Film and TV drama

Floor runner (Film and TV drama)

Also known as: Assistant director (AD) trainee, Set personal assistant (PA), PA

Entry level

Floor runner (Film and TV drama)

What does a floor runner do?

Floor runners do anything required to aid the shoot's progress. They run errands, convey messages, look after cast and crew, make drinks and provide food, drive and deliver kit.

Floor runners are often responsible for transport to and from unit base to set. They help with getting the cast to the unit cars and crew into the minibuses.

And they deal with small and large crowds of supporting artists, supervising them, with the help of the key third or with a crowd third (see first assistant director (AD)). They might have to supervise them or set a few into the background.

Even small details may cause delays, so floor runners are quick on their feet and responsive to specific requests from the producer, director, or assistant directors.

Watch

What’s a floor runner good at?

  • Communication: give clear and concise communication over the radio, know the faces and names of all the crew, be personable, be able to coordinate large groups of extras in pressurised situations
  • Multi-tasking: stay calm, cope and prioritise when the first assistant director is asking you to do something over the radio at the same time that a unit car driver needs attention on WhatsApp
  • Watching film and TV drama: have a passion for the genre and a love of the industry
  • Learning by watching and asking: take instruction, observe the first, second and third ADs at work, know when to ask about things
  • Taking initiative: have common sense, see what needs to be done in a situation
  • Reliability: get to set on time

Tools of the trade

Be prepared on your first day on set. This is the kit that can be useful.

  • A pen with four colours. Used for note-taking on callsheets
  • A highlighter
  • Notepad
  • In-ear convert; so you don’t have to wear one that has been used by someone else
  • Walking boots or other waterproof footwear
  • Waterproof trousers and coat
  • Thermal and extra layers of clothing
  • Set bag (backpack) to put them in
  • Reusable water bottle and snacks
  • Leatherman or multi tool (not essential but helpful)

Who does a floor runner work with?

Runners report to the first assistant director and are usually supervised by the third assistant directors. But they take messages to everyone in the production, so they need to be able to approach them confidently. They also work closely with the supporting artists. It is absolutely non-essential to get a university degree in order to become a runner. This tends to be the most junior role on any production.