Day One
- Lesson6 of 6
- Time40 min
Look after yourself, and find work
Outcome
Plan for long days safely, know where to get help, and take the first steps to find paid crew work in the UK.
Mapped to 2 ScreenSkills checklist lines
- ScreenSkills floor runner / set PA skills checklist · Skills: "Adapt to shifting priorities and schedules while still meeting deadlines"
- ScreenSkills camera trainee skills checklist · Transferable skills and attributes: "Staying resilient, curious and adaptable under changing priorities"
ScreenSkills checklists are guides, not accreditation. This course is not endorsed by ScreenSkills.
Watch
2 films · about 12 minutes
Your browser blocked the player's tracking script, so watch time can't be credited here. Use the demo skip below.
More like this: Your first day on set path
Films are made and owned by the channels named, and play from YouTube. Inclusion here is not an endorsement either way.
Long days
- Shooting days are long: often 11 hours on set plus travel. Sleep, food and water are part of the job.
- If you are a worker, the Working Time Regulations give most adults at least 11 hours' rest between working days and a 20-minute break when a day is longer than 6 hours, and limit the average week to 48 hours unless you opt out in writing. Genuinely self-employed freelancers are not covered in the same way. Check what applies to your contract.
- Never drive when you are too tired. Tell the AD team or the production if you are worried about getting home; many productions have a policy for it.
Where to get help
- The Film and TV Charity Support Line is free and open 24 hours: 0800 054 0000. It is for anyone who works, or has worked, behind the scenes in UK film, TV or cinema, including trainees.
- Our Get help now page lists more services, including bullying and harassment advice.
Getting paid work
- Crew CVs are one page: name, contact, department, a short line on what you can do, then credits (role, production, company, year), training, and references.
- Some film and TV grades are usually treated as self-employed and others are paid through PAYE. HMRC publishes guidance on which is which; the production's accounts team will tell you. If you are self-employed, register for Self Assessment and keep receipts.
- Bectu, the union for crew, publishes rate cards and advice.
- ScreenSkills Trainee Finder places trainees on productions. Eligibility for recent rounds: 18 or over, the right to work in the UK, finished full-time education, and less than 12 months' paid experience. A place is not guaranteed and rounds open and close. Check the current round on the ScreenSkills site before you apply.
Check
3 questions drawn from 8 · pass mark 80% · safety-critical questions must be right · 3 attempts in 24 hours · new questions each time
Watch the films to open the check.
Do
Your one-page crew CV and kit list · 20 minutes
Draft the top half of a one-page crew CV, and a list of what you'll carry on your first day. Use a made-up phone number and email if you prefer: this demo saves only on your device.
How it's marked
- Fits on one page and names a department
- Summary says what you can do, not adjectives
- Credits use role, production, company, year
- Kit list includes pen, notebook, water, food, layers, waterproofs, phone charger
Met or Not yet, with a comment from a trained reviewer. Until accounts open, open the model answer after you submit and mark your own work against it.
Model answer (open after you submit)
Example: 'Ama Owusu · Camera trainee · Summary: Day One complete; reliable with kit lists, batteries and labelling; full UK driving licence. Experience: Camera assistant (volunteer), student short, [college], 2026.' Kit: pen and notebook, water and snacks, layers, waterproofs, sturdy shoes, phone charger, a small torch.
Reflect
Record
This is everything kept about this lesson. In the pilot it's held by Futures in Film CIC in your account; Screen Sisters CIC sees named records only if you agree. Your data
Moving on doesn't complete a lesson. A lesson is complete when the films are watched, the check is passed and the task is marked Met.