Tag Archives: assistant director

Act Like You’ve Been There Before

Posted on October 19, 2011 by | 4 Comments

This week, our #2 actor started, so we sent him a bouquet of flowers to congratulate him. (It wasn’t until I typed that last sentence that I realized how stupid of a Hollywood tradition it is to congratulate an actor for starting a show. The only thing they’ve done up to that point is sign a contract.)

His assistant took a picture of the flowers and posted them on Facebook, along with the title of our show and our location that day, with absolutely no regard for the fact that our lead actor is a heavily papparazzi’d star. The #2 actor is a TV guy, so maybe his assistant isn’t familiar with the protocol. Or maybe she’s just that dumb. But either way…

Act like you’ve been there before.

49ers for LIFE!

Jerry Rice. Touchdowns: 197. Touchdown dances: 0.

I’ve been lucky enough to work with four Oscar winners and a handful of other bona fide celebrities. (“Work with” applies loosely, since I was copying scripts and handing them contracts and they were… you know… acting and/or directing.) Regardless, I’m proud to say that I’ve never lost my mind over it. I’ve never posted it on Facebook or Twitter. I’ve never made the unthinkable request for a picture or an autograph.1 But I know people who do that kind of stuff ALL THE TIME.

Get a grip, people.

Keep your cool. You work in Hollywood, now.

Footnotes    (↩ returns to text)
  1. I once asked George Lucas if I could shake his hand. In my defense, I was still at the OFS, and there was literally no one else around.↩

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Posted in On the Job

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90% of success

Posted on September 27, 2010 by | 10 Comments

Script Goddess had a fun post last week about filling as an AD on a commercial. This passage in particular caught my attention:

Day 3 Exterior House. My first time directing trucks and production vehicles. As I was arriving at the location My key P.A. called in and said he’d be late. How late I asked “Oh, not more than an hour!” he says. Not more than an hour! I wonder what The Anonymous Production Assistant might say about that! But having our other PA be a no show, I was in no position to fire him.

Ah, I’m such whore for links.

Here’s what I think: that PA is darn lucky Script Goddess isn’t regularly an AD. An hour is a long time, especially at the start of the day, when you’re trying to get everything set up.

Most ADs have a stable of production assistants that they can call on at the last minute. They wouldn’t be in the position of just accepting a late PA.  They’d be on the phone with replacements in minutes.

Obviously, these may be second-stringers in the AD’s mind; otherwise, why wouldn’t she have hired them in the first place?  If you call your AD at call time, you may wind up on that second string list.

On the other hand, if you’re able to jump in at a moment’s notice, and help an AD when she needs it most, you’ll probably be the first person she calls on the next show.

Her pink clashes with despair.

Her pink clashes with despair.

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Posted in On the Job

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Emailing Strangers

Posted on August 6, 2010 by | 13 Comments

Danielle asks:

I recently graduated college, during which I had internships on the corporate side of three different television stations (all headquartered in NYC). Since graduating, I’m looking to move into the production side but don’t have the contact base required, since the stations outsourced to external production houses.

Through some serious stalking, I uncovered the email addresses of several AD’s who shoot primarily in NY. The issue is that the email addresses aren’t work-related – i.e. one of them is for the AD’s extracurricular band. Do you think it’s completely unprofessional if I reach out for a job this way?

Yes.

While it’s not unusual for people to use their personal emails for work, that doesn’t mean they want unsolicited emails from strangers.  You even said you had to do some “serious stalking.”  It’s not like these ADs have their email address on the navigation bar of their websites, under “Do you have a question? A story you’d like to share? Maybe a complaint? E-mail me.”

The only exception I can think of is if it’s clearly a work-only email.  Something that ends in, say, cbs.com or warnerbrothers.com.  In that case, it’s probably okay to send something like,

Hi, AD X.

I’m a recent graduate of Film School X.  I have interned at WXYZ, WZYX, and WYXZ.  My goal is to move into production.  If you have any openings on your show, even as a day player, I hope you will consider me.

I’ve attached my resume for your convenience.

Best,

Danielle.

Don’t expect a response anytime soon.  ADs aren’t big on higher PAs without recommendations.

Even though your stations outsourced everything, someone there must know someone in production.  Maybe not directly, but a friend of a friend of a friend.  All you have to do is ask.

- – -

This was a rather serious post.  Here, enjoy some Cyanide & Happiness:

Cyanide and Happiness, a daily webcomic
Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

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Posted in Finding a Job

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Not Scheduled

Posted on August 2, 2010 by | 3 Comments

Elyse writes:

I was told by the UPM to go ahead with getting a job as a PA on the tv show set I’ve been standing-in on, and she told me to speak with one of the ADs. I spoke with one and he was going to set me up with the person to hire me but we never got around to crossing paths that day.

I’m not scheduled to be on set on Monday but I’d like to go up there (I know the call time) to maybe just speak with the guy I needed to talk with on Friday. Is it inappropriate to show up on set when not working just to square the deal on the job?

For those of you who don’t know, a stand-in is quite possibly the most perfect manifestation of how lazy actors are.

See, when the DP is lighting the set, he needs someone standing there to make sure the actors will look as pretty as they can be.  Now, a normal person might think, “So, what’s the problem?  Have the actor stand there.”

But that’s not what happens.  What happens is, the production hires someone to… stand there.

That’s all.  Stand there while the crew works around them, and the actors rest in their trailers.  During the actual filming of the scene, the stand-ins sit on lawn chairs at the edge of the set, reading People magazine.

And these people get paid as much as I do.

I’m glad to hear that Elyse wants to do real work on the set.

Normally, I wouldn’t advise just showing up on set to ask for a job.  No one hires a PA off the street.  But if you work for them regularly, and no one would think much of it if they saw you on location, I’d say sure.

I would also suggest you give yourself a lot of time.  I assume “the person to hire you” is the 1st AD.  The first is pretty much the opposite of a stand-in: busy all the time, and working very, very hard.

Also, he’s probably kind of a jerk.  You don’t want to interrupt him, and make him direct his stress and anger at you.  You’ll almost certainly not get hired then.

Instead, wait around until he’s got a free moment, then have that conversation.  And good luck!

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Posted in Finding a Job

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Locations and Set PAs

Posted on May 19, 2010 by | 4 Comments

In case you don’t read the comments, I thought it best to reprint Nathan’s comment on my previous post:

Location Managers (and ALM’s) never hire the Set P.A.s. Anywhere. (I’m an East Coast Location Manager — trust me on this one.)

Locations will hire Locations P.A.s, but their job is different from Set P.A.’s Example: Locations P.A.s don’t do pedestrian or crew lockups; they may work with the cops for traffic lockups. Locations P.A.s might be working at tomorrow’s location if there’s any kind of prep crew working there. Or they might be on set. They’re wherever the Location Manager needs them to be on any particular day while the 2nd A.D. needs to make sure he has enough Set P.A.s to do lockups, wrangle background, handle first team, etc. etc. etc.

If you want Set P.A. work, send your resume to the 2nd A.D. For Locations P.A. work, the resume goes to the Location Manager, not his/her assistants.

So, east coast and west coast aren’t that different after all.  :)

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Posted in Finding a Job

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Clarification on Terms

Posted on February 22, 2010 by | 7 Comments

Reader VJ commented on Friday’s post:

Where in the hell does an “assistant” anything – even Director – get off being a dick to anyone? Unless the actual director is an überdick, then I guess it’s ok.

But you would think they would save the dickery until they had a title without “assistant” right up front.

VJ is what most in the industry would call a “civilian,”  what Variety would term a “non-pro,” and what I personally describe as “a normal human fucking being.”

Yes, in any other industry in the world, the assistant-X is a subordinate to X, and will probably one day have X’s job.  But, generally speaking, ADs don’t grow up to become Ds, especially not in features.  ADs become UPMs, line producers, and producers.

You see, an assistant director doesn’t actually assist the director.  That’s the assistant to the director’s job.  (Kinda like the difference between a production assistant and an assistant to the producer, except they’re both very low on the totem pole.)

Despite the “assistant” in the title, an AD is actually a department head.  In preproduction, the AD writes the schedule (which is a lot more complex than it sounds).  During the actual shoot, the AD is the one responsible for making sure everything gets done according to that schedule.  While the rest of the crew may be thinking it with all of their might, the AD is the only person who can actually tell the director to move on, already.

In fairness to all those dicks out there, an AD is under a lot of pressure.  The old equation about time and money holds true in Hollywood, and if the production falls behind, guess who gets blamed.  And fired.

An AD has to know everyone’s job, at least to the point where he can tell if they’re doing it right.  If they’re not, the AD has to figure out a way to correct the course, whether that means encouraging the crew, screaming at them, changing the schedule, or just plain gritting their teeth and plowing ahead until the day’s done.

In a very real sense, it’s an AD’s job to be a dick.  I haven’t been around long enough to tell if the job transforms normal people into assholes, or if assholes are just drawn to the job.  Either way, I’d never want to be one.

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Posted in The Industry

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Rarities

Posted on February 19, 2010 by | 19 Comments

Regarding yesterday’s diatribe, I wanted to mention an AD I know who is an exception to the rule.

He is one of the nicest guys that I’ve ever met.  And not “nice” on the evil-troll-to-asperger-syndrome scale that most ADs are rated on.  I mean, even compared to normal people, he’s really, really nice.

Other than the fact that he’s supremely organized and efficient, you would never know this guy is an assistant director.  He speaks calmly and clearly.  He respects the work of others on set.  Hell, he smiles.

But, alas, I can’t name this particular AD without compromising my own identity.  Instead, I’d like to request comments.  Have you ever worked with an assistant director whose company you enjoyed?  Who treated you and others well?  Who didn’t yell and scream and holler at the slightest provocation?

If so, take a moment to mention them by name here.  Let’s see if we can encourage that kind of behavior, if only a little.

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Posted in On the Job

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The Prevalence of Asshole ADs

Posted on February 18, 2010 by | 4 Comments

Anonymous Base Camp PA writes…

Well, actually, first let me explain what “base camp” is, for those who may not know.  You ever see a usually-empty parking lot full with unlabeled white semi-trucks and trailers?  That’s base camp.  It’s where the physical production is based, specifically the AD trailer.

Even if you’re shooting on stage and the production office is down the hall, “base camp” is where you find the ADs and set PAs crammed into a tiny, metal cube that’s hot in the summer, cold in the summer, has a shitty internet connection, and sufficient desk space for about half as many people as are actually in there.

Anyway.  Anonymous Base Camp PA writes–

I remember reading your post a while back about AD’s being misanthropic, miserable people.

Actually, I wrote, “a nice AD is as rare as Bigfoot shitting a diamond on a unicorn riding a lightning bolt while being attacked by a shark during a solar eclipse.”

Ever since I read that post, I’ve wanted to write and tell you about my 2nd 2nd who apparently wants to punch me in the face, emotionally, as many times as she can throughout the day. I have to wonder how common this is in the industry.

ABCPA goes on to tell a story that I fear may give away her identity, but suffice it to say that her 2nd 2nd yelled at her for something that was completely out of her control.

My hair totally looks like that.

I was seven when this strip came out, and it's still relevant to my life.

Sadly, this sort of behavior is so common that I actually wrote ABCPA to find out if we were on the show.  Turns out, we’re not even in the same time zone.  This happens everywhere.

It’s largely accepted, I think, because the AD’s immediate superiors (the UPM and/or line producer) are usually former ADs themselves.  They acted like assholes when they were on set, so they don’t question it when their AD does the same now.

I’ve said before that DPs and ADs are jerks.  I think it’s because they’re the two department heads whose underlings are constantly visible to the director and producers.  The director never sees the art department coordinator, so when something goes wrong, the production designer can’t make a show of chewing her out.

Yelling at her PAs is an AD’s way of transferring the blame.  It’s immature and stupid and, honestly, the main reason I prefer the office, even when it’s lonely.

I wish I could give you better advice than “Suck it up, and promise not to do the same when you’re an AD,” but I can’t.  It’s either that, or quit, and I never recommend that.

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Posted in On the Job

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Workin’ on the Night Shift

Posted on February 8, 2010 by | 14 Comments
This is the same guy who wrote Stand by Me.

Call time is when?!

One of the worst things you can read in next week’s script is, “EXT. [WHEREVER] – NIGHT.”

Say goodbye to your weekend.  Say goodbye to your wife and kids.  Say goodbye to good, old fashioned sunlight.

You see, we can fake a lot of things in television, but when you’ve gotta shoot outside, day is day.  Oh, sure, we can shoot an actor’s close up against a wall and make night look like day by blasting him with HMIs, but making the daytime look like night?  That doesn’t really fly anymore.

So, we shoot outside.  At night.

You might be thinking, “Big deal, one night shift.  So what?”

You gotta look at the whole week.  The AD’s aren’t going to schedule four days of 9:00 AM calls, then make Friday a 6:00 PM call.  No, it’ll be more like 9:00 AM Monday, 11:00 AM Tuesday, 1:00 PM Wednesday, 3:00 PM Thursday, and then 6:00 PM Friday.  If your husband or wife has a regular job, you’re not going to be seeing them from Tuesday on.

‘Course, if you’re single, you obviously can’t go out Friday night (which we now affectionately call “Fraturday”).  Sure, you’ll sleep most of the day Saturday, but don’t go crazy Saturday night– there’s a 6:00 AM call on Monday, and you need to get back on a day schedule.

It’s even worse for the office PA’s.  When you’re on set, you’re at least surrounded by people in the same sleep-deprived zombie state as you.  In the office, the writers go home around six or seven, the rest of office crew is gone by eight, and you’ve got the next ten to fourteen hours to spend some time with your thoughts (or, in my case, blog).  Maybe if you have friends in Australia, they can keep you company via Skype.

On my show, this only happens once every couple of episodes.  I don’t know how the folks on 24 do it.  They’ve got twelve episodes in a row of nothing but night shoots. I’d go batshit if I was their night shift PA.

On the other hand, it’s been a hit show for eight seasons; I’d love that kind of job security.

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Posted in On the Job

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DGA Trainee Program

Posted on September 29, 2009 by | 21 Comments

Reader (and aspiring identity thief) Anonymous PA writes:

From a PA perspective, what are your thoughts on the DGA Training Program? Have you ever worked with a DGA Trainee?

I’ve worked with many DGA trainees.  All kind, good-hearted people who have not yet had their souls crushed under the oppressive weight of ADdom.

I’ve made my feelings about assistant directors well known in the past, so I won’t reiterate them here.  Suffice it to say that it’s a job I wouldn’t enjoy, nor would I be any good at.

That being said, if you actually want to be an AD, whether because you’re a misanthrope or you just hate people, the DGA Trainee Program sounds like a pretty good deal, from what I’ve heard.

Like most unions, the DGA requires that you work a certain number of hours before you can join.  I don’t remember the specifics, but you have to work some ridiculous number of days as a PA (something on the order of 300) before you can be a 2nd 2nd AD.  On top of that, a certain number of those days (maybe 50?) must be worked outside of New York and Los Angeles.

The trainee program allows you to circumvent all that.  Once you’re accepted into the program, you are instantly a DGA member.  Of course, the Guild takes over your life.

You work on every kind of shoot– feature, TV, commercial, industrial, big budgets, small budgets, budgets that climb on rocks.  I think you work up to fifty days on any single project (assuming it lasts that long).  Then, on weekends, you take classes.  This goes on for two years.

And when you’re done, you get to be a 2nd 2nd!

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Posted in On the Job, The Industry

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