Wednesday 25 July 2012

Location shoot etiquette!

You find yourself on a location shoot... long days... a long time away from home... lots of temptations in the form of never visited local bars/clubs/hotel mini bar/a member of the team... a sense of freedom you don't always have when in the office or on the 'regular job'. Boundaries between roles get blurred - the runners to the execs mingle freely. The 4 walls of your hotel room are claustrophobic and you want to escape. What can you and should you do? What are the 'do's' and 'don't s' of a location shoot?!

There are no fixed rules really. I feel that common sense should simply prevail. I have however been asked for some tips on a. what one should do as part of their role on location and b. how to deal with social and awkward situations when on location (although, one imagines they could crop up anywhere really) so - here goes...

JUNIOR STAFF V SENIOR STAFF: Knowing your role

It is easy to assume, on the road, that everyone knows what they are doing and what their purpose for being there is. Usually it is explicit - you are the locations manager or the cameraman 'on tour' or the team runner. You have a JD (job description - not Jack Daniels - that would not be appropriate during the working day...) and largely are simply expected to deliver it.

It is not however always that simple. A member of the team can often get taken along seemingly 'for the ride'. There doesn't appear to be a particular job for them - and they can end up feeling lost. If you find yourself in this position - thrown into the chaos of a locations shoot but without a role on the call sheet other than your job title - ask, and get proactive.

An example of someone who didn't - the 'researcher' who was taken on location and had never been so before. Nobody advised him what was required of him and he had no idea what he was expected to do. There was little 'research' work required (other than the post wrap coordinates for the closest pub). He spent his days 'hanging about' and occasionally made the odd cup of tea and booked some local cabs (having called back to the office to ask them to find numbers...). He had a nice time. He didn't upset anyone and he came back several days later having enjoyed some tasty evening meals and having gained the experience of watching a shoot take place.

WHAT A WASTE. He could have gained so much more. The more senior crew deemed him disinterested and the production office assumed him lazy when releases etc were not properly filled in.

What could he have done? This: 1. asked. Made it known to his Line Manger that he had never been away on a shoot before and therefore was uncertain what his role was and what was expected of him. 2. Been proactive - provided the services of a runner, helped with set up and de-rig of kit, taken over management of releases and offered to support with  directing.

You only take away from an experience what you aim to - and if you are too embarrassed to ask for help or direction, then you are in the wrong industry. Equally, if you are too lazy to create a useful role for yourself, you probably won't get asked along next time.

'So what' said the researcher - for he had been on location and seen what happens. Why did he need to go again? Did you know that it is a key skill of a good AP (the role post researching) to be able to self shoot? All those hours the researcher 'hung about' on location, he could have taken full advantage of familiarising himself with the camera, taken the responsibility for logging the tapes and asked to be shown how to data wrangle or even set up the camera itself etc. No. He just hung about. Useful that...


Senior staff - keep an eye out for your junior staff members - don't assume they are confident in their purpose. Equally just try and enable those that do show the will to learn to be able to do so. On a recent locations tour, I ensured each runner and Prod Sec/ Junior Researcher had the opportunity to go in and watch what was happening at each stage of the process we were touring with. They left with a full understanding of what happens on location - and an inspiration to continue working hard towards their goals. I left with no skin off my nose. It wasn't difficult to arrange - and I was happy to because they were genuinely interested.

I guess that the story here is to:
a. DO ensure you are clear on what your role is and then deliver not only to it but above it where possible
b. DO become invaluable and help out wherever possible - do not become defined by your job title
c. if you have expert knowledge and a bit of free time, and you notice a junior member of staff hanging about, DO offer them the opportunity to shadow/watch/help
d. DON'T sit back and watch and never muck in or offer to help
e. DON'T be confined by your own interpretation of your job title
f. DON'T be lazy - i.e. if you need a number look on your call sheet or google it

ALL STAFF: Social behaviour on location

I am more frequently asked about what is and isn't appropriate socially on location - and how to manage a situation if it feels uncomfortable...

Common sense must not go out of the window - it is vital that you remember that whilst you might be away, and everyone relaxes in the evenings, that you are still at work - and as such, must retain some degree of appropriate behaviour.

There are no hard fast rules of what is and isn't 'OK' socially (in the working environment). Generally speaking the following apply:

  • DON'T sleep with contributors, cast or crew
  • If you do sleep with one of the above - DON'T discuss it the next day 
  • DO NOT get drunk and then come to location the next day late/with a hangover/unable to deliver on your duties/smelling of alcohol
  • DO NOT get drunk and forget good manners (it isn't wise to tell the exec his shirt does not match his trousers...)
  • DO NOT join in with drinks and not pay your contribution of the bill
  • DON'T fell compelled to drink alcohol at all - some of us don't get out as much as we'd like to and definitely take advantage of the hotel bar on location - this isn't because this is the 'done' thing in TV, it's cos we (and by that I mean I) are getting older and still want to have as much fun as physically possible on those rare nights we are away and thus don't have to do everyday stuff such as to finish paperwork/do the housework/go to the gym/etc. It doesn't make you fit in. Only drink if you want to and enjoy to.
  • DON'T get caught up in gossip and back stabbing
  • DON'T exclude people from your peer group in a bid to impress your seniors
  • DON'T take stock/notes/releases/etc out on the town - always keep data safely stored in a confidential, lockable space
  • If someone has to stay in on 'data duty' or to look after kit, etc - DO offer to get them some food or a drink. It's just polite.
  • DO give people space - it is really easy to get excited about the opportunity to spend social time with someone you have been trying to impress (in a bid to get a foot up that ladder) but remember, they have had a long, hard day too - and if they appear to be having a in depth conversation with a glass of red and a peer at the bar, DO NOT go over and interrupt or hang about on the edge of their conversation
  • DO remember when you return from location that whilst you all spent a lot of time together in the evenings whilst away and probably had hoots of fun, it was mainly because you had no other option (unless you are a fan of room service and TV for one). That isn't to say the good times weren't real - but remember when back on home turf, that people have partners, non work friends and families - and it isn't the done thing to suggest team drinks Every. Single. Day.
The 'awkward' scenario on location -  tale of two sides...

Recently I spoke to an old Exec who I got on famously with - he was so much fun and very inspirational in his work -  I was lucky that he quite liked me too! The wine was flowing and we were having a good old natter about our time away on location for a show we had both formerly been away on location for. He asked me how I 'tolerated' all the runners inviting themselves along to drinks in the evenings. He said it drove him insane. I remembered feeling really awkward on that job - because I like to be inclusive and welcome all, however I appreciate after a long day, staff often just want a quiet drink with close peers. At first I assumed that he was saying the runners joining us drove him insane because of a hierarchy thing - you know, he was very senior, they were very junior... but actually it tuned out that it had nothing to do with that at all (and I was a fool to even think it - he was after all a bloody legend); it was actually that their motivation to talk to him was the kind that was really keen to impress him and network, and to hopefully secure a future role on his shows, rather than for general chat and banter. Fine - I do get this craving from a junior point of view - but as he very rightly pointed out, this was his 'free time' and he did not want to network. Understandably. It made it really awkward to the extent that a staff group meal on the final night of our time on location ended up being cancelled due to 'team exhaustion' but actually, in reality as I subsequently found out, it was because the whole thing had snowballed and all the crew involved ended up wanting to come - and the exec could think of nothing worse than having to make small talk about a career in TV to a group of junior staff desperate to secure their next position. He just wanted to get shit faced and have a giggle (as did most of us).

The 'awkward' situation we were discussing is what is one to do in that scenario? He pointed out that he felt awful about it all and at no point wanted to generalise the group and say 'no runners allowed' on socials; but equally, it was only the runners that were approaching him about his career and work after shoot hours (the rest of us I am sure were interested but too busy propping up the bar - we were after all, secure - at that point - in our jobs!).

I think he makes a really valid point when he said to me, quite simply, 'I love my job and I love those with a passion to learn - but I love my down time on location and enjoy nothing better than a good old show biz gossip, or a politics debate with a large glass of red. If anyone hassles me with work questions I just want to tell them to bugger off'. 

I don't think anyone should have to feel awkward in a social situation when 'stuck' away on location with colleagues. I would recommend this:
  • If you are a more junior member of staff invited along - or just in the same bar/restaurant - to an evening with the rest of the crew, do not talk shop. Smile, be friendly and be remembered for knowing how to switch off. Yes, by all means, join in with tales of funny things that occurred throughout the day - but do not try and pass your CV across the dinner table or follow a shot of tequila with the dreaded words 'have you got any jobs?'
  • If you are someone with experience who has had a long day and post wrap just wants to sink a cold beer or a large glass of red, then upon arriving in the bar where all crew are hanging out, make it clear at the first mention of future work that for tonight you are simply here 'to relax'. A quick, firm indicator that you are not open to talking careers should nip any such conversation in the bud.
This of course works on all fronts, as in the junior staff being made to feel 'awkward' by the senior too - I recently heard about a poor young lady who was on location in the ass end of nowhere, with some more senior members of the crew. There was literally nowhere to go but this one pub they found themselves in about twenty mins away from their dwellings. Keen to make a good impression the next day on the shoot this wise owl kept off the booze. The same could not be said of the more senior staff, who guzzled down the beers like a pair of schoolboys on their first trip to Kavos. The conversation she found herself in quickly turned to 'memorable shags' and 'fittest bird you've f***ed'. Not being hugely comfortable with joining in on this banter, she sat and patiently sipped her juice. She felt she couldn't leave as she didn't want to be impolite - plus it was a tenner in a cab back to their hotel, and on a runners wage, that was too much. She nodded and smiled and giggled along (nervously), and secretly wished the ground would swallow her up. She asked me retrospectively what she should have done in that scenario. I have two hats: Lou - just me and Lou the giver of (personal but professional) advice. My answer was this...
  • Lou the giver of (personal but professional) advice would have made a firm but polite comment along the lines of 'right gents, I am off to the loo, when I get back I hope we can talk about something a little more inclusive?'. If they didn't take the hint and continued to be crude I would have said goodnight, taken a taxi and claimed it from petty cash the next day. You would be absolutely entitled to given the circumstances. I would not for second worried about seeming rude - as I said above, at night time people just want to chill and wind down (and sometimes tell dirty tales), nobody will be offended if you choose not to join in
  • Lou - just me would have said something much stronger along the lines of 'listen you pair of dirt bags - you are both on the wrong side of 40, overweight and drunk. You are clearly reminiscing about former best shags cos you don't get much now. Put the beer down, do some sit ups and wash your filthy mouths out. Then maybe the talk of memorable (i.e. yonks ago) sexual activity will have a chance of ever becoming current activity.' PLEASE NOTE - I do not recommend this line of chat - I just thought I would let you all know what I would have secretly been thinking...
So anyway... there you have it... common sense prevails and all that.

I wonder why anyone finds themselves in a situation where: they don't know what do, come across as off the mark, feel out of their depth, behave inappropriately, annoy others or just make people feel uncomfortable. If you find yourself in one of the above situations - which hopefully you won't as they are rare, speak up. Ask. Say no. Say yes. Watch. Listen. Learn. Drink. Don't drink. Be inclusive. Smile - when all else fails a smile goes a long way!










Tuesday 17 July 2012

I wonder where I will be (in TV) in 5 years time?

At some point on your journey through life you are bound to have been asked that age old question 'Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?' or 'imagine what you will be doing in 5 years time'... I don't think in TV you have to know the answer. Yes, a path you desire to follow is critical - but to know absolutely hand on heart that your job title will be 'xxx' - no, I don't think you do need to know that.

I remember being at secondary school - in my first year - and showing absolute disdain towards the fact we had to learn French. It was mandatory. Now don't get me wrong - I love the French language - but I had already spent 5 years at primary school learning the basics. I was outraged that I had to sit in a beginners class. My teacher said to me 'imagine, if we said to you, OK Louise, come back in 5 years and join the class - you would not remember a word'; I was too busy thinking 'in 5 years time I will be 16 and cool - I won't care'.

Fast forward 5 years to my 16th birthday party - at that stage of my life I was so used to people (generally of the older, boring variety) reminding me how useful something might be in 5 years time, or asking me where I wanted to be in 5 years time, that I would often consider it myself - and the thought of 5 years time ahead seemed terrifying. Five years from then felt like a really, really long time away - I mean, come on, 21 was so ancient, right?

I wish I could be 21 again. I would soooo make some different choices. I don't have regrets - I am one of the champions of the school of 'you only live once' - but, if I had my time again, I would definitely live a little more. At that grand age of 21 there are three things I wish I had done more of:

1. Appreciating my body. I was hot. Sorry - may sound a little arrogant - but looking back I was so hot and I so didn't see it!!! I actually thought I had a crap figure. I found a photo the other day of me and my GBF (gay best friend) at a uni night, and he had pulled my skirt up. My bum looked amazeballs. I so should have got it out more!

2. Keeping in touch. I went off to uni and partied hard. I didn't keep regular contact with some amazing friends from school - and now I don't have relationships with them as we drifted apart. I miss them, so I wish I had.

3. Not worried so much about following a fixed career I thought I was suppose to have - and pleasing everyone but myself. I genuinely thought I had to pursue a fixed job title - and that to be successful, I had to attain that title. it was almost as if I thought you could only ever do one thing. Oh ta-da here I am a 'xxx' - that's it, career goal reached, stop trying.

I wonder, had I actually left university and pursued a career in television in my early 20s, where I would be now. Part of me genuinely thinks possibly in exactly the same place I am! At that age and experience level, I would have had to have started as a runner and worked my way up. So actually, you see, there is no point in regrets - the outcome generally works out the way it is supposed to. Here I am now, in a job I love (regardless of how I got here), and apart from wishing my bum still looked that good, I have no regrets! I still got here...

That brings me - finally - to today, and the point of this rambling: I wonder where I will be (in TV) in 5 years time. Five years ago I could have told you with certainty that I knew I would be doing an important job, I just had no idea in which sector it would be. Today I could tell you with certainty that I know I will be working in TV in 5 years time - I just have no idea in which role!

One of the things that I love about the television sector is that although you do need to have a focus (i.e. when starting out, know if you are following a creative, editorial, technological or production path) - you can go on a real journey in television, and the range of options open to you are immense.

I know a lady - a very successful lady - who currently heads up talent at one of the largest broadcasters in the UK. I imagined she must have got there through a HR/develoment path. Nope, not at all. She was formerly a TV producer.


I know a chap (I know, I know a lot of people who make fab examples...) who is a Production Manager with several top indies - earning big bucks he is - and yet he never worked on a production in his life. Joined as a PM after a career as an in-house production accountant.


My friend the SP, used to be a dedicated Production Coordinator... who loved the creative element of Line Producing, when she got an opportunity to excel rapidly, and now SPs too.


The fact is, it all counts - and it can lead you up a variety of potentially wonderful paths.


I know where I would like to be in 5 years time - I am not telling you, I don't want to jinx it - but the reality is, my journey in television could take me anywhere. I would also - as a sideline to the TV dream - like to write a book and own a bar in Ibiza. Not sure what the book will be about yet - but I can guarantee the bar will play amazing chill out tunes, have an awesome sunset view and not charge 5000E a drink!


I thrive on the unknown to an extent - and I find it exciting that I could be doing something really amazing. I love this industry so much that I am confident whether I end up remaining purely in production, or elsewhere, that I will go to work each day (well, most days!!) with a smile on my face.


All around me I see determined people - dedicated to building a reputation as (i.e.) a news reporter, an editor, a cameraman, a producer, etc - and I hope they get there. I wonder though, if in 5 years time, the path will have been as clear as they imagine it will be cut?


We are privileged in this sector to have so many opportunities. When one door closes, another often opens. Grab them and make sure every experience counts. As I always say - aim for the stars (or the edit suite/location/job title) and if you land on a cloud and that's pretty nifty too, enjoy it!


Tuesday 10 July 2012

Oh dear Lord, I have started a blog...

I posted a tweet today that said I was going to write an article about how people working for free in television makes me irate... then I realised that for it to be classed an 'article' it would actually need to be a written piece... I then realised that if I didn't publish it in some form, it would simply serve as my 'venting' and not actually spark discussion - which I am interested for it to do.

That therefore leads me to the creation of this blog.

I stress here and now that I am not a writer, nor do I wish to be. I do however have lots of thoughts and opinions and here, is where I intend (best intentions) to share them! I apologise for my shocking inevitable grammatical mistakes - I did go to a good school but somehow failed to find learning (at that stage in my life) too interesting *whistles*...

I intend to to share my thoughts (and the thoughts of those I speak with) on issues that I care enough about to crave more than 140 characters on, here.

I do not intend to 'steal' anyone else's thoughts or ideas, and this blog is merely that - a blog. I may comment on areas that are similar to posts on other sites, and I may reference jobs in the public domain; however - I do so purely as part of my thought process, and not to emulate the work of others.

Lastly - the legal bit - EVERYTHING expressed on here is my own personal thought and opinion. The blog posts in no way, shape or form represent the beliefs/values/practices/ideas of my current - or any historical or future - employer. It's all about me - simples!

 ©June 2012 – Lou Gallagher

Stepping Up in TV


I am often asked 'how do I step up'? Ultimately - you are in control of that. In delivering and exceeding expectation (but doing so without fuss), you are sure to be noticed and given an opportunity in your chosen path.

It isn't always that simple though - and sometimes there just isn't a vacancy for that elusive next credit in the team you are working within/ have done previously.

Firstly – before you decide to look elsewhere for opportunity – ask yourself this (and answer with absolutely honesty): am I looking to step up because a. I think I deserve to and am capable of doing so, b. because I have been here much longer than other people who are now more senior than me or c. because my manager/senior/someone with appropriate position has advised that I am?

Largely – not always (you may not have a great bond with your manager, etc – or you might not have had the opportunity to prove yourself in a particular role) – but largely, you should only be considering ‘the next step’ if the answer is C.

If, C has occurred then you may find yourself in one of two scenarios: that person/company have a role at the next level for you and voila, you are an XXX; or, that person/company does not have such an opportunity due to lack of current need/production/etc – however, they are prepared to recommend you to their peers OR provide a reference supporting your belief that you can deliver somewhere new.

Now, if you find yourself in situation A or B then my personal advice, as your first step, would be to find out the answer to C!

Why does this matter? It matters, as unless you are a jammy dodger who is going to be offered a role through an amazing contact/old firm/member of family/etc etc, then you are only going to get said role if your previous employer provides a reference. If that new post you have applied for is at a more senior level to your last credit, not only does that person in scenario C have to provide a reference of your ability in said former role, but also of capability match in potential new role.

Simple, right?!

So, if the answer to C is ‘yes’ – then off you go, get applying for the next role! My personal recommendation would be to kick start your cover letter with a brief synopsis (post the intro as to which role you are applying for etc) as to why you are applying – even though you are yet to work at that credit level. Keep it clear and simple – and focus on the feedback you have received. ‘I think I’m ready’ ‘I know I am better than other XXXs I have met’ probably won’t cut it.

Even if your immediate team/department doesn’t have a more senior vacancy, ask further around the company. Have you got a talent manager/Head of Production/etc who is across all shows? Drop them a line – cc’ing your manager – and explaining that you are nearing the end of your current role, and with your manager’s support, would like to put yourself forward for any possible career development opportunities.

If you find yourself in situation C and the answer is ‘no’, then proceed with caution. As I said, largely, your seniors will be in a strong position to advise – and ultimately it will be their feedback that helps (or otherwise) you land that next goal.

If you have answered ‘yes’ to A or B and no to ‘C’ then why should you proceed with caution? Generally, as the answer to your application will often be a ‘no’.

A chap I know once asked me why that should be off-putting – I told him this: I knew a great AP who worked really hard, and often did a fab job. She had some areas of weakness – but overall delivered. Two of her peers were promoted at the end of a series – and she was invited back at AP level. She took this a little personally and was really hurt (if truth be told she was also a bit embarrassed as she had been there a few months longer than her peers). Instead of asking for advice on how she could ensure she was promoted at the next opportunity, she declined the AP role and set off to find a ‘better’ Producer job elsewhere. She didn’t worry about her references for a second – after all, she had been invited back. She managed – through utilisation of contacts and a few minor fibs - to secure some interviews for Producer roles elsewhere. One of the interviews went well – and they offered her the job, subject to her former employer feedback. Essentially it became apparent to the new potential that she was a good AP – not a great one but a good one, who with a full run doing another series as an AP would have made it to Producer level. She wasn’t however ready yet. Her offer was retracted due to her non suitability to that post. Incidentally they had an AP vacancy too – however they decided not to offer her it as an alternative, as she had made it clear she no longer thought of herself as an AP – and thus, would probably not be too committed to the role.

The trouble is - if you apply to too many roles outside of your reach - your CV won't be considered, and if you manage to blag it and you are considered, and then your reputation/feedback doesn't match the level you have sold yourself at, you will find yourself getting a reputation for being a 'nuisance'. What do I mean by this? Well, the constant stream of 'Director's' and 'Producer's' (self titled) I get applying for entry roles frustrates me - those people are just not being realistic about what they are. Equally, the 'Runner' or 'Prod Sec' applying to be a Junior PM is again, not realistic.

At various events, meets, etc I often hear people saying ‘but I am far too qualified to be doing XXX’ [A]; the reality is, more often than not, if you are doing it, it is because that is the level the industry has deemed you to be at. The most common complaint that I hear of personally is the plight of the graduate not wishing to be a runner – because they ‘Directed’ (for example) their own production as part of their degree. I went to law school – I won the Post Grad mooting competition with the highest score of the decade – I didn’t expect to instantly become a Barrister in the High Courts! The reality is that whatever the industry, you have to put in your slog from grass roots and learn the trade. Building apprentices can spend months learning how to make the perfect consistency of cement (get this wrong and the quality of your tiling/bricklaying/etc will be impacted); artists spend years perfecting stroke technique; and administrators have to know the latest IT bumph inside out. You have to put in the time to reap the rewards. It really is that simple. That isn’t to say there won't be exceptions – but that is for another post...

Lastly, if you find yourself driven to step up largely by situation ‘B’ then focus on this: if your peers are getting promoted (whether it be internally or elsewhere) than you should never allow yourself to believe that the opportunity isn’t there. If around you others are flourishing and you are still trying to a. get that first foot in the door or b. take the next step, then there is a strong chance that the reason you are not is due to one of two things: firstly, you may not be promoting yourself to the best of your abilities. Do you do your job, get what’s asked of you ticked off the list and then surf the net? STEP IT UP!!! Those that thrive utilise every minute of their working time to evidence that they are capable. Never assume that what you are being asked is all that could be done. Now don’t go getting carried away – note role boundaries, etc – but do think creatively. Your (for example) PM asks you the Prod. Sec. to chase some missing invoices. You can choose to put in the calls and then get back to Facebook or, you can put in the calls, action the feedback (i.e. ‘we sent this to your finance team last week’ = ring finance and ask if they have received it, then if they have, go and get it!) and update your PM in writing. Ask if he/she would like you to do anything else to help – i.e. raise a PO, get it signed off by PE, etc. Essentially, take action. Don’t just do the minimum. Are you an AP making multiple contacts to contribs and recording it all in your head? What use is that to your Producer or SP? Make a log – fill it in – and circle it to the team, cc’ing the senior, suggesting it might be a useful central document for all staff to refer to.

Secondly, if you feel that you are in situation ‘B’, you are trying your bloody hardest and still you are a. not getting any jobs or b. never being offered the opportunity to step up, it may (and I know I am going to potentially cause upset here) but it may well be that you are not actually the right person for that job.

I always advise people to persevere, aim for the stars and never give up. Realistically however, the (for example) Coordinator who has been doing so for ten years, has tried applying for PM roles but always gets passed by, and is invited back to PC but never to PM, may – just may – not be cut out to be a PM. This applies across all roles. I know this gent – his CV is phenomenal. He has travelled the world directing some top class television formats. He is out of this world talented ‘on the floor’ and a disaster in the office. He tried his hand at PD’ing for a long time – with the expectation that he would finally get the next step (in his mind at that time) the Series Producer job. Producing however was not his forte – and due to his exceptional Directing abilities he kept getting offered PD roles (with a jolly good AP to help in the office!), but that was as far as it went. Sometimes we just aren’t suited to something – and you must be willing to explore this avenue.

I genuinely feel with all my heart for entry (and in fact any) level staff desperately willing to land their ‘dream TV job’. I will always encourage and provide support where I can, and try my hardest to enable people an opportunity to prove themselves. Sometimes though you have to be cruel to be kind – and if someone has had a lot of those ‘chances’ and has never been invited back, there is usually a reason. Ask for feedback – and if you didn’t deliver and know you did all you could to do so, see where else your talents lie.


 ©July 2012 – Lou Gallagher

Wednesday 4 July 2012

Making the grade (A* innit)

In my experience - YES, PERSONAL EXPERIENCE - I find that when a member of staff is required (at any level),the conversation tends to go like this...

A. PE/SP/PD/PM/PC etc: 'Anyone know a really good xxx available soon?' or 'What was the name of that xxx we used at xxx - he/she was great'. Answer - yes = job filled.

B. Answer no = ask immediate circle (cue Facebook/Twitter/email/network posts). Often = job filled.

C. Nobody is available that is a. already known or b. recommended = advertise

So - generally - the roles you may be seeking are filled before you even get to hear of them. How can you throw yourself into that pool of initial names and be considered? Firstly, network (see previous post) - make people aware that you are looking for work. Often, your name may be passed by as people will assume you are busy. Secondly, become invaluable/liked/preferred/respected or however you would like to think of it.

Not many people will admit it but staff will often recruit from their pool of preferred freelancers/employees. I hold my hands up - I often book or recommend staff that are part of what I cheekily refer to as my 'A-Team'. Now, don't get me wrong - I balance this with always providing opportunity to those who have impressed elsewhere (i.e. through networking, social media, word of mouth, great CV, etc); but sometimes you just need to know that the mark will be hit. Here, a reliable contact will usually deliver.

People sometimes ask me 'how do I make the A-Team'? i.e. get hired again. Everyone/every company/etc will have their own criteria - here are a few tips of mine to ensure I (remember this is a personal blog) hire you again:


  • Deliver - do what you said you could. Never lie. It can be tempting to 'over hype' yourself either on your CV or in person but there is a fine line with being dishonest. I know an excellent Prod. Sec - she is fab - very capable of stepping up. She has never however undertaken any form of PAC workload whatsoever, and this has often prevented her from meeting PC role requirements. I advised that she apply specifically for a short term post PS role to get the basic knack - and then it should be plain sailing to PC heaven; she decided to lie. She was taken on and did really well as a PC throughout shoots. It got to TX time and deliverables were due - she had not a clue. The PM was off sick and she was expected to complete the paperwork. It ended with her in tears in the toilet, a confession to the fib and a justified telling off from the LP (who had to go through the processes with her, despite her own very heavy schedule).
  • On that vein, I once met a guy who told me he had done 'tons' of work on a well known show. My other half works on said show. Never heard of the chap in question - turns out he had done 1 day a very long time ago... awkward.
  • Be personable - by that I mean smile, be polite and be someone that another member of staff is happy to approach. I get a strange sense of pleasure from learning and when I sense that someone else does, I will create opportunities for them as much as I can. As a result they get to experience things outside of their role (in a beneficial way). Equally, if someone is tasked with a rather mundane workload, but does it with a smile and a sense of pride, I will find more interesting/challenging activities for them where I can. The member of staff who moans, is sullen, looks annoyed about what they are doing and is generally demonstrating no desire to succeed or no interest in the task in hand, rarely gets an invite to do more.
  • Don't be too personable i.e. grin like a Cheshire cat or be over-familiar too quickly - I know you should never judge a book by its cover, but it happens ok? There is a young lady who works in the industry - I don't know who she is or what she does, other than that she is trying to climb the ladder and is keen to make an impression. I see her a lot at events, and whenever I do she grins inanely at me. She never says a word. Just grins. I am going to put it out there - with risk of criticism - she scares me. Had she said hello or responded to my initial waves (I don't wave anymore - she scares me remember), then the grinning wouldn't be so unacceptable. As it stands, she grins in my direction until I turn away (and even when I take a peek back she is still grinning...). If she turned up for an interview, I would probably have already judged and made a decision before she had even spoke.
  • Over familiarity is a tough one. We work in an industry where we are thrown into very tight relationships with people - often spending up to 15 hours a day with them. it is very easy to form close bonds with your peers. There are only three things relevant to my story today (joining the A Team - or its equivalent elsewhere): 1. If those bonds are justified (i.e. you are together non stop, long hours, etc) then restrict them to work. Give each other space away from work. It isn't appropriate at the end of a long day to invite yourself to a more senior persons social activity. if you are invited, by all means go along. Don't invite yourself though - it can be really uncomfortable. Be known as a great, hard and fun worker - not a social invader. 2. If those bonds aren't justified - i.e. its the end of your first day/you haven't yet started/you are awaiting response to an application, do not act as though there is a bond. it isn't appropriate to try and add someone who had just interviewed you as a friend on Facebook, or to turn up at an event you have heard they will be at on your own, with the sole intention of remaining at their side. 3. Don't have sex with the talent/crew/runners/etc. Post wrap - do as you will (I still wouldn't). Whilst on my watch, the team member who makes it uncomfortable for everyone else, doesn't come back.
  • Be ambitious - people who have a career plan and are determined impress me. Arrogance and an overly high sense of self importance do not. We all have to go through a period when we are doing things which a. may not challenge us and b. we are confident we are overly qualified to be doing. Those who get on with it and then use their excess time to be proactive and do more, tend to go far. Those who grumble or talk loudly about their degree in xxx do not (tend to). I say this with personal experience - both in that I have to often do things I know I can do with my eyes shut, and I often have to delegate junior work activities to people I know are capable of assisting with much more.
  • Ambition must not be blurred with snobbery. I remember my first job in TV - I started as a Coordinator. I had done my research and had set in my mind what my role was likely to entail. I also had visions of what the Secretary and Runner's role might entail. The show I worked on had no budget and thus there was just little old me. 12 weeks previously (pre career change) I had my own office, a team of PAs and admin staff and a fairly important job title - which meant that I rarely had to lift a finger (fab for a lazy bones like me). Now, here I was, surrounded by paperwork which needed scanning in. What did I do? I kept my mouth shut and I scanned. The snob in my head was daring me to make a dickish comment - but the brains overruled, and I realised it had to be done. So I did it. I quickly realised that I could demonstrate my ambition whilst doing the 'dirty work' too. Whilst waiting for 100s of pages to scan I would sink my head in figures etc and come up with innovative ways to save (remember, we had no budget). fast forward three weeks and the savings totalled a shiny new Production Secretary at my side - and an elevated position for me. the Prod Sec was amazing BTW... I felt bad giving her the 'dull' stuff and ended up doing it all myself anyway!
  • If you are capable it will be noticed no matter what. Two guys really stand out in my mind. I won't name them here - it wouldn't be fair. Let's refer to them as 'Married with a Kid' and 'Nando's' (I am hoping they will recognise themselves...). 'Married with a kid' was working as a runner on a show I used to work on. I didn't know anything about him - nor did I get opportunity to see if he made the grade. He was already contracted when I started. It quickly became apparent he was older than your average runner; however I did not know how that had come to be. He was an absolute pleasure to work with (all of the points above and below) - and as such, he started to stand out. I quickly realised he was entirely wasted in his role as a location runner - and could give the production so much more than we were able to offer him. I didn't notice this because he strayed from the boundaries of his job - he was there, without fail, making the tea/coffee, printing and bundling docs, setting up rig, packing down rig - but because he did everything with such a sense of pride and a real humbleness that I made it my busy to spend my free time during the day with him - and from there discussions re. why he was running, what he hoped to do next, etc stemmed; thus it became apparent he was ready to do more. I wasn't the only one who noticed and almost immediately after contract end he was snapped up as a researcher on a great prime time show. I will always work with him whenever there is opportunity.
  • Nando's is definitely in the A Team. He was also working in a junior role on a show when I started (logging). Now here the situation was a little different - he didn't just log. By virtue of being a technological whizz kid and having great organisation, he was able to fly through his logging and do bits outside of the realm of his role. Due to being largely confined to the logging room or edit areas, these 'things' tended to be of an editorially helpful way. Either way - he got noticed for being extremely useful - and stood out for being capable of more. I liked him (he drank shots with  me and danced like a fool on a rare night out of a locations tour and we bonded). It intrigued me that whenever people praised him and pimped him out for the 'next step' (researcher) he didn't bite their hands off. Turns out he was deeply committed to going down the Production Route (nobody had ever asked him) - but worried about being unemployed so went along with the logging life! I planted some seeds, made it known to those in the know of his aims and generally ensured I shared as many tips with him as I could. He is now a Production Secretary on an awesome show - and doing swimmingly by all accounts.
  • Ambition you see is essential - 'Married with kids' was determined to re-carve a career in TV and did what it took to make it happen. 'Nando's' took a role he didn't necessarily see as the path for him - but still delivered with pride and went outside the box. Neither ever complained - and both remain in my A List forever my virtue of their exceedingly good manners, commitment to doing the best job possible (no matter how small the job) and happiness to muck in. Even though they were able to deliver so much more.
  • Keep busy and be proactive - just because you aren't drowning in work, doesn't mean others aren't. When you find yourself in a quiet time, look outside the window of your immediate tasks and see what else you can do to assist. Be wary not to hassle people though - and remember the golden rule for making it into the A Team (!) - don't just offer help to those you deem important (and therefore likely to help you in the future), help your peers too. I know a young chap who was very speedy (yet efficient) and would often finish his workload before his peers. He didn't run straight to the top shouting 'look at me - I am great', he quietly offered his support to his peers and helped them get the job done. I noticed him (I observe - a lot), and I will always welcome him to the team whenever there is opportunity.
  • Have good manners - be polite. Nobody likes ill mannered people. That is all.
  • Don't be lazy - sometimes, there are things in our job we don't want to do out of sheer laziness - and passing the buck is a great way of escaping them. A completely mythical example - the researcher who hands a PM their receipts after a shoot. No reconciliation, no idea if the right amount of change is there, no desire to find out. Do they hand it and say 'Oh I just can't be arsed!' (generally - mythically of course) not. They hand it in and run away, and when asked 'do you not intend on typing up your float?' the response is often 'Oh, sorry. I assumed that was a production job'. Mythically, this works both ways of course (cue the story about the Production Secretary who although had nothing to do one day, didn't transcribe an IV that urgently needed doing - cos it's an editorial job, right?!). The situation is irrelevant - if you can do something, you have the time and you can see eveyone else is busy, do it! I know it is petty but the staff that throw receipts and pennies at me get an invisible black cross.
  • Have respect - both for others and for yourself. Those who deliver with pride (as above) demonstrate respect for the job (and thus the employer) but also for themselves, as they are committed to doing a good job, which generally means they take pride in their work (meaning they have respect for themselves). People who respect themselves and others come across well -and will be welcome back.
  • Respect is not about obeying orders from power hungry folk. I worked with a Coord once - I was a Coord too - and she had no respect for anyone. She came across as being respectful of the Execs etc (brown nosing I like to call it) but actually was just plain rude to everyone else, and essentially believed in the old fashioned ugh of  'do it my way and when I say'. If you were equal or beneath her and she needed something done/didn't agree with the way you were doing it/ was simply in a bad mood, you knew about it. She made sure the more junior staff knew that 'they had to respect her - she had earned it' yet actually, in being so bloody rude, demanding and generally glory hunting, she actually herself respected nobody else. Did she think she was respecting the PM/Execs who had hired the junior staff by being nasty to them? She lost my respect very quickly. I think that by being so rude all the time she probably didn't think much of herself either (lack of self respect) - why else would you be so miserable? Disrespect and undermining others doesn't stand you in good stead. Nope - your invite to the A Team hasn't gone AWOL in the post. You never got one.
  • Neither did the poor runner who thought he had to jump through every hoop she held out - including the hoop of 'be rude to my peer - I have been here longer than her'. Sometimes it is obvious that someone is encouraging you to do something inappropriate - don't do it. You are not a sheep. He lacked self-respect. Not an A Team member.
  • Don't ask questions your call sheet can answer. Someone - usually with great research for content, and pride - has compiled a call sheet. Any shoot worth its salt has a call sheet. It is the job of everyone involved to read it. If (and only if) after reading it you cannot find your answer - or occasionally, if it is an emergency and the call sheet is dinosaur sized and a mess (not done by me...) - then absolutely ask away. I guess this links back to laziness. Example: two members of crew of equal grade received a call sheet. One replied later in the day, said thanks, and did what was required. One replied immediately saying thanks (no way it had even been opened in the speed of response) and then turned up at the wrong location. That person had assumed a shoot would occur in 'the usual place' and didn't even look at their call sheet. That failed shoot cost a fortune. 'Didn't read the call sheet and messed up' didn't make the grade.
  • Stop. I am talking to myself here. I could go on and on and on... about this one. This was supposed to be useful - not send you to sleep! I will therefore summarise and nutshell highlight how you make a good impression - and thus, create the opportunity to be asked back:

1. Smile. Be friendly. Have good manners. Show respect.
2. Always be punctual. Time equals money. Money equals a budget. A good budget delivery aids a recommission or future opportunity with the broadcaster.
3. Be confident and come across as capable. Do not fib about abilities.
4. Be prepared - have a contingency if your plan/method to do what is being asked fails. Don't walk away or give up at the first hurdle.
5. Be ambitious and have a career plan - but do not be afraid/consider yourself too important to muck in.
6. Be financially savvy - creativity balanced with budget = please come back soon.
7. Retain confidentiality - don't post pictures of your shoot on Twitter!
8. Be proactive - but respect role boundaries.
9. Be useful - become known as the person to turn to when things need fixing/go wrong/need an extra pair of hands. You will therefore become invaluable.
10. Balance social desire with social etiquette. Go to events when invited, toast the teams success, make the Exec laugh. Don't get pissed/be the last to leave/tweet drunken obscenities to the PM/shag the talent/compete with your peers for talk time/hassle people in their time off for advice or future opportunities.

So - there it is. Basically, do your job and do it well. Be fun to have around without becoming a space (personal) invader. Evidence that you are useful. You will suddenly find yourself in today's blogs opening scenarios of A. B. C. (obvs the A team is where it is at...).

ps As a wee side note - if you want to get onto someone's radar (and thus become someone they may think of/consider in scenario B) - everyone will have a different preferred method, can I share some advice on how not to do it?

DON'T STALK PEOPLE!!! 
DON'T BE ABUSIVE

Sometimes those in TV who hire are really busy - and cannot always immediately respond to you. I had an experience where I was totally swamped - literally working 18 hour days - and as such, I did not have time to deal with anything non critical. Someone who had tried to make my acquaintance sent me a bit of a rude and flippant message about my apparent decision to ignore them. Anyone who knows me knows that I try my very hardest to reply to all contacts - but yes, I can be slow. That person is now not someone I will consider again in a hurry due to the ill mannered nature of their contact to tell me how rude I had apparently been. FYI - I am talking I had not replied after 4 days to an email to my non work account - not that I had ignored them for months.

On the stalking vein - yes, social media is a dangerous tool,and if you (and by that I mean I) post something publicly people will comment. Why the hell not. If however someone is clearly having a personal conversation from a personal twitter account with a personal friend , about a personal activity, and you have made it known you work in the same industry and may be keen to work with that person (me) in the future, please don't join in. It's really awkward - and to the person (my friend) that person (me) is talking to, you are a total stranger - and it comes across as a little odd. You may ask why its on an open forum in that case - well sometimes, it is just easier!

Example (mythical of course...):
A - 'Yo B, what's occurring? Fancy going for a beer tonight?'
B - 'Hey A - all over it. Fancy trying that new cocktail bar though?'
A - 'Yup - looks yum. Miss your face - see you soon.'
C (a stranger) - 'Wow A and B that bar looks so nice, you guys always go to cool place'.

Weird, non?


 ©July 2012 – Lou Gallagher