Testament

Location Marshall & Junior Cast Runner

February 2024- March 2024

Production Company: ANGEL STUDIOS

Producer: Shelley Ruddock, Jackie Sheppard, Paul Syrstad

Director: Paul Syrstad, Kathryn O’Reilly

Project Summary:

A modern retelling of the book of Acts. I got one day of on-set experience through my university and the next 5 days after being contacted to come back and help.

My Role and Responsibilities:

Assisted the Production assistants in fulfilling the setup and pack down of a location.

Helped run the smooth handling of 60-80 SAs, including transport, food and overall satisfaction

Understand and anticipate the cast and crew’s needs with food and water.

Location marshalled / Locking off responsibilities on a royal heritage site.

My Experience and reflection

This opportunity was the biggest production I’ve worked on to date. Because of that, I prepared myself for less guidance on set and high-stakes tasks where I’d need to stay out of the way during the day-to-day running of things. However, I was warmly welcomed and, within three days, progressed from standing in as a location marshal to becoming a cast PA.

In this role, I was responsible for looking after the 60 supporting artists (SAs) on set—keeping them out of shot, making sure they were fed and hydrated, which was especially challenging in a confined building. It was a large responsibility but an incredibly valuable experience.

I also observed how the production coordinator ran the day and how each department functioned independently yet collaboratively. Watching how smaller, specialized teams were delegated tasks to maximize efficiency was fascinating. Each team handled its own specific challenges, which kept the production on track and allowed for smooth problem-solving. This structure created an environment where everyone could perform at their best, ultimately leading to the most effective results.