Reimbursement for Uber
Frank writes in about getting reimbursed for riding Uber: I chanced into a PA job with a very nice producer this past week. I had seen a “notice of filming” sign they post around LA, left a message on the number saying I’m an actor and am familiar with film sets if they need to […]
Tales from Lock Up
The other day, I tweeted out the above image, from Movie Set Memes, about lock up. I got some interesting responses: @TheAnonymousPA I was in New York City when they were filming I AM LEGEND. There was a lone PA “locking up” ped traffic near Madisen Ave. — Anthony Robinson (@antoniusrex) December 30, 2016 On […]
Confirm Your Schedule
The turning of the calendar got me thinking about dates, and scheduling. This is always a major headache in Hollywood, because you’re working with a lot of busy, important people who want to prove they’re important by pretending to be busy. As an assistant or a PA, scheduling a meeting can be difficult, especially when […]
Two Sides to Hollywood
When someone contacts me about my resume service, the first thing I ask is, “Do you want to be a PA, or an assistant?” Because, you see, there are two sides to Hollywood: the business side, and the production side. Here, I’m using “production” in the broadest sense, encompassing every department from art to editorial. […]
What To Do When You Don’t Get Paid
Ginny writes in about what to do when you’re not paid on time (or at all)– Hope all is well. I’ve got a question. So I worked on a production a month back in Atlanta. I still haven’t gotten paid (for the day), and now I’m hearing that the production was shut down. Accounting and […]
No Entertainment Industry Experience
Sally, one of my Patreon supporters, writes in about lacking entertainment industry experience: Thank you again for this week’s list! If you don’t mind and have a minute, would you please comment on my question for you? I want to be in the office and I have administrative experience, however, about 95% of the positions […]
To Whom It May Concern
Laura writes in about the proper salutation for a cover letter: One quick question: Should I address the letter to the person who is collecting the resumes or the person hiring? This is an easy one: the person who’s hiring. That’s who you’re trying to impress with your experience and accomplishments. For most readers of […]
The End of Year Slowdown
I was talking with producer Chris about an episode of Crew Call he recorded last night{{1}} One of the topics that came up was the holiday slowdown in Hollywood. Some of my newbie readers may not be aware of this phenomenon, so I thought now would be a good time to explain. Nothing Happens Between […]
The One Time Being a Fan Got Me a Job
Generally speaking, it’s not a good idea to talk about being a great big fan of the show you’re applying for. This business attracts a lot of weirdos, which makes people extra cautious when deciding whether or not to hire someone. They’re going to be working with you 12 hours a day for the next […]
Reconnecting Just to Ask for a Job
Fred writes in about reconnecting with an old boss: So, a field producer I worked for a couple years ago (I was a PA) recently started working on a show that I like. I haven’t actually spoken to him in maybe a year or so, but I want to ask him if he could pass […]
“But What I Really Want to Do is Direct” Or: How to Guarantee You Won’t Get the Job
Right now, on the TAPA job board, there is an opening for a Production Technical Assistant. A few hours after sharing that job post, I received this email from the employer– We have been getting a bunch of resume’s from people who “want to direct” or are “really writers”. I’ve had a bunch of people […]
Crew Call is Back!
Crew Call, the below-the-line podcast, is back for another season on iTunes!{{1}} Some of you may recall that TAPA created a podcast a couple years ago, wherein I interviewed below-the-line crew–DPs, editors, and so on. But because it was so time consuming and expensive, we only made one season. I was saddened by that, because […]