Filmmaking graduates work on BBC’s Black Ops

Two BA (Hons) Filmmaking graduates, Maia Charlton and Max Marley, are already working on major television productions as runners following their placements with Film Buddy. This partner organisation connects students and graduates with work experience and employment in the film and TV industry.

Through Film Buddy, Max worked as a floor runner on ITV’s The Bay and BBC’s Black Ops, plus a day as a base runner. His role was to keep shoots running smoothly: sending items to set as needed, fetching coffees, walking actors to set (umbrella in hand when it rained), and checking lunch orders. Max was also given the opportunity to first assistant direct a shot on Black Ops.

Maia’s week-long placement on Black Ops is where she feels things just fell into place, and she now works as a daily runner on different productions. Her days often start at 4am and have taken her to Hull and Liverpool. They can involve cueing in talent, looking after supporting artists or, once, crouching out of frame to catch a door before it slammed! “Often they are very long days, but always very rewarding as someone still so new to industry,” she says.

Both point to the support they received at university, from Film Buddy talks and placements to mixer events with music students and encouragement to collaborate across courses and beyond.