Good Enough Is Not Good Enough
It’s a little sad to think about, but the basic minimum requirements of a PA are easy to meet.
But not everybody can do it well.
Awkward Conversation
An anonymous reader writes in: Recently, the 2nd AD kinda said something inappropriate and made me feel uncomfortable. I kinda just told him I wasn’t comfortable with what he said, and we moved on. So I thought. After that incident, I haven’t really heard anything from him as far as work was concerned. When I […]
Gun Safety
This is a story from a few years ago, back when I was a set PA on shitty indie movies. And by “indie,” I really mean “Skinemax.”{{1}} The movie was described as an “erotic action thriller.” It was about a team of women who were spies by night, and strippers by… other nights? I’m not […]
There’s Lazy, And Then There’s This
It’s been a while since I complained about ADs, so how’s about I do that right now? We had a [glossary]tech scout[/glossary] on yesterday. When the party bus{{1}} returned, the 1st AD called the office and asked for a PA to come down and gather the stuff that people had left behind. Now, our production […]
Sympathy for the Departments
Every morning, the office receives a [glossary]production report[/glossary] in [glossary]the football[/glossary]. And every morning, the production report is wrong. A PR, for those who don’t know, is a bizarro call sheet. Instead of telling you what you’re going to do tomorrow, it tells you what you actually did yesterday. It lists the scenes that were shot, in […]
Which Schedule?
I’m often surprised at the number of people who don’t know that ADs create more than one kind of schedule. Frequently, experienced crew members will come into the office and ask for “the” schedule, only to be baffled when I ask, “which one?” So, here’s a quick primer on what’s what: The most common schedule […]
Do As I Do, Not As I Say
An AD by the name of Jason Roberts recently commented on a post from a couple months ago: I would like to think that you didn’t actually call background artists “untalented actors”. Maybe I am misreading your sense of humor. Just in case it wasn’t in jest, I would like to point out how very […]
Extra Wrangling
Jay asks: I’m starting my first set PA job on a big-time scripted cable TV drama. I was just told that I’m the one who is going to oversee background (extras). I’m guessing I will be in charge of the non-union and SAG-AFTRA vouchers. What other duties should I expect, and what tips can other […]
Locking Up the Unlockable
Brett asks: What’s a good line to give someone during lock up and they’ve just asked what authority you have to keep them from walking into your shot? For the uninitiated (which is most of you; why else are you reading the blog?)– “lock up” is when you stand guard blocking some strategic pathway that […]
Celebrity Handling
Kendra asks: I was wondering if you have any advice on the right way to go about interacting with big name celebrities on set. Some people say to not talk to them and just be there for when you are needed, others say to treat them like a normal person so they feel comfortable around […]
Tell Me About Yourself
Carlos asks: On an interview, what do you say when they ask that question: “Can you tell me about yourself?” Should I be brief and just talk about what I want to do (be a producer) and go over my resume, or you should mention where you studied, skills, etc. Whats the best way to […]
How Crises Start – Comic
Today, we’re introducing a new weekly feature, an Anonymous Production Assistant comic!