Seeking Decent ADs and Coordinators
It’s very easy to complain about your boss. Nobody likes to be told what to do, and the very definition of “boss” is someone who tells you what to do. Sometimes they’re crazy or irrational or just plain mean. But you know what? There are some good ones out there, too. And I’d like to […]
Copyright Infringement
Yesterday, I got a bizarre email, with the above headline as the subject. I’ve never had anything like it before. I was using a random photo I found on the internet to illustrate a point about a certain product or service we PAs use all the time. Now, it’s not my photo, and the owner […]
Availability List
Michael, the Hollywood Juicer, made a correction on Thursday’s post: I can’t speak for the other locals or guilds, but 728 (set lighting) and 80 do send members out on jobs. We’re allowed (and expected) to look for our own work, but when your show or day-playing gig ends (but before you apply for unemployment), […]
How Long Is This Gonna Take
Ryan writes in: I’ve seen you answer questions from people asking if they’re too young to be a PA, but I’ve only seen one person who said they’re too old, and they were 24. I’m 28 , soon to be 29, and I’m looking to change careers. I’ve got a little bit of cash saved […]
Unions Don’t Work That Way
Elle writes in: I’m a production assistant on a talk show. I’ve been in Los Angeles since 2012 after my relocation from Florida to pursue a career in the motion picture industry. I’m still very new and learning everyday, but at this point, I’d like to know what the next step should be. My goal […]
Truck Drivin’ PA
Woody writes in: Hi TAPA, I’ve been cruising job boards lately and one thing I occasionally see is some production listing that, as a PA, one of my skills should be the ability to drive a 24′ cube truck. I haven’t work on the biggest of shows (or barely many moderately-sized ones) but the 24′ […]
How To Stand Out From the Crowd
Max writes in: First off thanks for your the wonderful blog! As a student reading the “What to do with your student experience” gives me some confidence as I make the leap to LA. In the post you mentioned that if you were lucky you’d learn set etiquette and maybe how to set up a […]
What to Do With Your Student Experience
I’ve said on numerous occasions that student film experience doesn’t count. That’s actually only half true. Unless you’re a savant, your directing experience isn’t likely to get you a job as a director.{{1}} It’s also unlikely to get you a production assistant job, either. If you put writer/director/producer on your PA resume, you’ll look like […]
How Far Would You Go For a Job?
Hoosier PA writes in– I love the blog. I am a P.A working almost exclusively on reality tv shows. I started my first gig in February and have now worked on 7 shows since then. Recently I applied for a 3 month gig that is taking place in Orlando. I was asked by the coordinator […]
Never the Right Number of Radios
Joe writes in: I’ve worked on several productions now ranging from commercials to reality shows and feature films. On many occasions I have been assigned to be in charge of the radios. Although it is much easier to manage with small crew reality shows or short gig commercials, I still haven’t found an efficient way […]
Directing in the Digital Age
Some Guy with a Camera{{1}} writes in: I, probably like most people on this website and similar ones, was inspired when I read Robert Rodriguez’s Rebel Without a Crew. I’m curious though, that book was published in 1996. Which it turns out, is quite some time ago (heck I was only 6 at the time)… […]
Consistent Work
Lucie writes in: I’ve been doing freelance PA work in the Bay Area for about 7 months now, and have fallen head over heels for the industry. However, I don’t get called enough to make a consistent income to help pay the bills at the moment. Do you have advice on how to make work […]