I Have Experience… Should I Still Go to PA Bootcamp?
Lonnie writes in: I have two questions: First, what kind of help are you requesting for your new video? I’d like to be involved. That’s easy. Since there have already been several TAPAs, I got the idea that we could all be TAPA. So, I’m asking a bunch of readers/listeners to record themselves giving the […]
Big Announcement
When you work in production (and if you’re reading this blog, I assume you either do or want to), plans change all the time. As the saying goes, the reed bends with the wind, where the mighty oak breaks. Such was the case yesterday. We had planned for Crew Call producer Chris Henry to make […]
Technical Difficulties
It had to happen some time, folks. Twenty amazing episodes, and then PPPBLLT. Due to technical difficulties, there will be no Crew Call this week. I could explain to you what went wrong,{{1}} but I don’t want to bore you with the details. All you need to know is, Crew Call will be back next […]
Line Producer Ryan Murphy
Today’s guest is Ryan Murphy. No, not the creator of Glee and American Horror Story. He’s above the line. Our Ryan Murphy is a line producer, with Danger Close Media. Don’t let the word “producer” in the title fool you. He’s not the kind of producer who wears slick suits and shows up on set […]
Stunt Rigger Joe Ross
Today’s guest is a stunt rigger, and also a co-owner of Action Factory Stunts. Joe Ross started out as a stunt man at stunt shows (what he calls “Blade Runner meets Cirque Du Soleil,” which is definitely a show I want to see). Now, as part-owner of Action Factory, he coordinates and rigs stunts. Joe […]
What I’ve Been Up To
Dear Constant Reader, I want to apologize for the dearth of regular programming here at The Anonymous Production Assistant. I’ve been on location{{1}} for the past month or so, because runaway production is still a thing. The only reason Crew Call has been going up on a regular basis without delay is the hard work […]
Post Production Coordinator Zach Moss
Today we hear from post production coordinator Zach Moss, who is recently off the first seasons of Red Widow and Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. He’ll tell us about stock footage, post production security, and the many uses of the back of the actors’ heads. (No, really!) The producer of today’s episode was Chris Henry, who […]
Special Effects Technician Ken Petrie
Ken Petrie joins us for an in-depth discussion of special effects. (NOT visual effects!) In today’s episode, you’ll learn weird British acronyms, why every show from World War Z to Call the Midwife needs effects, and how to spell “Motjuoadi.” Plus, Channing Tatum is every bit as awesome as you dreamed he would be. The […]
Crew Call Episode 005: Casting Director Stacey Tenenbaum
In today’s episode, TAPA talks with casting director Stacey Tenenbaum. She tells us about the standard path to getting into casting (there isn’t one), the usual length of time it takes to cast a show (there isn’t one), and the typical day for a casting director (there isn’t one). The producer of today’s episode was […]
Crew Call Episode 003: Set Lighting Technician Michael Taylor
This week, we’re joined by set lighting technician, Michael Taylor, aka The Hollywood Juicer. Along with being an electrician with decades of experience on sets, he also writes the Blood, Sweat, and Tedium blog, which regular readers of TAPA are very familiar with. Mike tells us about the difference between single camera and multicamera sets, […]
Crew Call Episode 002: Location Manager Nathan Gendzier
In today’s episode, Nathan Gendzier tells us all about location management, from aesthetic considerations to logistic requirements. At the end of the episode, Nathan also weighs in on the Sarah Jones tragedy. If you’re unfamiliar with what happened on the set of Midnight Rider, The Hollywood Reporter has a thorough summary here. Nathan also writes […]
Crew Call Episode 001: Camera Assistant Evan Luzi
In the premier episode of Crew Call, TAPA speaks with camera assistant, and creator of The Black and Blue blog, Evan Luzi. He tells about being on the front lines of the set, the 12on12off initiative, and skinny dipping. If you want to learn more about 12on12off, visit Haskell Wexler’s website. To download the episode, […]