me wondering about the wider industry.

My last two gigs involved some LED volume work, one with an AMIRA, another with an ALEXA 35. I was primarily focused on traditional lighting like Orbiter and M18s, adapting to the reflections and interactive light from the screens. We had a brilliant Virtual Production Supervisor, but I felt like there was a whole new language developing that I was only half-understanding.

I’m trying to keep my skills sharp, dabbling in Unreal Engine tutorials, but it feels like a different beast entirely. Are Key Grips now expected to understand pixel mapping, or should Gaffers be proficient in DMX control for more than just a handful of Titan Tubes? What are producers looking for now? How has the core job description and essential skillset for us 'traditional' G/E folks evolved in the past three years due to all this?