While it’s helpful if you’ve got to know the right people to give you opportunities, it’s more about making a good impression on those you do know so they will want to work with you in the future. Ayou says "you’d be surprised at how many senior members of staff started out as runners."

You are given a surprising amount of responsibility so it’s a good idea to take notes of everything that you’ve been asked to do. You should note the most important parts and prioritise work that needs done that day, possibly dropping things that are not needed until the next.

For example, if you don’t know what an AFM (assistant floor manager) or a PMA (production management assistant) is then you should ask. Using crew talkback you are able to hear the director and producers feeding instructions to the camera operators as well as the presenters in the studio. You...