Don’t Be An Asshole
Everyone is going nuts right now because NBC fired Dan Harmon from his show, COMMUNITY. I’m not allowed to voice my opinion in real life, because friends of mine work on that show and because I’m friends-in-law with Dan. So I’m going to blog about it instead. If you’re an asshole who insists on wallowing […]
Can I Take My Computer In There With Me?
Sometimes, a PA task requires you to go into another room and work all by yourself. Prepping wrap gifts and proofreading the script and making ID badges have all sent me to production office exile. I could not – in a million years – dream of asking, “Can I take my computer in there with […]
Interview Prep
I had an interview yesterday for a writer’s PA gig on a new TV show. My last few interviews have gone pretty well, so maybe I walked in a little too cocky. It turned out to be my worst interview in years. Part of it were elements beyond my control. While in the lobby, I heard […]
“In the Next Day or Two…”
As my unemployment comes to a temporary respite, I was thinking about a phrase I’ve heard a lot lately: Expect a call in the next day or two. Usually, it’s a friend of mine who calls to tell me about a job opening. He (or she) gives me the preliminary info and tells me that […]
Turning Down Work
On my last show, I was bumped up to Production Secretary during wrap. The bump was largely nominal (although I did also receive a raise), since I was performing essentially the same duties I had already been performing. As we were winding down, I was told, “TAPA, you shouldn’t have to PA again. After this, […]
“Hey, Remember Me… Gimme a Job”
Hollywood is slow right now. Everyone I talk to seems to be in agreement. As I mentioned, more and more shows are packing up for the Bayou State. Consequently, I’ve started actively emailing old bosses, checking to see if they or anyone they know is hiring. During most unemployment spells, the calls come to me. […]
I Saved Latin
This is how I feel about the haters in the comment threads: While I appreciate the feedback, it’s tough to take you seriously when your email address is “MovieMan94@hotmail.com”.
When to Lie in an Interview
I interviewed recently to be the assistant to an EP on a network TV show. My interview philosophy has changed over the last few years. When I first started out, I lied my way through nearly every question in an interview. When they’d ask what I wanted to do in Hollywood for the rest of […]
Louisiana
I saw the best minds of my generation… take their shows to Louisiana. Okay, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but more and more, it seems like every show is filming in The Pelican State. As we speak, roughly thirty shows are in Louisiana. THIRTY! That includes Cataclysm, Ender’s Game, Django Unchained, and the Untitled Diablo […]
First Day Jitters
I’ve spent my fair share of time in production offices. From sea to shining sea. Well… from Brentwood to Burbank. And in all of those offices, I’ve experienced the same emotion on my first day: Nervousness. There’s no good reason for me to be anxious. Relatively little is expected of a PA on their first […]
Taxes: A Follow-Up
Filed my taxes this morning. NGL: 2011 was a good year. My accountant even remarked, “Wow. It looks like you’ve been working a lot.” Why yes, I have. Here’s what she was able to write off for me: Home office and utilities.{{1}} My iPhone 4 Mac OS X Snow Leopard Gas, oil changes, new tires, […]
My Meeting with the Unemployment People
Two weeks ago, I received a letter from the EDD, telling me that I had an appointment to go in and talk to someone about my job search. On the back of the letter was a worksheet for me to fill in the information for six jobs that I had applied to within the last […]