Chris writes:
From what I’ve gathered while reading archives, an office PA job is something you work your way up to, after starting in the trenches as a set PA.
Not really. I tease the set PAs, but we’re really in a parallel position. They’re not trying to work their way up into my job, nor vice versa.
I’ve read that the first step to gaining on set PA work is to fax a short cover letter and resume to the Assistant Location Manager.
I think I’ve heard that about the east coast. In Los Angeles, the ADs hire the set PAs. The locations department will often hire day players when we’re actually on location. The set PAs work whether we’re on stage or not.
My question is: how do you address your fax in the event that there is more than one ALM? I’ve seen production lists that have 3 names under the ALM heading.
Is it cool to say, “Hi Dave, Sandra, and John”, or does that look strange?
That does look strange. The fax should be addressed to a single person, or no one will read it. I’d do a little research, figure out if I have some sort of connection with one of them (i.e. they worked on a show that a friend of mine worked on).
Barring that, pick one at random. It can’t hurt your odds.
2 Responses
Location Managers (and ALM’s) never hire the Set P.A.s. Anywhere. (I’m an East Coast Location Manager — trust me on this one.)
Locations will hire Locations P.A.s, but their job is different from Set P.A.’s Example: Locations P.A.s don’t do pedestrian or crew lockups; they may work with the cops for traffic lockups. Locations P.A.s might be working at tomorrow’s location if there’s any kind of prep crew working there. Or they might be on set. They’re wherever the Location Manager needs them to be on any particular day while the 2nd A.D. needs to make sure he has enough Set P.A.s to do lockups, wrangle background, handle first team, etc. etc. etc.
If you want Set P.A. work, send your resume to the 2nd A.D. For Locations P.A. work, the resume goes to the Location Manager, not his/her assistants.