The Anonymous Production Assistant

How to Balance Different Titles on Your Resume

Jim writes in about how he should handle varying credits on his resume– It’s a pretty random career so far. I’ve held positions in the camera department, art department, prod office, post. if I’m applying for a Day Player Set PA position should I downplay the specific PA credits and just make it a general […]

Letters of Recommendation

I saw this harrowing tale about an internship gone wrong recently. I recommend reading it, if you want to know how badly these things can go. But there was one complaint the poster had that I think is completely unwarranted: What really pissed me off is she wouldn’t write me a letter of recommendation. She […]

Do You NEED to be Good at Networking?

Nancy has a question about networking:{{1}} Thinking of switching from medical office work to office work in the film industry. From what I’ve been reading online (mostly from this site – you’ve been quite a valuable resource), it sounds like you only get jobs if the right people remember your name when jobs come up. […]

Does ‘Video Producer’ Experience Count for Anything?

Photo by Steven Van on Unsplash

Elsa writes in: I’m a long time TAPA reader, first time question asker.  I’m a video producer for a media company with 2 years of experience.  I’m trying to move into film production, but I’m having a hard time figuring out what roles I should be applying for. Does my experience with pitching/producing/directing/writing/editing videos for […]

Should I Finish My Degree Or Just Go to Hollywood Now?

Chemical Engineer

Tessa writes in: I’m currently studying Chemical Engineering in New Mexico and I really hate it. I no longer wish to pursue this degree even though I only have one and a half years left. I already know every career choice it opens for me, and I don’t want to do those things. My resume […]

Trust Your Instincts

I reader wrote in about an odd job interview she obtained through my site: I got an interview for [company], but it’s in an apartment and no one signed their name on the email so I can’t even confirm the company or producer. I’ve generally only been to interviews in offices and am unsure whether […]

Hunting for Jobs

job hunt

Over the years, lots of people have thanked me for the resources TAPA provides. I’ve been sharing the joblist for a while, as well as my own little job board. You may have even noticed that lately I’ve been trying to find new ways to help you find a job. For instance, there’s Hired in […]

Accurate Dates on a Resume

Pinocchio's long nose

Over the years, we’ve given a lot of advice on how to adjust your resume to be more appealing to your future employer. You should never outright lie, but skirting the truth and fudging a little are to be expected. Changing dates is the most common technique. For example, you might say you left Company A […]

Don’t Be Redundant

I’ve been noticing an issue lately when editing resumes: redundancy. You’ve got to fit everything on one page. Anything more than that looks ridiculous, especially for a production assistant. And when you reduce it all to a single sheet of paper, it can’t look cramped. Remember, these are people who are used to reading scripts; […]

Ageism in Hollywood

Dianne writes in about ageism in Hollywood: Like most people who patrol your site I’m seeking work in the industry. However, I finished college 8 years ago and my major was in English and Creative Writing, and my internship (though competitive) was with a newspaper in Oregon. I would happily intern for no money to […]

Going Hollywood

Gloria Swanson in Sunset Blvd

A great many people are sucked in by the glamour of Hollywood. Your first day, you find yourself surrounded by beautiful actor, talented artists, and an endless supply of craft services.

Why Are All the PA Jobs Listed for a Limited Time?

Diana writes in about job listings that appear to be for limited time-frame gigs– I am looking for some PA jobs but most of them are only set for a certain amount of time like a week or a few months. I thought PA’s were a permanent position. How long does the average Production Assistant […]