Hit The Ground - What Did The Trainees Think?

Thu 3 Jul 2014

Hit The Ground Running is a one day training course that we have had huge success with running at a number of events in recent years. It's targetted at individuals who want to break into film and television drama and really sets the scene of what working as a Runner in television and film production is all about. It consists of a series of practical exercises designed to equip individuals with the knowledge, tools and experience needed to take those first few steps into industry This year at goNORTH we had a great group of trainees who got stuck in to Running!  Read about the first few experiences, more to come...

Nicole Mitchell
A few days ago I attended Hit the Ground Running at the goNORTH festival in Inverness. I can honestly say that attending this event was the most useful thing that I have done so far in terms of finding out how to begin my career in Film and Television. Before the event, I already knew that I wanted to start my career as a Runner, but because of HTGR I now feel that I actually know what that job is, and what it involves. As part of the event we had to complete a ‘Runner challenge’. We had to work in pairs and over an hour complete several small tasks. This was not only fun but it gave me a great insight into some of the more surprising jobs that you may get as a Runner and shows you the short timescales that Runners have to work in!

It was really helpful to be able to speak to people who have worked in the Film and Television industries to give insight into not only what a Runner does, but where you can go from there. Linda Fraser, Alison Goring and Kian McClure provided a lot of interesting first-hand information that you just couldn’t get from someone who has never worked in the industry. I also enjoyed meeting other people attending the course; I don’t know many other people trying to get into Film and Television so it was lovely to meet people in the same position.

Another really important thing I took away from HTGR was that a Runner NEEDS to have a driving license. I tried driving before and really disliked it but that’s definitely going to have to be my next step before I begin sending my CV out. Before the course I never realised quite how heavily a lot of the job relies on driving, so I’m really glad that I found that out now. I also wasn’t sure just quite how to get my name out there for jobs. I thought that I had to look for vacancies and apply in that way, but that’s not the case at all – you don’t have to wait for people to ask but you should get in touch with and get your CV off to as many people as you can!

Overall, Hit the Ground Running was a really useful, interesting and informative course and I now feel that I am much clearer about what I need to do to get myself a job in Film and Television. Linda, Alison and Kian could not have been nicer and were a great, great help. I would recommend that anyone who is looking to start a career in Film and Television look at attending this one day course because it will provide them with so much valuable information that they may struggle to get anywhere else.

Andi Probart
When I heard that I had been given a place on Hit The Ground Running, I was absolutely delighted. Whilst I had some prior experience working on film sets, I felt that I knew very little about what a runner actually did and as I was interested in getting back into film work, I was excited to learn more about working in the film industry. I arrived in plenty of time at the Mercure in Inverness, and any initial nerves were quickly dispelled when Linda came to meet us in reception and instantly put us at ease with a warm welcome. There was only a small group of us, and once we had settled in and made introductions, we quickly got stuck in.

One of the lasting impressions from being on set before was just how many people are involved in a production. Our first interactive task involved trying to work out the hierarchy of job roles – over sixty – and who is responsible for what, with the aid of a blank pyramid template and sheet of labels. 'Best Boy', 'Clapper Loader' and 'Grip' caused confused expressions for some participants, and there was much debate about just how important the writer was. Eventually, with much re-peeling and shifting of the positions of stickers, we had all beaten our templates into an approximation of the correct structure. It was a great way to begin getting to grips with the who's who of a film crew.

After lunch - a veritable feast - we were given a surprise challenge – for the next hour we had a chance to actually 'hit the ground running' and complete ten tasks mimicking what a runner might be asked to do. Whilst I won't reveal the specific tasks we were set, suffice to say it was a lesson in time management, keeping a calm head, having the confidence to speak to complete strangers with a degree of charm, and that local knowledge and thinking outside of the box was a definite advantage. We made it back with three minutes to spare, rather sweatier than when we set off!

The afternoon was rounded off with a Q&A session with three industry professionals: Alison Goring, Kian McClure and Linda Fraser. With over 40 years' experience between them, they were able to provide a real insight into the opportunities and realities of the industry. It was inspiring and entertaining to hear their stories, and their open and approachable attitude meant everyone could ask away and find out about lots of different job roles.

As the day ended and we prepared to go our separate ways, I was torn between anticipation and a slight sadness. For a day, we had been given a glimpse of the highs and lows of working in the film industry, and now it was time to return to our lives. The course definitely gave me a sense of the possibilities of finding work within the industry, but also an awareness that it would be quite a plunge. It seems that it is best to take a running jump into the pool, rather than dipping a toe in, and with current life commitments, I'm not sure if that's something that I'm prepared to do right now. However, it reminded me of the excitement and adventure (and yes, long hard days!) and I fully expect that at some point in time it's a path I'll be looking to pursue. And with the knowledge that I've gained through Hit the Ground Running, I'll definitely be better equipped for that journey when I do.

Many thanks to Linda, Alison and Kian for their patience with our bizarre questions, and goNORTH, ScreenHI, the Scottish Union Learning Fund and European Social Fund for making the course possible.

Annabel Macleod
Trying to break in to the film industry which is, for the most part, characterised by secrecy, is incredibly daunting. I was fortunate enough to be accepted on to the Hit the Ground Running course held at this year’s goNORTH festival in Inverness. Having a course like this is ideal for young people looking for ways in which to get a foot in the door of this seemingly impenetrable industry. The course started at the very beginning, i.e. the way in which a production is structured: who gets the ball rolling, who answers to whom, who hires who, where we as runners would fit in, which department is in charge of what and how it works. That kind of information is so important and is not exactly readily available except through courses like this. On top of this Linda Fraser, who was running our course, provided tips for on-set etiquette, the tools we would need, and all of her little bugbears when she is working on set and how to avoid being that person who does them. This kind of insider information is invaluable when you’re starting out. Having that little bit of knowledge of how to conduct yourself on set and around people who have been in the industry for years makes applying for jobs feel that little bit less intimidating.

We also got the chance to get one-on-one feedback on our CVs. Being someone who knows what productions are looking for in potential runners, Linda’s advice was really valuable because it pin pointed areas which didn’t work. Every company or employer is looking for specific things, and knowing what they are for the film and TV industry feels like an advantage I wouldn’t have got otherwise. The afternoon’s activity of running around, literally, to pick up bits and bobs like you very well might be asked to do on the job, was fun and informative. And having the chance as well to have a discussion with industry professionals was a brilliant opportunity to hear how other people who have broken into the industry did it.

I feel, as a result of the information provided and the knowledge shared on the course, I am more confident in sending my (revised) CV out to people. I have a better understanding of how it all works, of what department I want to be in, and what steps I need to take to get there and start my career. It also made me more determined to do it because it now feels achievable and feasible, though it will still require a lot of hard work to get there. At the suggestion of Linda, I will be prioritising getting a driver’s license, I will also be keeping an ear close to the ground and a watchful eye out for upcoming productions and sending out CVs, making phone calls and actively pursuing career opportunities.

Brodie Robertson
I went to the Hit The Ground Running day in Inverness hoping that it would prepare me for working in the film industry and give me an insight into how it all worked… And the course did just that!

The course leader, Linda, was absolutely incredible. Not only did she pack the day full of important information and tools for working in the industry, but she also made it fun and interactive, allowing us to ask questions whenever we felt like it.

My favourite part of the day has to be the Runner exercise we had to do in the centre of Inverness. We were all split into teams of two and given a list of things to purchase, look up and find within the space of an hour. It was a lot harder than I had first anticipated, but it taught me how important it is to prioritise, listen to the instructions people give us and keep an eye on our budget.

Listening to our guest speakers in the afternoon was also a great experience as we got to hear stories from the industry, ask them questions and most importantly receive helpful tips from people who have been successfully doing this for a few years now.

All in all, the Hit the Ground Running course gave me the tools to do just that: hit the ground running in the film industry. I feel like I am better prepared to apply for entry level positions in the movie-making world without having to feel nervous about who is who in the crew or what the protocol is in the daily life on set. So for that I want to thank Linda and the team behind the Hit the Ground Running course!