What’s a Base Camp PA?
Justin writes in: Recently I was on a passion project as a PA with a very knowledgable 2nd AD. I told him I was interested in being an office PA, and he showed me paperwork that office PAs have to work with, like something called an “[glossary]exhibit G[/glossary]” and getting out times and such. He […]
Twelve Hours Not Guaranteed
In the last year or so, I’ve noticed a trend among the bigger studios– no 12 hour guarantee for production assistants. Technically, the law took effect on January 1st, 2013, but not every studio has pressed the issue. Others, like Warner Brothers, have realized that they can save money by not guaranteeing a twelve hour […]
When Will I Get Paid?
Emily writes in{{1}}: I recently worked for a major out-of-town TV show as a casting assistant, though it was technically my first time casting. Before then, I had been working for free as a PA and personal assistant and have another paid position coming up next year as a production coordinator. I’m currently job searching […]
What’s a Production Secretary?
Adam writes in: I just got an interview for a new gig Monday as a Production Secretary. For some reason none of the scripted shows I have worked on have ever had a Production Secretary. A former APOC recommended me and so I assume she feels I am capable of handling the job but I […]
When Is an Intern Not an Intern?
When she’s an unpaid PA, of course! B.W. writes in: Most of my experience comes from working for producers in the advertising world as an intern. I’ve been able to work on a lot of really great commercials with a lot of notable clients, but my positions were always “production intern,” “intern,” etc. However, in […]
Experience is a Terrible Teacher
There’s an old saying: “Experience is the best teacher.” That’s stupid.
Reality Television is Very Different
D writes in: I have a few friends in the industry who have told me to NEVER work in reality production. I recently moved back to LA from Atlanta and have a lot of experience producing independent film and TV. I know the game is bigger in LA and am happy to start off working […]
A High Class Problem: How to Choose Between Two Offers
Nick writes in: I recently was called by a Production Coordinator I’ve worked with previously for an Office PA position on a TV show. He mentioned the show’s producer/writer was also in need of an assistant, and if I preferred I could take that position. Which position make the most sense to take from a […]
Your First Day on Set
Below is a reprint of a guest post I wrote for the Work in Entertainment blog. If you’ve never worked on set, you should give it a read. It covers everything: where to go, who to talk to, what you’re going to eat.{{1}} And if you haven’t heard of Work in Entertainment, you should definitely […]
What’s Taking So Long?
Different types of shows have their own rhythms. Multi-camera shows build slowly, from a simple table read and maybe a rehearsal on day one, all the way up to the full-0n craziness of a 16 hour shoot night. Single-camera comedies can be a grind, because something is always going on, whether it’s a tech scout or […]
Looking for the Next Gig
First up: a reminder to check out the Kickstarter campaign for Crew Call. On to the real topic of the day! Holly writes in with a question that a lot of people can probably relate to right about now: With a little over a week left of shooting, talk of “the next show” has already […]
Coming to America
Jess writes in: I’m an experienced production set, location and office runner in Britain (basically our equivalent of a PA, sure you know that…) with loads of credits in prime-time UK TV programmes. I’ve wanted to work in the US since ‘always’ but can’t for the life of me work out how to get my […]