What jobs are there in TV drama?
Behind every TV show, there is an amazing team that makes the magic happen. Join Phoenix Rise actress Jessal Kullar-Bell, who plays Cassidy Dhillon, to get a glimpse of some of the roles involved in bringing this BBC Three drama to life.
Jessal
Hiya, I'm Jessal Kullar-Bell and I play Cassidy in Phoenix Rise. It's not only the actors that make the show happen. I'm going to show you some of the amazing crew that are behind the scenes.
Sam
We look after you guys, we look after the director… we're often kind of that extra pair of hands as well.
Jessal
What hobbies did you do when you were younger that would help you with this job?
Sam
A lot of team-based sports. I played a lot of football, I play a lot of cricket. Being a runner, it's a lot about people skills. It's a big, big crew – there are about about a hundred people a day you're working with.
Rolling… quiet, please.
Jessal
We've got to be quiet because they're doing a take.
Sam
So as you know as well, it's one of our jobs to shout the loudest. We tell people when we're rolling and when we've cut so everyone is aware of what's happening.
Cat
I'll set up for whichever artists I have. I'll do their hair and makeup and then it's off to set checks. I think the best thing about my job is that you can watch your work on television.
Jessal
Have you always liked doing hair and makeup?
Cat
Well I was one of those girls that used to pretend to cut their mum's hair so, as I got older, I'd be doing, like, cosplays. When I left school. I did two years at college. The first year was hairdressing and then the next year was theatrical, special effects.
Becca
I'm a costume trainee for the production. So, I help with getting you guys ready into your costume, helping with the laundry and preparing for the next day and just ensuring the smooth running. From my A-levels, GCSEs, I always was interested in art, film, textiles, so that together sort of brought me into working in costume.
Jessal
What do you love about your job?
Becca
Working with so many different people and seeing the different departments creating the bigger production as well.
Jess
As a trainee, I do a bit of everything. Mostly, things like graphics, so posters on the school corridors and then coming up we've got some big sets, some parties, that sort of thing. So, I'd help with some dressing. It is a lot of work, but it's very rewarding when you see it all finished. I did a lot of creative subjects at GCSE – Design Technology, Fine Art and then Drama as well. I'm so glad I did them all because, even now, I've learnt things I remember doing in Year 10 and 11 that I still think about.
Jessal
If you guys are interested in working on set of Phoenix Rise or any other TV programme, look at BBC Bitesize for loads of tips on how to get into the industry.
Floor runner – Sam
What does a floor runner do?
A floor runner on Phoenix Rise looks after key players, like the actors and director, as well as being an extra pair of helping hands on set.
What transferrable skills help you be a good floor runner?
With around 100 cast and crew on set, people skills are really important. Sam grew up playing team sports, like football and cricket, which helped him build these skills.
Other jobs at the BBC
Check out our Behind the brands with BBC Young Reporter series:
Junior hair and makeup artist – Cat
What transferrable skills do you need to work in hair and makeup?
In Cat's first year of college, she studied hairdressing. She then spent her second year learning about theatrical and special effects makeup, all of which help in her current job.
What is the best thing about being a hair and makeup artist?
For Cat, it's very rewarding to see the hair and makeup she's done on cast members come to life on TV!
Other jobs in hair and makeup
Costume trainee – Becca
What inspired you to work in costume?
During her GCSEs and A-levels, Becca was interested in art, film and textiles, which all contributed to her going into a job in costume.
What is the best thing about being a costume trainee?
Becca really enjoys working with a range of people and seeing all the different departments work together to create the show.
Other jobs in costume
Art department trainee – Jess
What does an art department trainee do?
As a trainee, Jess gets to do a bit of everything! She creates graphics, such as designing posters to display in the school corridors on Phoenix Rise, and even helps to dress up the sets. She finds it really rewarding seeing how the sets look when they're all finished.
What school subjects help in your job in the art department?
Jess explored her creativity studying Design Technology, Fine Art and Drama during her GCSEs. She still draws on what she learnt in Year 10 and 11 in her current job.
Other jobs that use design skills
Watch now on iPlayer
Phoenix Rise series three. video
Catch the new series on iPlayer from 24th May and on BBC Three from 28th May 2024.
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- Screenskills' Your Career page is designed to help you on your path to a job in TV, film, animation, VFX or games
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