Being a film 'Runner'...week 1

Last Sunday I arrived in Wyndham, Western Australia. This is where we're based for the film we're making. A population of around 800, it's the most northern town in W.A, and one of the hottest in Australia. A 102km drive from my last stop Kununurra, with spectacular scenery of the Kimberley along the way.

Very excited as I arrived in town to see their big tourist attraction...the Big Croc.

The BIG Croc, Wyndham, W.A

Bright and early Monday morning, I began my job as the Runner. Here's a bit of an idea of what the role entails, with a few of the jobs from this week.

* Leave camp at 6.15am to drive 101km return and arrive at bus stop 1/2 early collect an actor for an audition. Bus was 1/2 hour late, and he wasn't on it.

* Drive 202kms return to airport for 2 pickups...success!
* Another 202kms return to start pricing 'unit' gear. Tents for crew to dine under, trestle tables, drink bottles, pillows, eskys, mops, chairs, printers, phones, tent lights, toilet paper, insect repellant etc
* 202km return more pricing, purchasing & ordering. Collect portaloo to tow back to film location ready for  the site construction crew who start the next day. The drive includes a track where I couldn't go over 5kmh, and mudflats.

Alan & Sam from the Art Department take delivery of the portaloo

Loved driving back to base on the mudflats!

* Trips to get lunches, coffees, supplies for team heading out for days scouting locations
* Cleaned an unoccupied house that will be used for rehearsal space for the actors. It had been unoccupied (by humans) for a long time...but the rats were having a ball! And the dust/dirt.....wow!

Cleaning! All part of the job.

* Drive over a BIG snake in the middle of nowhere. I felt it bump under the 4WD....probably hurt the snake more than me. The Art Department asked whether I'd killed it because they need one for the film, but I assured them that if I had, I certainly wasn't packing it up and bringing it back to base!
* Meet up with the Shipping Container guy to get it on site for all our goods to live in.

After 1 crazy week at work, the good news is my friend and boss Fiona and I are still very good friends. Lucky enough to be house/dog sitting for the weekend (Bertie Humperdick, the Jack Russell cross), we spent Saturday's happy hour at the 5 Rivers lookout for sunset.

Fiona takes in the view

Five Rivers Lookout, Wyndham W.A

Simple Stats

Days since departure: 93
Distance travelled: (910km for work)

Snakes run over: 2

Portaloos towed: 1

Weeks worked as Runner on film: 1

Whale Sharks swum with: 2

Emergency mechanic stops: 1

Kangaroos hit: 0