Upward Mobility
As we approach the end of the televsion season, Jason writes in about moving onward and upward to other shows: I work on a tv show right now as a PA, but really I do more personal assistant type work for one of the shows producers. It’s not that the job isn’t a good one, […]
How to Schedule a Meeting
After Sunday’s get-together, I received a few emails like the following{{1}}– Hi, APA! I met a lot of people on Sunday but I don’t know a polite way to continue the connection. Do I just call them out of the blue? Email? Text? Several of them are PAs (like me) and work 60+ hours a […]
Out Times
Marvin asks: What is the process of getting “out times” from the working trucks? One of the more important aspects of the [glossary slug=’production-report’]PR[/glossary] is recording the times every member of the crew started and ended their day, along with any meal penalties, NDBs, and stuff like that. As I’ve explained before, each department is […]
Some Writers Are Oblivious
If you’ve never been on a multicamera series, it’s a lot like being on a play that has a one-night engagement. There’s a lot of set up and rehearsal and honing everything down to the last detail, so you can perform it for a singular audience. You only get one shot at it,{{1}} and thus […]
Your Driving Record
Andrew writes in: I just got offered a potential PA job pending a drivers license check, and I was wondering what the requirements are that production companies look for regarding license checks. Most of the time, they just want to make sure that you have a license (and insurance), so they can send you on runs. […]
Can I Be an Office And a Set PA?
Janice writes in: I just landed an office PA job for a pilot that has a good chance of going to series. But all of the jobs I’ve had so far have been on set. I’m nervous; I don’t want to be stuck in the relatively small office and never see set, or be just […]
Are Webseries Experience?
Alex writes in: Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to work as a set PA on a SAG webseries. It was a great crew, I am unsure about how this rates as credible experience. What are your thoughts about PA experience on webseries? All experience is experience. Put it on your resume. Here’s the thing that’s hard […]
This Is What Your Producer Thinks of You – A Guest Post
An anonymous producer wrote me an email to, as she put it, “vent.” But I think the perspective offered is extremely valuable, and offers a much-needed wake up call for many production assistants. I started out as a PA myself – both office and set. It took me about 2 years to move up. The […]
Walkie PA
Without a doubt, one of the most obnoxious jobs on any set is the “walkie PA.” It’s not like handling the walkies is your entire job; in fact, that’s part of the problem. Checking walkies in and out, getting them repaired, trading out headsets– these things take up a significant amount of your day, yet […]
Advice from Other People
Giovanni writes in: I’m eyeing a few productions that will shoot in Louisiana this summer. For an on location shoot, when does the hiring process usually start? Is it constantly ongoing? I assume it happens during pre-production but how far in advance I have no clue- weeks, months? I have already sent in my resume […]
Set PA Kit
Unlike most of the crew, office production assistants don’t really need a kit. Occasionally, they have to bring their personal computer for work, but that’s about it. The production pays for everything else an office PA might need. One of the responsibilities that usually falls on office PAs is ordering office supplies. One of the […]
How to Fill Out Your Start Work
At the beginning of every show, everyone must fill out [glossary]start work[/glossary],{{1}} yet a distressing number of people don’t know how to do it. I once had this conversation with a makeup artist who had more years in this industry than I had on this Earth: [scrippet]INT. PRODUCTION OFFICE – DAY A woman with a […]