How to stand out as a Runner / Set PA

It's not easy to stand out when you're in a team of four runners / Set PAs but here are few tips on how you can do just that.

An AD team will be built up by the 1st Assistant Director and the Key 2nd Assistant Director and most of the time they'll pick their team based on people they've worked with before or on the recommendation of other ADs. You might have to interview to be on the team as a Set PA because you've never worked with the 1st or 2nd AD before or you might have worked with them on their previous job.

This post is mainly for those Set PAs who are either starting out or starting out with a new team. You already know you'll be on tea/coffee and lunch runs but what else can you be keeping on top of in order to stand out?

I'm going to keep this simple as I don't want to lose your attention but because I know how little time people in this industry have to read things like this outside of work hours.

So lets get straight down to it - here are the tips:

1. An obvious one but know your teams' crafty orders - how they take their tea/coffee

2. Don't just know how your 1st/2nd & 3rd like to take their tea/coffee but look for patterns as to when they like to ask for one (do they like a cuppa after their lunch with a chocolate bar?) Be that PA who figures out when they want it before they ask for it. Trust me - they'll love it.

3. Always always always have pens and pencils on you. Get to know what your pens and pencils your 1st AD likes to use. Do they use the ones with the four colours on them? Do they like those mechanical pencils?

4. Get ahead of the game when it comes to looking after your 1st/2nd & 3rd ADs - check the weather - make sure you know where their wet weather bags are. Is it cold out? Have a pack of tissues on you for any running noses. (Look I know you're not the on set medic and I'm not saying carry any medication with you but have a duty of care for your team and show that you are prepared).

5. I mentioned it in no.4 but please do keep an eye on your 1st AD's belongings - this girl/guy is incredibly busy and you can help them by knowing where all of their things are. Fill up their water bottle, rinse out their coffee mug, put their jacket next to their bag and when wrap is called be ready and waiting with their stuff. It may seem like a silly little task while other PAs are off doing 'really cool things' but this sort of stuff is invaluable and your 1st AD will be so thankful to you.

6. Breakfast orders - Check in with your 1st/2nd/3rd AD in the morning to see if they would like any breakfast (make a note of this order - it may come in handy when the 1st AD goes straight to said and asks you for their 'usual').

7. Be attentive - if you get put in a lock off (and I know this is difficult) but don't become complacent. Pay attention to your radio and your surroundings. If a piece of equipment is making its way through your lock off let the team know on channel 1. I see so many PAs get placed in a lock off and they just switch off - they think its an opportunity to not do anything apart from tell people they can't go in and that we're 'rolling' or we've 'cut'. Don't be that PA and don't think the 3rd/2nd/1st won't notice because they will.

8. Cast world - Alright so you might be the designated 'cast Set PA' so I'd like to think you're all over this but even if you're not the PA put with cast you can still get involved. Check the cast world situation first thing in the morning - talk to locations and find out what the plan is. Just be careful not to step on any toes - depending on your team this could be more of the 3rd ADs job so just ask. Throughout the day keep on top of the cast world - keep it clean and tidy and leave it that way at the end of the day too.

9. Offering to do something / help is far far better than not doing anything because you assume someone else is doing it. Sometimes it can be a fine line between stepping on someone's toes and showing that you're enthusiastic and wanting to learn. Talk to your 3rd AD - ask them if you can do something or be put in charge of something every day to take the load off their shoulders. This will give you a chance to learn, prove yourself and gain more responsibility.

10. Don't just stop because you've wrapped - look I'm not telling you to stay for hours after wrap but instead to continue to show your eagerness to help out once you leave set. Ask your Base 3rd or Key 2nd AD if they need any help getting the base ready for the next day. Check the kitchen area in the AD trailer - if there are any dishes - do them. Help to keep the office area clean for your team. Make sure you don't contribute to any clutter in and around the work spaces.

Ok I could keep going but I'm going to stop at 10 as I think each point has a lot of info in there to take in. These are all things that I learnt from other PAs or 3rd ADs that I worked with and some are things I have discovered myself that seem to work well. Try them out and I hope they help you. Good luck.

TAR

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