Am I Too Small?
Indy (a college student) writes in: I’m currently in college, and I’m interested in working behind the scenes for film and television. I would love to someday become a cinematographer, but one question that I’ve always wondered is if I’m too small to hold and operate a camera for long periods of time. I’m very […]
Sound Mixer Chris Henry
Today’s guest is a voice you may find familiar– our very own producer, Chris Henry. Besides recording and editing Crew Call, Chris is an on-set sound mixer for indie movies. He’s relatively new to Los Angeles, and so I felt his experiences might be useful to some of the younger listeners out there, who are […]
Shit Happens
I just saw this post on Reddit: Christopher Nolan breaks the 180 degree rule in The Dark Knight Can anyone explain why he did it, and also why it works? I’m new to film making, and I’ve been told that this rule is a rule that you shouldn’t break. But after seeing that Christopher Nolan […]
Production Designer Vincent Reynaud
Today’s episode features yet another department about which I know precious little. Our guest is a production designer, Vincent Reynaud. We talk about color, design, and many things I just plain don’t understand. Plus, Vincent has a delightful accent. The producer of today’s episode was Chris Henry, who also wrote the theme. (I screwed up […]
Hey, You! With the Face!
I’m not sure about you guys but one of the biggest problems for me on a set is remembering everyone’s name. Seriously, though. Especially when you are working a short commercial gig for one or two days? UGH. Every single time a gig starts and you have to ask someone for the 50th time what […]
October Mixer – Film Industry LA & TAPA, Together at Last!
The next meet-up is happening on October 26th. This time, it won’t be just PAs. We’re partnering with Film Industry LA to invite people from all fields of the entertainment industry. We’ll be gathering at Barney’s Beanery in Burbank (say that three times fast). We’re starting a little later than usual, 4:30pm, because apparently there […]
Costume Designer Eden Miller
Today’s guest is Eden Miller, a costume designer who’s worked on everything from soap operas to features. She’s even designed her own fashion line, Cabiria! This is one of those episodes where I went in almost totally blind. I know almost nothing about this department. Luckily, Eden knows everything, and gives us the lowdown from […]
Don’t Call People “Cunt”
You’d think that would go unsaid, but apparently not. Xaviar wrote me on Facebook: Enjoying your site I,m a comedy writer, stand up artist, & have a business which I label as a “Comedy Resource Specialist providing all comedy services. I still have a lot of goals to achieve but I’m at this crossroad where […]
Where Should I Spend My Money?
Carlos writes in: I have been working at an office for a little over a year now. In that time, I have managed to save approximately $5,000. I have since quit my boring office-job and am planning to make the move to L.A. to become a production assistant. If I were to move now, I […]
A Jogger’s Query
Can you just walk (jog) up to a film set and ask for a job?
Commercials on Your Resume
Commercials are so different from features and TV. Can you include them on your resume?
Taking Advantage
So there you are, working your ass off as a PA, running around and doing ridiculous tasks that you will never be able to properly explain to your parents. You love what you do as much as you hate it and you know this is the bottom rung of the Industry ladder. But have you […]