Emily writes in:
Unfortuantely I dont live in L.A. but hope to move soon. I know that with no experience I should start looking for a job or internship which will help me, if very little at least somewhat when I move.
Here in [redacted] the PA jobs are scarce and usually unpaid which is fine but I am desperate to start somewhere. I got a call from a video production and rental complex, for a receptionist position. I know that I will learn a lot about the different equipment used for movies, tv, commercials, etc. I just wanted to ask you, since you have so much experience, if you think this indeed will help me out in the long run? Or should I maybe wait to see if a PA internship pops up.
The thing that will help you most in the long run is getting started.
You Are a Unique and Special Snowflake
Landing a PA gig the day you set foot in LA would be great. So would selling your first spec script or getting cast in a pilot off an open call.
But none of those are very likely.{{1}} Keep going to auditions, keep re-writing your scripts, and take any job you can get in the business.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned interviewing people for Crew Call/The Call Sheet, it’s that nobody got their start the same way. Some people had to pay their dues working for free; others got in through trainee programs. You might get a job in a department you’re interested in, or you might not. You probably won’t work on a big network show or studio picture; more likely, you’ll find a spot on independent film sets first, or commercials, or industrials, or music videos, or even porn. You may fall backwards into filmmaking, through a friendly connection or a family member.
Lots and lots of people find their first job at a vendor– a prop house, a post house, a camera house.{{2}} It’s a great way to make connections and learn the technical side of your department. Plus, it’s more stable work than freelancing, which can be nice.
But even after you get your foot in the door, there are still struggles along the way. Sure, some people interned in college, but lots of internships don’t lead (directly) to your first paid gig. I’ve known people with family connections, only to have their career stall out when their favorite uncle retired.
Your path is going to be different than everyone else’s, and that includes the starting point, so don’t sweat it. Just get started.
[[1]]Admittedly, some are more likely than others.[[1]]
[[2]]I genuinely just realized I have no idea why these are all “houses.”[[2]]
