Starting a new job always comes with anxieties and feelings of estrangement. Although I’ve worked on film sets three times in the past, the feeling of being new and incapable of living up to expectations still hasn’t faded. Although I constantly doubt my abilities, I want to work on productions and being able to use it as work-based learning would be ideal for me. To analyse and reflect on my overall experience I’m using Gibb’s reflective cycle. ‘Gibbs’ cycle consists of six stages that guide you through the stages of the reflective process by asking a series of cue questions’ (Japer, 2003, p.78)
Using this reflective model will help me to understand my thoughts and feelings surrounding work-based learning and will also encourage me to recognize my strengths and weaknesses, allowing me to improve my skills in future jobs.
Description
I began my search for a placement in January as I wished to complete it in the Summer before my final year. I started contacting various people I had worked with in the past, searched on websites such as NI Screen and Facebook groups like Media Therapy but it proved to be more difficult than I expected. Most productions were either already booked up or they needed more experienced applicants, which became very disheartening because how can you gain experience if you need at least three credits to be considered in the first place? A Crowd Coordinator I worked with in the past gave me a few days as a Crowd AD on a film in March. Unfortunately, it wasn’t in the right timeframe to count towards my work experience hours. He was moving onto another production in June but informed me there wouldn’t be enough overall days to equate to the necessary 60 hours.
After waiting for what felt like a lifetime, I finally got the anticipated phone call in June. The 2nd Assistant Director on the BBC production of ‘Wreck’ which is a comedy horror series based on a cruise ship, offered me the role of Base Runner.
He informed me their current base runner had to leave for another job and they wanted me to fill the role. I quickly accepted, thankful for the opportunity. He tried to ease my worries, telling me he would help me through the first few days of work so I could learn the ropes. However, my bad luck set in. He was absent during my first week on the job as he had covid. Being thrown in the deep end definitely wasn’t what I expected but I tried my best, nonetheless. He wrote out a daily rundown for me but as someone who didn’t know any of the terminology, I felt as though I was reading a different language.
Somehow, I made it through the week without any major mistakes. I had never done anything like this before so the first week was all about learning for me. Most days I was up at 5.30am and at unit base for 6.30am to greet the actors. As the cast was so large, there were always at least 8 actors on set each day. Each morning I would get their breakfast orders, make sure they went into hair and makeup on time and were in costume by 8am to start filming. I also had to greet actors for makeup and costume fittings and carry out various tasks during the workday. This included writing AD reports, handing out sides, taking lunch orders and placing the food in actors’ trailers, answering messages on the radio, and wrapping actors out after filming.
Feelings
As soon as I hung up the phone after my job offer, anxiety set in, ‘What if I let them down?’, ‘I don’t know what I’m doing’, ‘Will I fit in their dynamic?’. These thoughts filled my head for weeks before I started. I have worked in the Assistant Directors department before but never as a Base Runner. I wanted to be prepared and know what to do but that is hard when I wasn’t sure what the role really entailed. I researched the job online but there really weren’t many descriptions of tasks etc. I also reached out to an AD I had seen on social media, asking for advice and tips. She was super helpful and wrote out a detailed day-to-day schedule for me to have a good idea of what I need to do. I am really grateful for this as it helped me to feel more aware of my role.
I felt like a fish out of water during my first week as a base runner. Everything was so new to me. I had a integral role to carry out as people were counting on me to feed actors, get them into hair and makeup and costume, all before 8am. I felt immense pressure to do everything perfectly. Being a runner comes with challenges ‘you have to prove that you are absolutely reliable, incredibly adaptable, and hardworking, can take fair criticism and artistic tantrums in your stride, be unfailingly polite, pleasant, willing’ (Gregory, 2008, p.114). If actors didn’t arrive on time, eat in the morning or get into costume and makeup on time, the whole schedule for the day would be thrown off and a lot of the responsibility would be on my shoulders. I wanted to be successful and make people proud so desperately that I would get annoyed at the smallest things such as an omelette taking too long to cook or an actor stepping into makeup 5 minutes late. This is something I need to work on in the future.
Evaluation
I am grateful and thankful for the opportunity to experience being on a film set again. I loved travelling to new places that I otherwise would never have seen. I got to meet many interesting people that inspired me to continue on this creative path. Every now and then I would get to leave unit base and visit the set. This was often my favourite part of the day as I love looking at the set design and props. I also really enjoy watching the scenes play out in person as seeing it on the tv when it is released feels surreal.
On the other hand, after the intense pressure of the morning rush, I would spend the day seeking out something to fill my time until the actors returned in the evening. I would check in with the 2nd AD, asking if he needed any help or if there is something I should be doing, only to be met with a ‘No, nothing at the moment’. This constant cycle made me feel like I was meant to be working on something, but no one would let me in on what it was. I worried that I was disappointing others and feeling like I had no initiative. Furthermore, having no specific tasks during the day made a 12 hour shift feel much longer and became tiring.
Analysis
Although this experience definitely had its ups and downs, it allowed me to figure out if I wanted to work in the industry. Although the days are long and the job is hard, I find myself drawn to this line of work. The opportunity to try out a different role in production allowed me to see what goes on behind the scenes to make it run smoothly. Being at unit base during the day meant I was the first to hear of any issues surrounding actors, schedule, timing etc. and I was there to help solve these problems. The 2nd AD would often ask for my opinion in situations and take my feedback on board. I also got to have conversations with the producer of the show, in which I found out he started off as a camera assistant and has eventually worked his way up. This inspired me to stay on this path as he proved you can work your way up through hard work and ambition.
Conclusion
Looking back, I could have taken steps to be less anxious so I could feel more at ease. This could have been establishing a better routine in the morning as I would typically wake up and leave straight away, not giving my brain time to adjust. I also could have studied to call sheets more so I could recall the exact times for actors arriving and when they should be ready. This would have enabled me to feel more prepared and confident in my abilities.
Action Plan
I would jump at the opportunity to work on set again. This experience has given me deeper insight into various roles on set and helped me to focus on my interests. Although I enjoyed being a Base Runner, I think I prefer being a Floor Runner or Crowd AD as you get into the action of filming which is where I want to be. I also found an interest in set design and props when I got the chance to visit the set.
I came to the realization that I may want to try a different department such as the art department or costume if I were to return because I loved exploring the sets.
Looking Back
Overall, ‘reflecting on an experience and learning from it is the basis of professional and personal development that continues throughout life’ (Williams, Woolliams and Spiro, 2020, p.4). Using Gibbs’ reflective model enabled me to delve into my feelings and reflect effectively on my work-based learning. I found this job really rewarding and worthwhile. It allowed me to experience something new, providing insight to the innerworkings of a film set that I was unaware of. It also gave me greater knowledge of what department I want to work in when I finish my degree. That’s a wrap!
Bibliography
Gregory, G. (2008) Careers in Media and Film: The Essential Guide, New York: SAGE Publications, Limited.
Jasper, M. (2003) Beginning Reflective Practice: Foundations in Nursing and Health Care, Glosteshire: Nelson Thornes Ltd.
Williams, K., Woolliams, M. and Spiro, J. (2020) Reflective Writing, London: Bloomsbury Publishing.