The Runner: A Definitive Guide

Run.ner (rūn'er) :

1. TV/film crew member
1. Tea maker, messenger, willing slave
2. Lowliest of the low
2. Beginner
1. Enthusiastic and wide-eyed with wonder
2. Cheap
3. Achy achy feet

A reader has asked me to write more about what's expected of a runner, following on from my summary post Getting Started in TV & Film. So this is a rewrite of a post from a past blog of mine, which The Unit List passed on to their followers on Twitter. Number one top tip: follow The Unit List on Twitter for daily production jobs.  

Running is the first step in this industry, whether it's in an office, at a post production house or on floor/set. My experience is of floor and office running; being an office runner varies depending on where you are but you basically do the boring jobs no one else wants to do, such as tea making, photocopying and stocking stationary. Floor running has a lot more responsibility and rules because it's a highly pressured environment, so I'll be focussing on that aspect. 

To give you an idea, here is a cracking video from a show I worked on, which sums it all up quite nicely https://vimeo.com/57591763/ 

First up...

The Ultimate Runner's Kit List

Location Running (mostly factual, reality and high-end drama)

A well-maintained car

Sat-nav

Road map

Rucksack

Sunglasses

Sun cream

Gloves

Hat

Light waterproof jacket

Wellies

Warm practical coat

Spare socks

All Floor Running (including studios)

A practical shoulder strap bag/fanny pack/many pockets

The comfiest shoes you can find

Gel pads to stick in your shoes

Thick socks

Belt

Pens

Plasters

Painkillers

Electrical tape

Tissues

Phone charger

Water bottle

Preparation

1. Figure out your start time – Call Sheets rarely say when the Runners are needed, but you can figure it out. Usually, there will be a ‘Unit Base Up & Running Time,’ approx 2 hours before UNIT CALL (the time everyone is meant to be on set). This ‘Up & Running’ time is when you should aim to be there by, already working.
2. Memorize the Call Sheet as much as you can. You want to know how many actors will be needed, when they’ll be arriving. Also take note of any special crew for the day – stunt men etc. 
3. As soon as you get the Call sheet, enter all the names and numbers you’ll need into your phone. Particularly helpful ones include  security, the drivers, the caterers, the head of each department, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd ADs, the Production Manager and the talents’ PAs. This will save you so much time when some one yells “Get me a minibus NOW!!!!” at your face.
4. REMEMBER all Call Sheets/Scripts/Schedules are strictly confidential. Be careful of where you leave them lying around.
5. Plan your journey. If you have to drive through London to get to location, calculate the time it will take on Google Maps, double it, and then add 30mins just to be safe. So if you need to be in Ealing for 6.30am from Clapham, you want to be out your door by 5.15am. If you’re early to base you can nap in your car and impress the ADs by starting your job before they even get there.
6. Sleep. It may be the last time you do.

What will I be expected to do? 

This varies on every production, but these are your main ones.

Morning/On Arrival

1. Making sure the talk-back sets have charged over night and putting yours on, ready to be its slave. Take a spare battery too.
2. Fetching coffee for the tired crew and being smiley & enthusiastic even though it’s 5am.
3. Ensuring the arrival of the Talent and informing the AD team as it happens via talk-back. Show them to their dressing room/trailer and get them whatever it is they want. If they want a baby unicorn, better get searching. Usually though, they’ll just want a sausage sandwich.
4. Prepare and restock the tea/coffee table and pack ready for transporting to location. Bribe the caterers for biscuits. No biscuits and the runner (i.e. you) will die a painful death.
5. Help the 3rd AD locate and sign in any Background Artists (extras) for the day.
6. Help the 2nd AD by escorting the Talent into Makeup/Wardrobe, and then to their cars to be taken to set. Inform the 2nd AD of every step in this process.
7. Try and grab some breakfast for yourself. It’s free and you will need those precious calories.
8. Ensure directors/producers/head honchos have cars waiting to take them to set.
9. Herd the rest of the crew from catering to the minibuses/transport and get them up to set. Camera, lighting and sound have priority over makeup, set designers and you.

*QUICK TIP* Talk Back Lingo

• “Travelling” = an actor’s journey from unit/dressing room to set. E.g: “Travelling Mr Depp.”
• “Going 101″/” Ten One” = Going to the toilet (you have no idea how I panicked when my first 3rd AD said this to me – I had no idea what she was on about!).
• Initials are often used for high profile actors. E.g. Sir David Jason became SDJ on all Call Sheets and via Talk Back.
• If you are called via radio, wait until they have finished, press your button and reply “Go ahead”. Always wait until someone has definitely finished speaking before pressing your button or they are cut off to everyone listening.
• To address someone specifically, say “(your name) to (their name)”, release your button and await their response.
• If you need to ask someone a question, but don’t want to clog the channel for the others/they don’t need to hear it, say “(your name) to (3rd AD’s name) on Channel 2 please.” You then switch your talk back to channel 2 and your conversation will not be heard over the main channel.
• If you’re going near set, make sure you have an ear pierce in so you can still listen without disrupting a take.
• Equally, NEVER talk over radio during a take, as someone on set will almost certainly have their volume up and the noise could ruin the audio recording.

On Set:

1. Set up tea/coffee table and offer drinks to the crew. Obviously, directors/head honchos and talent first. Then the 1st AD, camera and sound. Then everyone else. Have some water bottles/cups on set.
2. The Talent will arrive on location after the crew. You must be there to meet them and escort them to set with a cup of tea/coffee. Inform the ADs via talk back when the Talent have arrived.
3. One of your main jobs is to keep people quiet during takes. Not as easy as it sounds. Position yourself wherever there is noise and be ready to yell/ssshh/beg/bribe/swear.
4. A take goes like this… The 1st AD yells “Going for a take”  and you repeat this in your loudest voice, followed by “QUIET ON SET PLEASE.” With luck, people will instantly fall silent. Most of the time, you will need to enforce your authority with evil looks, hand gestures and even the threat of decaf coffee. Once “Action” is called, no one but the director and the actors are allowed to make a sound. If the take is interrupted by any member of the crew, a nearby vehicle or even a member of public, it’s YOUR fault.
5. Between takes, go on set and keep an eye on the actors. They love to sneak away for a smoke/phone call. If they need to take a leak, you need to know. Follow discreetly and just assure that they come straight back to set.
6. You’ll be waiting around a lot. In this time clear up any rubbish you can find, keep offering drinks, restock the tea table, and keeping asking people if they’d like any help. Avoid the temptations of a seat and checking Twitter/FB.
7. Vehicles will take up a lot of your time. Usually the drivers will return to base once they’ve dropped off. Ask one to stay at location (with engine off) on stand by in case people need to get back to base quickly. Make sure all vehicles face the way out – turning around could waste valuable time.

Lunch

1. Half an hour before lunch is scheduled, call each vehicle to set. Between takes, you must get them to turn to face the right way and await the crew. Talent go first, followed by head honchos, then crew in order of importance. NB: never mention the hierarchy on a film set – nobody likes to admit there is one!
2. Check the tea table and make a note of everything that is low, so you can bring back what you need to restock it from unit base.
3. Background Artists (extras) must wait until EVERY member of the crew (including you!) has joined the lunch queue before they can. Before you tuck in, check that the Talent and Head Honchos are in the queue or being seen to.
4. Once you’ve eaten and taken five mins to breathe, go round and ask the make up and costume crew when they would like to see the Talent again for checks. Then make sure that happens, informing the AD team along the way.
5. Grab everything you need for the tea/coffee table and load it into the van/minibus.

The afternoon is pretty much a repeat of the morning, until it nears Wrap Time.

1. About 30 mins before wrap time, do one last tea/coffee run, then begin packing down drinks table.
2. Collect the call sheets from the Production Office. DO NOT give these out until “That’s a wrap on today!” has been called by the 1st AD/Director. Doing it before disrupts the crew.
3. On larger crews, you may be asked to place call sheets in every production vehicle – i.e. 4 in the Lighting truck for the Sparks, 2 in the Art Department lorry. Put it somewhere it will be seen.
4. Have all vehicles at location and ready to depart at least15 mins before the estimated wrap time.
5. When Wrap is called, yell “CALL SHEETS” and make sure everyone leaves with one either in their hand or in their crew vehicle.
6. Get all Talent and crew to their vehicles.
7. Pack tea table. Rubbish clearing and tidying of the location is usually down to the Location Manager and his team, but check in case you are expected to do this/give them a hand.
8. Go round the set/location and yell “Last vehicle!” in case there are any stragglers left.
9. Get in that vehicle and back to base.

End of the Day

When you get back to base, put away the tea/coffee table and make sure all food and drinks supplies are secure for moving to the next location. Then, help the 3rd AD collect in talk-back units and put them on charge, including yours.

Offer to help the 2nd AD with CHITS – these are the sign-in/out forms the next day’s extras – and any other jobs. Make sure NO ONE needs you, offer to stay late and when they say you can go, GO.

Getting that next JOB

Be enthusiastic never mind the weather, hour or mood you’re really in (gets tricky after a while). Make friends with the crew; banter is the main form of entertainment on a film set so get used to being the butt of peoples’ jokes – and don’t be scared to give it back (appropriately!!). Go to any after-work drinks at the pub so people can get to know you (but don’t get drunk – you’re a professional). Chat with every department and learn as much as you can about the different trades. You might not want to work in costume but any knowledge will be helpful, and you may even discover a new career path.

If you go to the Wrap Party, don’t spend it asking for jobs. By this point, your hard work should have done the asking for you. If they like you, they’ll remember you. Stay in touch, let them know of any other experience you get, and hopefully they’ll think of you as the next crew is assembled.

So there you go! Apologies for the length, hope it wasn’t too patronising. If you have anything else you think should be added, let me know! Also happy to answer any questions.

A xx