Would like to work in TV production

[Inmy40]

When I left school at 18 I knew I wanted to work in TV. I wanted to be a runner in production but had no way in to the industry and no real support in real life to help me. So I went to University and got a great job, got married and had 4 children. I left work to raise the children, 2 are now at university and 2 older teenagers who will fly the nest in the next few years.

I’m in my 40’s and I still want to be a runner in television. Am I too old? How on earth would I get into this? I’m fit, energetic, healthy, I don’t need or expect to earn wages so I could volunteer/apprenticeship? I can travel and in a few years all my children will have left home so fully flexible. I don’t want 20 + years at home twiddling my thumbs until my husband retires. I want to work in TV the same as I wanted to do as a teenager. My friend Google is no help. Do any of you have any thoughts or experience? I don’t want to be in my 50’s or 60’s and still have regrets.
Many thanks if you can help.

Can you ring a few locally and ask if you can volunteer or get hold of their human resources and write in attaching a C V.

Remember to chase up any places after a month.

Or you could go in in person with your C V. On the off chance.

Look up National Careers Service it advises on TV and film runner jobs.

Screenskills website has lots of advice and also runs free training courses.

Can you afford to intern or volunteer with small production companies?

What are your transferrable skills? I'd say a better route than a runner at your age may be working as an assistant / office manager for a production company, as you should have a level of maturity and transferrable skills which would be advantageous. You also need to think about your salary expectations - runners tend to on NMW/living wage - can you afford that?

Lots of the broadcasters and large production companies have some kind of internship schemes. Also development teams are often interested in new bodies, as long as you come with some great ideas, and a flair for presenting them!

Screenskills is a great shout - also look at the Production Guild.

Also, where do you want to sit in production? Do you want to go towards the Assistant Producer/Researcher route, where you start getting hands on camera experience, or Production Co-ordinator/Production Manager route, where you're more office based and in control of budgets? And genres? Drama/Natural History/Factual/Entertainment? Or back office - finance/legal/HR/facilities?

There's a shortage of good people at the moment, and there are lots of schemes to get people trained up, so don't give up hope!

And try to find out who the Talent Managers are at your targeted companies, and ask if you can meet with them - they're an amazing source of information, and if they like you (and have met you at the right time!), you could walk onto a production.

Thank you to everyone who has replied. I’ve made notes of all your helpful comments and will look through and research them all. I will try and find a training course initially. I think maybe my age and lack of experience will go against me if I apply for an internship or a paid job. I’m fortunate that I can volunteer and hopefully gain work experience somewhere rather than looking for a paid position with no experience in this area.

I left work because my husband is a barrister in London and we had 4 children but I do regret it and I do regret not going into the area I wanted to. If I don’t do it now I know I never will.

I don't have any advice for good for you for making this step op!

My sister in law did this graduate scheme type thing for TV production. It was run my channel 4 and you had to have previous work experience but not in TV. They were all a good few years post graduate when they did it.

They were taught the basics and then put on some projects. After that it's all self employed.

I don't know if they still run it.

It's not impossible. But you'll be in the same boat as hundreds of other young hungry teenagers/media studies students.

It's over subscribed. So you'll have to prove you want it more or can bring more to the job.

Also bear in mind where you want to end up. Runner is a great entry level position. But where do you want to be in five/ten years time.

Use your life experience to your advantage. But be prepared to hustle.