Apple Box

Technical Details

Standard Apple Boxes come in four standardized sizes: Full Apple (61 x 30.5 x 20.3 cm), Half Apple (30.5 x 30.5 x 20.3 cm), Quarter Apple (30.5 x 15.2 x 20.3 cm), and Eighth Apple (15.2 x 15.2 x 20.3 cm). The three different orientations create heights of 20.3 cm, 30.5 cm, or 61 cm. Modern variants feature reinforced corners, non-slip surfaces, and sometimes carrying handles. Nested Apple Boxes can be stacked inside each other, reducing transport volume by 60%.

History & Development

The first documented Apple Boxes date back to the 1920s from Paramount Studios, where prop masters collected empty fruit crates from Sunsweet Growers. In 1934, RKO standardized the dimensions according to common apple crate measurements. Matthews Studio Equipment began industrial production of specialized film Apple Boxes in 1947. In the 1980s, Backstage Equipment developed the foldable Pancake variant, only 5 cm high.

Practical Use in Film

Apple Boxes compensate for height differences between actors – Tom Cruise systematically used stacked Apple Boxes in "Mission: Impossible" (1996) for dialogue scenes with taller co-stars. Camera crews use them for precise height positioning of lights, with a Quarter Apple corresponding exactly to the height of a sandbag. For Steadicam shots, they serve as mobile resting points for monitors. A standard production's grip truck carries at least 20 Apple Boxes in various sizes.

Comparison & Alternatives

Unlike height-adjustable tripods, Apple Boxes offer immediate, stepless positioning without mechanical adjustment time. Cribbing blocks made of hard plastic weigh 40% less but do not achieve the stability of wooden Apple Boxes. Inflatable alternatives like Air Cushions are only suitable for weights under 30 kg. For exterior shots, waterproof aluminum Apple Boxes are increasingly replacing wooden variants, but they cost three times as much and create unwanted reflections.