Liv Dias
Liv is currently working as a freelance runner in the TV industry, and has been working at BBC's The One Show for the past six months. She studied BA Media and Communication, graduating in 2020.
Company you work for: BBC Studios – The One Show (Freelance)
Job title: Runner
Did you always want to study your chosen subject at university or did you change your mind when you were researching/applying?
When I was researching universities I was stuck between choosing to study philosophy or media. I attended a couple of open days for both subjects and decided after these viewings that media was the right choice for me. It ultimately came down to what I enjoyed the most and I knew that I would be more passionate about media so it became the clear pathway to take!
What challenges did you face while studying here, and what support did BCU/your Faculty provide you during your degree?
I found some parts of my degree really challenging and one thing that I am so grateful for is the media faculty and my tutors. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I sent an SOS email to my lecturers about their module and each time they would always reply to me ASAP and be on hand to offer their help and support.
In what way do you think BCU developed you as a person for you to flourish in your chosen career path?
One of the main reasons I decided to go to BCU over any other university is because on my open day the head of faculty said “Our aim is not to get you a degree, our aim is to provide you with the knowledge and skills to leave here and get a job.” It’s something that really resonated with me and is something that was 100% truthful. My course was run by tutors who had worked in the industry and the course content really reflected this. I learned a lot of skills that prepared me to get a job after graduating rather than just learning content in order to pass an exam, which is something I don’t think a lot of universities could honestly say they do.
Did you gain any relevant experience whilst studying at BCU that allowed you to easily adapt to your job role?
At BCU I took the opportunity to do the ALBERT Sustainability Course with Hilary Weston-Jones which has been really helpful. Having another person on the team with this qualification is beneficial to a lot of companies which has made me more desirable to employers! BCU also really pushed me to network through the PAD module. Whilst I admit that I was guilty of always wanting to get out and film rather than sit at home and create a LinkedIn profile, it was genuinely really helpful in the long run! Networking is essential in the TV industry and without BCU pushing me to do it I don’t think I would be as good at contacting and connecting with people as I am now.
What key skills have you been able to take into life since leaving BCU/ your job role and how have these helped you excel?
On my very first location shoot I was asked if I could operate the second camera for interviews and GVs which I was only able to do because of my experience using cameras at BCU. Without this knowledge I would not have been able to do this but because I could, I’ve now had the experience of shooting for broadcast multiple times which is great!
If you have any advice for anyone who is studying the course you studied, what would you say?
Take advantage of every opportunity and network, network, network! BCU offer so many great opportunities that I took, from the ALBERT Sustainability Training to being a Stand-in on The X-Factor! Take advantage of every opportunity because all the little things add up to put on your graduate CV. Also network with EVERYONE! It’s true that ‘everybody knows everybody in TV’ and you never know who might help you. I got my first runner job after making friends with a camera supervisor when I was just a stand-in on a show and I wouldn’t have even known about the runner role if it wasn’t for him – networking really is everything.
Can you tell us some exciting things you have been involved in since leaving BCU/ starting your new job role?
I’ve been working at The One Show for the last six months and have travelled across the country, getting to film with some amazing people with amazing stories. I’ve also been working with guests in the studio and helped to put on some live performances as we slowly move out of lockdown which is exciting! Before running, I also worked on The Masked Singer as a stand-in which was the craziest, wackiest and most wonderful experience. Watching NE-YO dance around as a rock ‘n’ roll badger singing Wrecking Ball was a crazy entrance into the crazy world of TV!
What does BCU mean to you?
Honestly, I could talk all day about how amazing I found BCU and the media course there! The truth is that you don’t need a degree to get into the TV industry, but the experience I gained from my course was invaluable and I don’t doubt for a second that I wouldn’t be where I am now without it. There are so many people trying to get into the industry and having an understanding of how TV works, knowing how to shoot and being pushed to do work experience placements for the PAD module definitely gave me a head start to getting into TV. I loved my university experience and if you’re keen to get into TV but want a media degree first then BCU is the place for you.