How to Quit
Michael writes: I am a creative assistant for a feature film director. I like and respect the director, but, because of an array of circumstances, I am seeking employment elsewhere. My question is this: how do I quit without completely ruining the contact and relationship I have with him? Keep in mind it’s not going to be brutally ugly for […]
Apple on set
Here’s a short digression from the normal PA stuff: Despite the disillusionment I still somehow find some good in my blackened heart to help friends out on their shoots (as long as they’re not, you know, on the beach) or foof around in filmmaking myself. Knowing firsthand the intensity, scale, and inevitable costs of production […]
UTA Joblist on TAPA
I’ve blogged about the joblist before, but for those of you who don’t know, it’s a basically just a list of job openings, compiled by assistants at the United Talent Agency. There are a number of places online to find the UTA Joblist, but lately, they all seem to be updating way too slowly. These […]
Dark Roast
Coffee. Oh, how I love thee. You’re my favorite thing outside of my iPhone and pictures of fail on the internet. And guess, what, everyone else around here loves you too! That is why I became hero for a day when I suggested to the coordinator if I should hit up Starbucks during my run, […]
Political Hires
They exist on every crew. They pop up in nearly any department. Just like Cylons, they look like the rest of us. They may even appear hardworking and good-natured, but make no mistake about it: Most of them are lazy, ineffective, and self-important. On my last show, I counted at least five of them. Always […]
Professional Email Address
Scott writes: I was told by someone that a gmail address is “more trusting” in the industry rather than using another free email or your own domains email. What do you think? The most important factor in an email is not what comes after the @ sign, but instead, what comes before. Sure, a Gmail […]
Email Cover Letters
Elysia asks: When a production, indie or major, asks for applicants to send a resume via email should you attach a cover letter as well or write it in the body of the email? Absolutely include a cover letter. Without a cover letter, people will assume you just don’t care about the job, and you’re […]
Big Move
As you may have noticed, there’s been some changes around TAPA. I found a replacement TAPA, who is an excellent writer and very knowledgeable about the business. I may pop in every now and then to write a post, but I’m guessing you won’t even notice the change. The other change is… we’ve moved! TAPA […]
Beach Party Summer
In honor of Memorial Day: One of the best things about the entertainment industry being planted in LA is the gorgeous pacific coastline that offers such breathtaking scenery. It’s pretty much an unavoidable filming location. I love the beach (though I try not to think about where the city’s sewage goes) and you’d think that […]
How Old Is Too Old?
Barbara asks: I had a question about age – I looked through your posts but was not able to find any posts about it – how old is ‘too old’ from what you’ve seen in the work field? Are people willing to hire inexperienced PAs only in their early 20s? I’ve met at least two […]