Jury Duty
Adam writes in: I have jury duty coming up soon. How do you handle this as a PA that can’t really miss work – professionally and financially? Have you had to work around that yet? I know the feeling. If you’re on a show, the best course is to just tell your boss. No company […]
Don’t Be Dumb With Your Smartphone
Michael Taylor is an old curmudgeon, but at least he admits that he is a curmudgeon, cf. this week’s Blood Sweat, and Tedium. In it, he complains about the ubiquitous use of cell phones, not just on sets, but everywhere in modern society. While I don’t remember ever not having a computer in my home […]
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 […]
Celebrity Handling
Kendra asks: I was wondering if you have any advice on the right way to go about interacting with big name celebrities on set. Some people say to not talk to them and just be there for when you are needed, others say to treat them like a normal person so they feel comfortable around […]
I Didn’t Know I Didn’t Know
Every boss wants you to be proactive, to take care of things without checking with them every five minutes, to figure things out for yourself. Except, of course, when they don’t. Every once in awhile, I run into a situation like the following: the set PA called and said they needed a stand-by painter on […]
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. […]
My Twenty What?
“What’s your twenty?” This is a question you will be asked frequently when you’re a set PA. If you don’t know what that means, you’ll be recognized as the greenest greenie who ever greened. Luckily, you read this blog, and I’ll tell you what it means! Your “twenty” is your location. It comes from CB […]
Calls Outside Work Hours
Working a twelve to sixteen hour job is bad enough. No one wants to be reminded of work during the few hours a day when they are both not at work and not asleep. But sometimes, you just have to call them. Maybe you need the UPM’s approval, or you need to tell a crew […]
Reading Material
I recently got a comment from Dawn Climie, who runs a blog called Don’t Shoot the Costumer. Naturally, I clicked her link, and found the blog an entertaining and engaging read. If you haven’t heard of her, you should check her out, too. It’s got great advice and fun stories, whether you’re interested in the […]
Some Animals Are Less Equal Than Others
What is about people not getting paid lately? An anonymous reader wrote in: I’ve heard it is common for independent films to not pay their PA’s, but is it weird if some PA’s are paid and others are not? When I started I was told that the film I am on is not paying their […]