The Anonymous Production Assistant

How to Move Jobs and Cities at the Same Time

The Jeffersons

Stuck in New York{{1}} writes: I am currently located in NY and want to move to LA. I have worked in post-production as a transcriber and assistant editor for 3 years on different reality shows and it stains my soul. I want to be in a writer’s room or have a position that writing is […]

The Minimum Wage and You

Several readers have asked how I think LA’s minimum wage increase will affect PAs. Well, it means we’ll get paid more. There’s a whole bunch of caveats to go with that, though. First of all, the $15 an hour minimum wage you’ve been hearing so much about doesn’t take effect until 2020. I would hope […]

Use Your Boredom

Kelly asks: I was in film school and started this internship at a film production company here in Hollywood. I learned a lot, but just as I was ready to leave they hired me for 6 months to run their office while they went on location for their next production. So now I’m alone in […]

Living at Home

Alexandra writes: I am a graduating senior in college, and I have plans to move with another student to LA after graduation. I wouldn’t be relocating far (my family is in north Orange County). My mom has been very supportive, but she worries. She advises me to stay home for a year and save money, […]

Fake Address

Erica writes in: First, I want to thank you for all of your awesome advice– I know it’s greatly appreciated by your readers and once-blind-wanderers like myself. Secondly, I want to ask about getting work before moving down to LA. I know that in previous posts you’ve said you need to be in LA to […]

Where Should I Spend My Money?

Carlos writes in: I have been working at an office for a little over a year now. In that time, I have managed to save approximately $5,000. I have since quit my boring office-job and am planning to make the move to L.A. to become a production assistant. If I were to move now, I […]

Should I Stay in Los Angeles?

Ken writes: I just graduated from film school and moved to LA like various people advised me to do. Now, I’m here and looking for nearly any PA job I can find (yay having little to no experience…) and what I keep hearing is how people don’t really film features in LA much anymore. I […]

The Future of Networking Is Here

People often write in that they’ve just moved to Los Angeles, and they don’t know how to meet people. Well, first of all, you should come to the TAPA Networking Event this weekend! But there’s not a TAPArty every weekend, you say? Luckily for you, the Internet exists. There are plenty of Facebook groups, Meet […]

What’s the Right Area Code for You?

Will writes in: I’m new to the area, and want to get a local number before I start sending out resumes for set PA positions. I’m wondering what area code is the best for a PA in the LA area to have. There are droves of internet articles out there about area code snobbery, and […]

Working in Another State

Reader Amy writes in: Do you know anything about working on a show in a different state while maintaining permanent residence in Los Angeles? I see posts about people wanting to hire locals but does that mean I have to have a license/ID from that state or do I just have to physically live there? […]