Bart Gets to Sit Up Front, Because He’s a Good Guy at Sports
Hey, remember when the Simpsons was good? Anyway. That’s what I thought of when I got an email from another Anonymous PA: Almost nobody I work with is a “real” fan of movies or TV. I read THR and Variety every morning, and a few other industry new sources so I can chat about things […]
Stop! Overtime!
A lot of people like overtime, because it means more money than they’d planned on. Not me. I budget. (Well, Mrs. TAPA budgets; I mostly ask her when it’s okay to spend money.) I don’t just budget money, but also time. Twelve hour days are plenty, thank you very much. I greatly value the free […]
Making an Ass Out of You and Umption
Yesterday, I told you to stop asking so many damn questions. Today, I’m going to tell you to ask questions. I like to mix it up like that. You see, sometimes the boss just isn’t clear. Take, for example, my boss. Yesterday, he asked me to gather all the information I could find about possums. […]
Working Together
It is possible for the crew to get along.
Callsheets
Callsheets are weird, aren’t they? They’re legal-size sheets of paper, covered from top to bottom, on both sides, with ten-point font. It’s just packed with information. For most people the crew call on the front, and their department’s call on the back, is all they’ll ever look at. Hair and make-up need to know when […]
Ask Questions
As I’ve said before, I don’t do PA work for the money. I get paid, sure, but the pay is so ridiculously low that if that was my only reason, I’d quit and become a stock boy. The hours are better, and I’d actually have insurance. No, the reason to be a PA is to […]
Reflections on the Oscars
Don’t worry, this won’t be as long as Ken Levine’s. (Nor probably as funny.) My main thought is about Sandra Bullock. I haven’t seen The Blind Side. (My mom recommended it, which kinda pushes it down on my Netflix queue.) Anyway, the general consensus is that she won not so much for this particular performance, […]
Workin’ on the Night Shift
One of the worst things you can read in next week’s script is, “EXT. [WHEREVER] – NIGHT.” Say goodbye to your weekend. Say goodbye to your wife and kids. Say goodbye to good, old fashioned sunlight. You see, we can fake a lot of things in television, but when you’ve gotta shoot outside, day is […]
Picky Picky
Whether you’re on set or in the office, lunch is always provided (unless you work on a cheap-ass reality show; then all bets are off). Of course, if you’re somewhere else, as I am right now,{{*}} you might miss out on the food. If you’re lucky, someone will remember to set aside a plate for […]
Pet Peeve
Scripts change in TV. They change a lot. The first draft distributed to department heads is usually just a rough guide. You know, so location managers can start scouting, construction crews can start building, casting directors can start casting. That draft will be rewritten at least a half dozen times before filming begins. Sometimes these […]
Time Lords
When you work in Hollywood, whether in features or TV, your time is not your own. For starters, a normal day is twelve hours. And that’s twelve hours of filming. Several departments (production, make up, locations, transpo) have to come in before call or stay well after wrap. So, half the day gone just working. […]
Reality, TV
I had a strange experience yesterday. I saw someone I know on TV. Now, when you work in television, of course you see people you know, particularly if you watch the show you work on. But this wasn’t a show I’ve ever worked for. What was strange is that I knew this guy before I […]