Electricians are essential members of a film and television crew, responsible for planning, setting up and safely operating lighting equipment on set. At BECTU Vision, we support the development of a skilled, locally based lighting department workforce to meet the demands of film and television productions across the country.
This year, through our Electrician Conversion Programme, we recruited two new lighting trainees to work on the latest series of River City, followed by placements on productions filming in the Spring. The programme, which has run since 2019, typically takes on one trainee each year, however, following a successful open evening at Panalux Lighting in Glasgow and a particularly strong round of interviews, we expanded the intake to two trainees, as Ryan Bavi and Bobby Edmondson both demonstrated strong potential to transition into the industry.
Ryan and Bobby began their 13-week placements in January at the River City studios in Dumbarton. Working alongside an experienced lighting department, they are gaining a first-hand insight into working with the equipment and the day-day requirements of an electrician on a television production.
Alongside their on the job training, Ryan and Bobby will also visit Panalux, Scotland’s largest lighting hire company, to build familiarity with the range of equipment used on film & TV productions.
Following their initial placements at River City, they will spend time on a variety of other productions filming across Scotland, as well as some studio-based productions in Glasgow. These placements will allow them to experience different scales and styles of production while building a professional network and connecting with electricians and other crew across the industry.
Over the course of their traineeship, Ryan and Bobby will develop practical skills and knowledge including how to:
> Assemble lighting and filter equipment needed for production
> Check and maintain lighting equipment to ensure it is safe and fully operational
> Liaise with the gaffer, best boy and the wider crew to interpret their creative vision and translate plans into the lighting design and set-up
> Pre-rig the lighting and ensure all cables and wires are safely concealed
> Operate and maintain equipment during the shoot
> Adjust lighting between shots, as required
> De-rig all equipment at the end of the production and ensure it is safely transported away from the location and/or stored
> Adhere to and understand risk assessments for health and safety purposes
> Work effectively as part of a large crew, made up of many different departments
In addition to their continuing traineeship, Ryan and Bobby also completed a 3-day Programme in the application of BS7909 to temporary power systems with a co-hort of experienced electricians already working in film and TV, as well as those looking to transfer their skills into the industry.
Ryan said: “So far, I’ve found the traineeship really interesting! It has been a complete change of scenery for me but everyone that I’ve worked with has been really helpful and patient in helping me progress.
“I’d definitely recommend the traineeship for any electricians that are looking for something a little different to contracting work. The traineeship included enrolment on the BS7909 course which I found useful as a refresher on subjects I learned at college – it would be really beneficial to people coming in to the industry to show what electrical disciplines are relevant to being a spark in the film and TV industry.
“All in all, I’m really glad I made the jump and I’m looking forward to working on more productions in the near future.”
Bobby said: “It’s been a steep learning curve, but having the sparks at River City show us the ropes has made a massive difference. Getting the BS7909 qualification under my belt was a big help too – it really bridged the gap between my knowledge and experiences and how things are managed and constructed on set.
“I’m looking forward to getting stuck in and using what I’ve learned as the traineeship moves forward and I continue on in the industry as a freelancer.”
Since launching the Electrician Conversion Programme in 2019, we have seen strong results. Of the four previous trainees, one is now a Head of Department at River City, while others have established themselves as freelance lighting technicians, working across a range of productions.
Beyond the formal traineeships, we have also provided ongoing support to more than six electricians who demonstrated potential to work in the industry but were not the right fit for the programme at the time. We have supported these individuals through paid work experience weeks at Panalux and on productions, as well as through providing guidance towards other opportunities including the Outlander Training Programme.
By continuing to raise awareness of the electrician’s role on set and through supporting both new entrants and experienced electricians transitioning into the sector, we aim to strengthen Scotland’s lighting departments and ensure productions have access to a skilled local workforce.
Find out more about our Skills Boost programme here: bectuvision.org/training/skills-boost/
BECTU Vision is supported by Screen Scotland, Scottish Union Learning, and BBC in partnership with Bectu.