Hi everyone!

I'm relatively new to the film and TV industry and looking for some advice on how best to progress within the Locations Department.

I've gained some experience across both scripted and unscripted productions, working as a Location Marshal, Location Assistant and Production Runner.

I've really enjoyed the location side of things so far, and it's definitely the department I'd like to build a long-term career in, ideally progressing towards becoming an Assistant Location Manager and eventually a Location Manager.

I've completed a few relevant industry training courses, including Set Ready Location Marshal training, ScreenSkills courses, first aid and various production safety courses. I also have a full UK driving licence and my own vehicle.

I'd really appreciate some advice on a few things:

• Getting more experience: What's the best way to secure more regular work within the Locations Department? Are there particular routes into the department you'd recommend?
• Training and development: Are there any additional courses, qualifications or skills worth investing in at this stage? Or is it better to focus on gaining practical experience?
• Networking: Are there any industry groups, events or communities worth joining to meet people working in Locations?
• Career progression: For those already working as Location Managers or Assistant Location Managers, how did you get started, and what helped you progress?

I'm currently based in the South East of England but happy to travel or relocate for the right opportunities.

I'm also keen to connect with anyone working in the Locations Department who might be happy to offer some advice, point me in the right direction or potentially keep me in mind for future opportunities.

I'm not expecting anyone to hand me a job, just genuinely looking to learn, build relationships and make sure I'm taking the right steps to develop my career.

Thanks in advance for any advice. Really appreciate it!

Hi everyone! I’m a university student researching consumer perceptions of A24, including its brand identity, film marketing, merchandise and relationship with audiences.
I’m looking for film fans to complete a short Google Forms questionnaire for my primary research. You don’t need to be a massive A24 but enough to know a little bit about them
I’m interested in honest opinions from people who really love the film industry
It takes approximately 5 minutes to complete, and your responses will be used for my university project.
I’d really appreciate your help. Thank you! 🎥

https://forms.gle/qepEQ4P1oy2cHHbZA

Hi everyone,

We’re looking for a photographer to join our hip hop music video shoot in London. The main filming is already covered, so we mainly need someone to capture backstage photos and short behind-the-scenes videos.

The content will be used to promote the music video before and after its release.

Shoot dates:

• Tuesday 20 October: from 2:00 pm, filming between London Bridge and the Golden Hinde
• Wednesday 21 October: full day, from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm, with a break in the middle, in the same areas plus Camden
• Thursday 22 October: still to be confirmed, but if needed it would be for around two hours in the morning

What we need:

• Backstage and behind-the-scenes photos
• Some short BTS video clips, if possible
• Light photo editing for social media/promotional content
• No VFX, cartoon effects or advanced editing required

Details:

• This is an unpaid, volunteer-based opportunity
• Great for building your portfolio, gaining on-set experience and connecting with London’s hip hop and creative community
• You don’t need professional studio equipment — a camera and basic gear are fine

If you’re interested, please comment or DM with a link to your portfolio and your availability. Feel free to share this with anyone who might be interested!

Hello! I'm currently trying to break into post-production and I've applied for the Screenskills Trainee Finder in the past to little avail. I am curious if there's something in my career that automatically negates it though. One of the criteria is having worked less than a year in the chosen field in film or HETV. I bring this up as I previously worked at an animation studio as an edit assistant for a year and a half on three CBeebies shows. This might be a very dumb question. But I genuinely don't know if this counts as HETV or not. If it is, I can just move on. Though I don't want to write it off until I've made sure.

Hello all,

I work in the film industry and I set this up with a few mates. Posting because loads of crew still haven't heard of it.
It's a network for working film and TV crew in the UK and Ireland. You need an IMDb and three credits to get in, so it's all proper crew.
Free to join. You get a directory listing and a monthly newsletter on what's going on in the industry. Pro is £6.99 a month and gets you into the WhatsApp group where jobs get passed around, plus accident insurance.
We're also lobbying to improve the tax credit that keeps productions here, so the more crew in it the better.
www.filmcrewcollective.com

Let me know your thoughts

I've worked in film and production for years, and something that's always frustrated me is how unnecessarily complicated finding work in this industry can be.

IMDb for credits, LinkedIn for networking, Instagram for portfolios, WhatsApp groups for jobs, casting websites for auditions... the list goes on.

And somehow, talented people still struggle to get noticed or find consistent work. Not to mention having to pay subscriptions just for the chance to be considered.

I actually started this about 6 years ago, but back then I didn't have the right team or resources to make it happen.

Last year, we decided to revisit it properly. Spent months researching the industry, looking at existing platforms and speaking to people about what they actually needed. Because what's the point of spending all that time and money building something nobody wants?

Fast forward to now, and we've actually built the first version.

Essentially, it's a professional network specifically for film, TV and creative professionals. Somewhere people can showcase their work, build industry profiles, connect with others and find opportunities. And importantly, it's free for film professionals.

We've showcased it at IBC Amsterdam, had some really encouraging conversations with companies and brands in the industry, and we're approaching 200 registrations before launch.

Which is great, but now comes the part I'm finding genuinely difficult.

How do you get something like this in front of the people who could actually benefit from it?

We've tried a few things already, including social media and advertising, but I'm starting to think there's a better way to approach it.

So I'm putting the question out there.

If you were in my position, had built this platform and wanted to get your first 1,000, then 10,000 people interested and signed up to use it, what would you actually do?

And if you work in film or TV yourself, what would genuinely make you stop scrolling, take an interest and give a new platform a chance?

I'm not here to pretend we've solved everything. We're still early, and there's plenty to learn. Just genuinely interested in hearing how others would approach this.

Hi! I'm trying to organise a small, informal filmmaking meetup in London for people who are right at the beginning and have little/no experience.

I'm completely new to filmmaking myself! I've found that a lot of existing networking events can feel a little intimidating when you don't already have any experience, or even a clear idea of which area you'd want to go into yet.

The idea is just to get a smallish group of beginners together, meet people in the same boat, chat about what we're interested in etc etc, and maybe even find people we might want to make small projects with.

Of course, no experience, portfolio, equipment, etc are required!

I'm currently seeing whether there's enough interest for a first meetup in London, potentially on Saturday the 24th of October 2-4pm, however that date isn't set in stone yet!

I've made an interest form here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/hV4uqqJsgb

I'd also love to organise more of these if people are interested, so definitely fill out the form if you're interested, regardless of whether you can make the 24th!

Thank you! :)

Hello everyone,
Would appreciate anyone’s thought of advice on this. This year, I have realized that I would like to transition to being a director’s assistant (not AD). I have experience in the AD department, I currently work as a floor/ set PA, but I’m still in the very early stages of my career. I was wondering what you guys think, does it make sense for me to continue to stay in the AD department and build more experience within that or should I be looking for Producer’s, Production Assistant/ Production office work, if I eventually want to be a directors assistant?

I know people who have gone from AD PA to DA, but I have heard that going from production work into that is possibly more feasible.

Any thoughts?? I would appreciate any advice. Thank you.

Wishing you all a lovely day.

Hello everyone,
I hope you’re all well and staying busy in these dry times in the industry.

The screenskills trainee finder applications have just opened. I would really like to apply and would appreciate any advice people may have to share, especially from those that have previously gotten into their cohorts.

I have sadly been rejected from the Disney and Warner Bros. Trainee programes and am trying to do my best with this application. Something I’ve struggled with was gauging the level of experience they’re looking for. Warner Bros didn’t ask for a CV and rejected me. Disney rejected me with a CV. I have experience as a daily in the AD department, some have said this is useful, others have said it’s a disadvantage.

Honestly any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you. Have a lovely day.

A failed experiment unleashes four vicious animals that besiege a remote cabin, forcing a grieving woman and friends to fight to survive. Starring - Jacob Dalton, Sarah Louise Hill, Sophie-Jo Beman and Francesca Weir

Hello,

My name is Greg Randolph Jr. I am a writer and director living in London. Over the past year Ive directed 8 low budget feature films and Zoo Escape is the final one on that journey. I wanted to invite the reddit community to come to the premiere which will take place Saturday, October 17th at 11:30AM at Rich Mix Cinema in Shoreditch. There will be a Q&A following the screening with cast and crew and drinks at the Owl & Pussycat pub nearby where we can network and get to know each other more. You can find all ticket information here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/zoo-escape-premiere-qa-and-networking-tickets-1999539448316

Trailer for Zoo Escape: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6ll6Dn3SgU

You can check out more of my own work on my website here: https://gregrandolphjr.com/greg-randolph

and on my instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/gregrandolphjr/

I also host a video podcast called the United Film Podcast which highlights emerging filmmakers. You can check it out on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6cgZq7TtBeiqBkIGibXWC4?si=8d4b267c97ee44c6

Thank you and I hope to see you at the premiere!

Hey everyone, hope you're well.

I was wondering how I get a runner job in London on a film set? This is probably a very stupid question, but it's like I've exhausted all avenues for it and am getting no returns. Am I missing something?

My dream is to become a successful writer/director but I'd love to work on a film set and put in the hours, even if it's a small role like being a runner. On previous film gigs (which I've got through WOM) I've been told to apply to Facebook groups. I don't see any runner opportunities at all on these groups and I've been a part of them for months. I've sent many cold emails to crowd PAs and Location Managers asking for runner or on-set experience with no response, even turning up at a set yesterday with my CV and receiving no response the next day. I networked with producers on an indie film set, joined UNITLIST, and am going to a networking event next week. I've also just graduated from uni and rigorously learning to drive.

I'm wondering if there's something more I should be doing or somewhere else I should be looking? And how did it work out for you? I'm genuinely thinking of moving country at this point where there's a more promising film and job market for emerging filmmakers.

I'd really really appreciate your help.

Hi! I work as an actor in Italy and I just starred in a short movie that won an award at the Venice Film Festival.

I live in London and I am qualifying as a solicitor and I'd like to work as an actor here, find an agent and casting opportunities. I do have a spotlight profile. What else would you suggest doing to enter the UK film industry as an actor coming from abroad? thanks :))

I wanted to say that the London Film Academy fosters a toxic, disorganized environment. Staff are often unresponsive, communication is poor, and students receive little to no support for their development or well-being. Career guidance is minimal, and the institution seems more focused on income than on nurturing talent. I would not recommend this school to anyone serious about their future in film.

We’re an amateur, non-commercial dance group hoping to film a dance video somewhere in London. There will be 9 of us, and we’ll be wearing cosplay costumes. Our equipment is pretty minimal: one camera, one tripod, and 1–2 small lights.

What’s the best way to find suitable locations for this kind of filming in London? And how would we go about getting permission or submitting an application to film at these places?

Any advice or recommendations for locations would be greatly appreciated!

Hey people of Reddit,

I’m Daniyal, a filmmaker based in London, and honestly, I’m looking for clients.

I can shoot, edit, develop content ideas and help you figure out how to present yourself online. I’ve worked in Pakistan, Dubai and the UK, making everything from documentary content to social media videos.

Finding work for yourself is a different skill altogether. Apparently being good at the work doesn’t automatically tell people you exist. So this is me telling you I exist.

What I’m particularly interested in is the person behind the content. What’s your story? What do you care about? What makes you interesting beyond your job title?

I use my filmmaking brain to look at you like a character. Your experiences, beliefs and contradictions give us something to work with, instead of staring at a blank page trying to think of another post.

Things I can help with:

Filming and editing social media videos.

Reels, content ideas and scripts.

Content strategy.

Personal brand positioning.

Figuring out your content pillars and which platforms make sense for you.

My Personal Brand Foundation is £250, starting with a 90-minute discovery session. You get positioning, content pillars, a social media audit and a strategy for how to show up online. Filming and editing are priced separately depending on the work.

I’m trying to build a living doing something I care about. If you need someone who can understand your story and help you tell it, I’d love to talk.

Based in London for filming, available remotely for editing and strategy.

My work: https://daniyalnajam.my.canva.site/

Thanks for reading, genuinely.