The Anonymous Production Assistant

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 […]

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 […]

Many Kinds of PAs

First of all, what the hell, Warner Brothers? I feel like I can get onto the Universal lot with a smile and a jaunty doff of my cap. Anyway, moving on to the actual topic at hand. I received this tweet last week: @TheAnonymousPA Hi there, any chance you could do a blog about Post […]

Shoes

Gee, I’m getting a lot of set questions lately. J.G. writes in: I would also love suggestions for the types of shoes/sneakers that are most comfortable for those 14+ hour days on set? Are those custom shoe inserts worth the cost? Nothing is worse than coming home with throbbing feet every night! I’m not super […]

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 […]

Walk, Don’t Run

When you’re on set, everything is urgent. Everything is needed now. Or, if they’re really in a hurry, right now. At least, that’s what it feels like, when you’re in the thick of it. You wanna get this shot before the sun goes down, before we lose the location, before the crew goes into overtime. […]

How to Get on The List

Korey writes in: I was curious about how to go about contacting productions directly to be added to their “available list” for PA work. I know that a lot of productions operate under several different companies, and the information available on IMDb Pro isn’t always accurate. I live in Hollywood and have worked on some […]

Production Meetings

Kara writes in: I have been talking to an AD for a TV show about getting a job as a Set PA for their upcoming season. He has contacted me about setting up an interview, but this happened a couple of weeks ago and I haven’t heard from him since. Thanks to social media, I […]

Question Regarding Set PAs

E writes: For the past couple of months, I just went through a whirl wind tunnel of day playing scripted shows and some features, and just landed my first full time additional set PA job. I’m green, but at least I know enough to know that I’m green. With that being said, do you have […]

TAPA On Set

An Office PA’s place is in the office. (Any loyal readers want to embroider that on a pillow for me?) So when an Office PA ventures on set, it creates a classic fish-out-of-water scenario. On my last show, I had to accompany the supervisor’s seventeen-year-old neighbor to set. She sat there, starry-eyed, watching take after […]