TV Watercooler

Hi Guys,

I have been a viewer of this site for a few months and its been a great pool of tips, advice and copious amounts of swearing. BUT finally, I'm in need of some advice on a subject which I'm not sure about.

I've been a runner in for 2 month (in a 3 month contract) in an in house position for a prominent TV production company. My contract on my living arrangements in North London is coming to an end in mid August and I'm really interested in what advice people can give when it comes to living as a runner in London - from what I've gathered, I'm in the minority of runners who are living in London and paying rent. How are/did you guys cope when you were running?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

Cheers,
Phant

Hi Phantasium. No advice as I've no idea how Runners cope on low uncertain wages whilst renting in London - but hello anyway.

Hi Phantasium, I was exactly tha same as yourself around 13 years ago. There will always be work around for good Runners. Try as hard as you can to be indispensible to your team. If you are good they will pimp you for other work on their next jobs.

I managed to pick up some local, irregular, cash-in-hand bar work at weekends to top up my wages when I was working as a Runner. I also signed on for JSA and Housing and Council Tax benefits the minute my contracts finished and I didn't have the next job to go to. They pay all, or around 95%, of your rent for you and all of your council tax.

Also sign up with loads of agencies for focus groups in marketing. It's cash in hand for chatting about products for like an hour or so. Do NOT reveal you work in telly or any kind of media. For some reason they are suspicious that we know stuff they don't want us to know about marketing... hilarious as of course we don't.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Anyone else got any suggestions?

When I lived there, I rented a room in a nice family's house in the NE which was £346 a month for a single bed room en-suite. A lucky deal. I found it (ok, my mum did cos I was having a housing emergency and no internet) on www.spareroom.co.uk there's a lot of good deals on there.

I guess I got through it just with careful budgeting, cheap food, not going out too much etc etc. I did the whole sign on to JSA/HB when not in work, (you can also claim HB when in work but more complicated) but be wary as a LOT of flat/house shares won't accept DSS (social/housing benefits).

I didn't have an option cos 'home' is in the middle of nowhere in the East Mids - I just made it work I suppose... it is possible to live there on minimum wage...

Just make sure you get it...

Thank you all so much for your kind words! I went to a house viewing last night, so I've at least come to the decision to continue living in London in cheap digs.

Its not as bigger emergancy as I orignally thought though as I had my review today (I'm on an internship type scheme with Endemol) and they are extending my contract by a much needed 3 more months - so a steady income for that period then!

Thanks again.
Phant

Congratulations Phant. Very well done. Endemol used to have an intranet, have you checked that for house shares?

PLease check out the Runner Tips thread for some advice on doing a good job.

Well done Phant, good news!