There are, it seems, still some companies that think that Runners, being the most junior members of a production team, probably don’t need actual money handed over in reward for their work.

Curious that, given the massive amount of publicity given to the poor treatment of junior workers in TV and Film over the years. Curious also because the minimum wage regulations have been in force for over 20 years now.

So behold Mindseye, a set up that describes itself as “boutique but heavyweight”. Lightweight might be a more apt description, given that this company just wandered onto the Facebook Runners page looking for someone to put in some hard work for a film of theirs, but not actually planning to pay them anything for their hard work. 

The Facebook Runners group is, like all the others in the People in TV group, for professionals only. We don’t cater for shambling amateurs or seedy set ups who don’t want to pay their workers. We believe that Runners need to be paid as much as any other individual working on set. And those Runners believe that too, mostly because without pay they haven’t got the wherewithall to eat, drink and pay the rent.

Not sure which category Mindseye fits in (shambling or seedy) but they sure as hell fit neatly into at least one of them. The company is run by Hughie Phillips, Charlie Phillips and “surrogate brother” Max Yeoman. Not one of the nicest families you’re likely to come across in truth, given the above.

If anyone is thinking of using the services of Mindseye, please feel free to give them a wide berth. I’m sure you don’t want your production subsidised by the wages of any young workers who the company decide they don’t want to pay. Nor encourage set-ups like this to do this kind of thing.