Dani’s Story

‘Networking is the Key’ without a doubt. Though skill is a part of it, who you know and who likes you is an even bigger part. Getting your foot in the door can be difficult, so don’t leave work experience until after you finish university. Apply in the summer holidays.

Here I am in Epidode 7 of “The Bill”

2007

After graduating, I temped in the finance department of a media advertising firm for three months. During this time I was a member of ‘Production Base’ which is really good for finding media production jobs.

I applied for a job as a receptionist for a post-production house in Soho, but heard nothing. So I applied directly, got a response, but again nothing really happened until I name dropped (someone I knew worked closely with the company before) and then I started having ‘once in a while’ emails with the recruitment there. They offered me two weeks’ training after two months. I impressed them enough to earn a job in October that year.

They had two buildings and I was given the chance to be front of house in the new building where I worked for eight months. They worked on a lot of TV programmes and box office hit films, so I got to meet a lot of actors, directors, producers etc, asking how they got to be where they were now and if they still enjoyed it as much as when they first got into it. The feedback was invaluable and it spurred me on to the next stage.

2008

Towards the end of my time there, the recession was a big thing and promotions at that time were limited or on hold. My initial job plan was receptionist-bookings-project manager-head of production-post production supervisor-producer/executive producer.

Acting was something I had been doing since I was 8yrs old and up until then I thought it was just a hobby to me. But after hearing advice from TV and film actors and knowing that I could always come back to the production side and I had no real responsibilities, I decided to go for it.

I auditioned for an acting convention in Paris for which I got a place. I quit my media job in July and went back to the finance temp job, to save money. I joined a Saturday drama school YPTC , went to Paris in November, got scouted by an agent, two casting directors and a ‘National Theatre’ and ‘Globe’ theatre director. I got my first audition and booked the job in December, signed with my agent and quit my temp job after Christmas.

2009

I worked in ‘Theatre in Education’ for three months, touring 65 schools in and around West Yorkshire. The play was about getting into university and having gone, I felt helpful in the Q&A sessions afterwards.

Then in April I did a Skype advert which gets shown early mornings on Sky News. Then a play at The Cochrane Theatre in Holborn for two weeks, with my drama school called ‘1963: They Had a dream’ and a months’ filming for two episodes of The (New) Bill which got aired recently.

This is me in episode 8

Then my drama school Showcase where I was spotted by the casting director of Slumdog Millionaire.

I have earned enough so far that I don’t have to have a part time job in between acting jobs, but I know this won’t always be the case. For now I’m just going to auditions trying to book my next job.

Advice

‘Networking is the Key’ without a doubt. Though skill is a part of it, who you know and who likes you is an even bigger part. Getting your foot in the door can be difficult, so don’t leave work experience until after you finish university. Apply in the summer holidays.

I find sometimes replying directly to job adverts can get you seen more then if you just email on the same site that everyone does (unless they ask you specifically not to)
Be nice to everyone, without brown nosing, as the media industry is very close knit, and everyone knows someone who knows you, or who you’ll meet (a lot of different companies work on the same programme before it gets to its audience – cleaning negs, dubbing to tape, editing, sound, picture, dubbing, grading, laybacks, duplication, viewings etc, – everyone working in Soho knows everyone else.)

Just being a runner or receptionist doesn’t mean you can automatically move up. You have to show drive, interest and work 150% as opposed to just 100%. Come in extra early, stay late after your shift to learn more about your chosen field. Those higher up like to see a willingness in you to maybe one day take up their job after them. They’re not going to coax you into doing it.
Don’t be afraid to ask. Find out people’s journeys, and their timeline. Everyone is different and it may steer you in a direction you never thought possible.

If you can (especially if you become a receptionist) remember industry people you meet. Faces, names, what coffee they like, things going on in their lives i.e. decorating the house etc. It makes the client feel appreciated, makes you seem efficient and makes the client come back and your company earn more money. Everything in moderation though otherwise you’ll just seem creepy lol.
Give most things career wise a time limit. I had got my position down to a tee after a month, added extra jobs to my role after two months, was learning about bookings and how the studios worked after three. I decided that if by 3-6 months after that I still hadn’t moved up, that I would go elsewhere, where I would. Otherwise you get stuck and complacent.

The money for runner/receptionist is never usually the starting graduate salary. It’s like this with most production companies, so stay focused and move up as soon as you can.

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