What Time of Year Do Shows Hire?
Linda asks: If a television production is nearly done shooting for the season, would this be considered a poor time to contact the production office to inquire about open positions for a production assistant? If so, when is the appropriate time to contact a television production office? Most shows are nearly done by now, if […]
A PA in Oregon
Megan asks: I’m living up in Oregon at the moment, trying to work out how get down to LA and really dive into the job hunt for a paying PA gig. Recently, however, it was announced that a cable TV show is relocating to Oregon and, from what I’ve heard, production is supposed to start […]
Can You Be a PA and a Student at the Same Time?
Reader Leah (I know she spells it with an “h,” but I’ve been told I don’t use enough pictures) writes: I’ve been corresponding with a producer at a big company in my city (Turner Broadcasting in Atlanta) regarding being a PA (a set PA, I believe). She said I could either be a volunteer for […]
Office PA Vs. Set PA
What is the difference between the two main types of production assistant?
Who Hires a PA?
Samantha writes: I’m a soon-to-be college grad, and I’m planning on moving out to LA this summer. I was wondering who it is I should be contacting to get a PA position? People have told me numerous positions like the AD and the UPM, but I don’t know who I really should be getting in […]
Touching Base
Reader Pamela writes: I was working on an awards show recently, hired as a recipient andpresenter wrangler, within one day bumped up to assistant stage manager for the recipient and presenters stage within one day. The executive producers and Stage manager praised me several times and said they would love to have me work for […]
Following Up or Pestering?
Reader Janice emailed this question: I’ve been a PA for three gigs now but never on a “visiting” set, where the main production happens in, say, NYC, and small portions are filmed in, say, DC. The PA from NYC called on Monday and said that I’d be working today through next Monday on a feature […]
Questions, Questions
In response to yesterday’s post, univoked asked if writers’ conferences could be helpful in finding an agent. Ugly Deaf Muslim Punk Gurl! replied: Writers’ conferences aren’t really for screenwriters, they’re for BOOK writers. So if you’re looking for a literary agent for a BOOK you’re writing, then you could go to a conference. Otherwise, don’t […]
Sympathy
I’ve found a distinct lack of sympathy for my current joblessness. In the business, you’re in and out of work all the time. You get used to it pretty quickly. But when you’re friends and family hear that your show just got cancelled, you get barraged with, “Oh, I’m so sorry! Do you have another […]
Fun with Walkie Talkies
My wife says I’ve been too negative, lately, so I thought I’d tell you about some stupid fun a friend of mine got me into. Walkie talkies are omnipresent on film sets. Anything bigger than a student film uses them. Because of this ubiquity, the lingo we use (a bizarre mash-up of police codes and […]
Why Are You Even Here?
While I may be replaceable, she doesn’t even need to be replaced.
Replaceable
I heard the following story second hand, but I believe it, because the director in question is a real bitch. (For my feminist readers, please don’t interpret my use of the word “bitch” as “I can’t handle working for a woman because I’m part of the repressed, straight white male hegemony.” I’ve worked for plenty […]