dock10s Amy Ashley-Mather reveals how Facebook helped her get started in the media tech industry, and why anyone who wants to work in media should say yes to everything
By Contributor
Published: August 10, 2022 Updated: August 11, 2022
dock10's Amy Ashley-Mather reveals how Facebook helped her get started in the media tech industry, and why anyone who wants to work in media should say yes to everything
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
Amy Ashley-Mather, entry level camera assistant, dock10 Talk us through an average day in your role It varies so much. If it's a rig-day, we'll build the cameras, get them into the studio, set the cables up and have a little walk through. If we're filming, or doing a rehearsal, then we'll do the back focuses and line-ups on the cameras, to make sure everything is in working order. And then we'll run through with the show.
During filming, what I do depends on the show. It is just as important for camera assistants as it is for the operators to know what's happening with each camera during a show. If there are handheld cameras involved, then there is a lot of cable bashing as the cameras move around. For static cameras, I have to be on hand if anything needs to change. When we were filming Comic Relief, for example, it was very busy. The cameras were going from static to handheld.
If a show isn't filming, then I organise the kit and equipment for shows that are coming in.
How did you get started in the media industry? After I graduated in 2020, I got a lot of running jobs through Facebook groups for researchers and crew. I met loads of people through each job and managed to work as a runner continuously.
Through those jobs, I met a couple of really good camera operators and DoPs who really helped me, and I got a couple of PSC (portable single camera) jobs. Then last year, I saw the ad for this role at dock10 and applied - and I got the job in January.
What training did you have before entering the industry? I studied digital film production at university. While I was there, I applied for work experience. I did two weeks' work experience at Icon Films in Bristol, which was really good.
That helped me get work experience up here in Salford in BBC in their factual department. After that, I just kept emailing people I'd met while I was doing work experience. I ended up getting my first couple of runners jobs while I was at university, which I think helped me massively because a lot of people don't start their work experience until they leave. It meant that I was almost one step ahead as soon as I left uni.
Why do you enjoy working in the industry? I've always been into photography and have wanted to be a camera operator. I just like being part a part of making shows, and seeing the final product. I like the fact that you don't have to be in charge of the show. But if you weren't there, the show wouldn't function without you. You are making what people see it's your shot at the end of the day.
Studios are really great environments to work in. I like the busyness of it, and how hectic it is at times. You're constantly having to adapt to things and having to think on your feet - it keeps you really engaged. You could do this for 20 years, but every day would be completely different.
What piece of advice would you give to someone looking to explore similar role to yours? Before you break in, the industry can seem totally out of reach. I'm not talking about trying to become a big-time director just getting to be a camera assistant seems unattainable and something that will take years to achieve.
But you've just got to push for it. Applying for one job a week isn't good enough. Before working here, I probably applied for over 100 jobs. I wouldn't even know how many emails I sent in the last two years trying to get into places.
You'll get knocked back time and time again. But you need to keep at it, and just get to the point where it's like water off a duck's back. Because if you push it so much, then statistically someone is going to say yes at some point.
Also, you just have to say yes to everything, even if it's not what you think you want to do because you never know who you're going to meet on a job and where it will lead to.
Europe Stories
21/12/2025
John Shortt named Young Sportsperson of the Year Kerry are the Team of the Year
...
19/12/2025
With Playout Release 2025.4, ToolsOnAir continues to push professional playout w...
19/12/2025
19 Dec 2025
VEON's Mobilink Microfinance Bank Launches Islamic Banking Oper...
19/12/2025
The six-part drama, set in a close-knit Welsh town fractured by an unspeakable c...
19/12/2025
Rohde & Schwarz drives the future of mobility at CES 2026 At the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Rohde & Schwarz will present a powerful lineup o...
19/12/2025
RT is proud to return to the RDS to support the 2026 Stripe Young Scientist & T...
18/12/2025
Canada's largest indoor arena has transformed its live production capabilities with a full ST 2110 infrastructure and Calrec's compact Argo S console. S...
18/12/2025
Long-term agreement includes the SES SCORE platform and hybrid distribution worldwide to deliver more than 5,000 hours of golf tournaments annually featuring th...
18/12/2025
18 Dec 2025
VEON Upgraded to Nasdaq Global Select Market, Enhancing Investor Visibility Dubai, December 18, 2025 - VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON), a global digital o...
18/12/2025
Thursday 18 December 2025
Sky Sports remains the exclusive home of the Masters ...
18/12/2025
Using the additive process of 3D printing, layer after layer gets printed until an object is as close to the final shape needed as possible. Historically, machi...
18/12/2025
In 2025, RT proudly supported 185 arts and cultural events across the island of Ireland, reflecting significant growth since the scheme was re-launched in 2014...
18/12/2025
RT Sports Awards 2025 live on RT One and RT Player at 8:05pm on Saturday 20 December
On Saturday 20 December live on RT One and RT Player at the earlier t...
18/12/2025
RT lyric fm presents a very special Winter Solstice edition of Ambient Orbit, l...
18/12/2025
At 7.45pm on 1st January 1926, the precursor to RT , then 2RN, delivered the fledgling new Irish state's first public radio transmission. From those first c...
18/12/2025
December 18 2025, 05:30 (PST) The Movie Experience SLO Becomes First U.S. Exhib...
17/12/2025
Investigative journalists across the Western Balkans and T rkiye continue to con...
17/12/2025
The right playlist is essential on New Year's Eve, building the energy as you get ready and keeping it high as you count down to midnight. This year, Spotif...
17/12/2025
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({...
17/12/2025
Wuppertal December 17, 2025
Riedel Builds Global Communication and Commentary ...
17/12/2025
December 17 2025, 17:00 (PST) Dolby and LG Unveil a New Era of Home Audio With ...
17/12/2025
Wednesday 17 December 2025
Heated Rivalry will be coming to Sky and streaming service NOW on 10 JanuaryTurn on cookies to view this content. Go to Privacy opti...
17/12/2025
RT has announced that Kathy Fox has been appointed Commissioning Editor with re...
17/12/2025
With the new season of Dancing with the Stars shimmering in the not-too-distant future this New Year, the celebrity and dancer pairings of the twelve couples ha...
16/12/2025
Hawkins has landed on Spotify, just in time for Stranger Things Season 5, Volume...
16/12/2025
Wherever you are, your favorite music and audio content should go seamlessly with you. That's why Spotify has partnered with NAVER Corp, Korea's leading...
16/12/2025
2025 Wrapped arrived bigger and bolder than ever. This year's experience is designed to be ultra personal and shareable, with new features like Wrapped Part...
16/12/2025
16 Dec 2025
VEON Announces Release Date for Full Year and Fourth Quarter 2025 R...
16/12/2025
16 Dec 2025
VEON's Kyivstar Invests in Renewable Energy in Ukraine with Acq...
16/12/2025
Harmonic's XOS Advanced Media Processor Improves Streaming Video Quality and Boosts Viewer Engagement SAN JOSE, Calif. - Dec. 16, 2025 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: ...
16/12/2025
RT Sport Awards 2025 live on RT One and RT Player at 8:05pm on Saturday 20 December.
On Saturday 20 December live on RT One and RT Player at the earlier t...
16/12/2025
Singer -songwriter Brian Kennedy has been announced as the final celebrity dance...
15/12/2025
Cape Town, November 13, 2025 - SES and International artist and humanitarian, Fo...
15/12/2025
Luxembourg, December 15, 2025 - SES, a leading space solutions company, and Abra Group launched fast and reliable multi-orbit inflight connectivity service on t...
15/12/2025
15 Dec 2025
VEON's Beeline Kazakhstan Delivers First Starlink Direct to Cel...
15/12/2025
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor finds himself the topic of year's cracker jokes
Oasis, David Harbour, Celebrity Traitors and Angela Rayner all feature in this y...
15/12/2025
Comscore Expands Cross-Platform Campaign Measurement to Include Audio and Social New capabilities strengthen cross-platform campaign reporting suite; CCR rebran...
15/12/2025
RT .ie has reached one billion page views this year and is on track to finish 2025 2% ahead of last year. Average time spent on the site is up 3% on 2024, with ...
12/12/2025
Last month, Spotify announced a new collaboration with the ATP Tour, the global governing body of men's professional tennis, aimed at bringing the next gene...
12/12/2025
Friday 12 December 2025
Ted is back! Seth MacFarlane's live-action comedic ...
12/12/2025
Uachtar n na h ireann, Catherine Connolly visited RT Raidi na Gaeltachta's...
12/12/2025
Ireland AM host Eric Roberts has been revealed as the sixth contestant taking to...
11/12/2025
Thomson and the Center for News, Technology and Innovation (CNTI) convened a two-day workshop in Sarajevo bringing together more than 35 journalists, editors, p...
11/12/2025
Having the right song soundtrack your moves can make all the difference when gam...
11/12/2025
It's been a big year for Taylor Swift. Her highly anticipated album The Life...
11/12/2025
11 Dec 2025
VEON's Banglalink Receives Regulatory Approval to Launch Digita...
11/12/2025
Thursday 11 December 2025
Sky Arts paints a picture of Britain's beauty as ...
11/12/2025
It's not every day we're asked to create a website for a classical musician!
So, we were delighted to help pianist Georgina Duncan as she embarks on he...
11/12/2025
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
Irish golfing hero Shane Lowry...
dock10s Amy Ashley-Mather reveals how Facebook helped her get started in the media tech industry, and why anyone who wants to work in media should say yes to everything
