How to Get on The List
Korey writes in: I was curious about how to go about contacting productions directly to be added to their “available list” for PA work. I know that a lot of productions operate under several different companies, and the information available on IMDb Pro isn’t always accurate. I live in Hollywood and have worked on some […]
Defending Yourself
Tuesday’s post about the idiot producer’s assistant on my show generated a lot of feedback. Some of it was violent (I hope they were kidding), but quite a few people suggested I should stand up for myself. It sounds fun in theory, but here’s where I put my practical hat on. While proclaiming your innocence […]
Should I Send My Resume Twice?
T writes in: Omg, I made changes to my resume based on your resume advice and there’s already a huge improvement. Is it a bad idea to resend your resume to a company you just applied too? I know it’s probably a really stupid question but I know the one I have now is soooo […]
Never Good Enough
Sometimes, you just can’t win. Over the long weekend, I had to set up a meeting between my boss and the producer, because the showrunner did a major re-write on the script that changed the budget drastically. I actually thought I got the good end of the deal, because one of the PAs had to […]
So, I Have This Weird Idea…
I was thinking it might be fun to create a TAPA webcomic. Sometimes, words just aren’t enough to convey the craziness and stupidity on set. A weekly or bi-weekly comic would be another way to show future PAs what they’re in for. The thing is, I can’t draw.{{1}} Not even a stick figure, much less […]
TAPA Tweets for the week ending 2013-05-25
Don't forget to listen to 89.9 @kcrw today at 2:30 to hear me ramble. 🙂 07:22:51, 2013-05-20 Job Offer I Don't Want http://t.co/ZPETBogLoK 13:03:57, 2013-05-20 RT @vashte: Oh…so *that's* what a PA does! http://t.co/XwSXtI1j4o @TheAnonymousPA 11:46:54, 2013-05-21 RT @TheFinalFangirl: 26% of new pilots center around a female lead. 6% have people of color as the […]
You Can’t Beat Stupid
Some days, I’ll read a script that’s inspiringly good. “This is how I want to write,” I think to myself. “This well-crafted story, these original characters, these hilarious jokes.” Other days, the writers will turn in a real stinker, and it’ll inspire me in another way: “Shit, I can write better than this.” And then […]
Job Offer I Don’t Want
A Canadian reader wrote in– I recently moved to a big city in Canada to work in the film/tv industry. I graduated from uni last year and I thought I wanted to do editing. Then I did editing at a small company in my hometown and realized that it was not what I dreamed it […]
TAPA on the Radio
I recently visited the studios of KCRW to be interviewed for The Business. I didn’t mention it, because I had no idea when it would air. (The interview is what they call “evergreen,” meaning I didn’t talk about anything time-sensitive, so they’d be able to play it whenever they had some time to fill on […]
It’s Out Of Your Hands
The gods of TV have spoken, smiting the wicked who hath not wrought high ratings, returning from the grave those who might yet do so, and bringing forth a new schedule that shall surely disappoint come September. That new schedule means some of you who landed pilots have a good twelve episodes to look forward […]
The Right Title
Alex writes: I got my first big PA job! A friend in the camera dept. put a good name in for me. I’m a 3D Camera PA for [REDACTED]. I was just curious how I should put that on my resume. Do I specify what kind of PA I am or just put Set PA […]
From Extra to PA
Kate writes in: What do you think about someone who works as an extra (background) to network with crew? I laughingly find it easy to get a job as an extra (they call me pretty often), but harder to get a job as a PA, since that’s a “who you know” job versus a “what […]