Manly Men
I’m not the most macho of men. I don’t know anything about cars or sports (although I do have an avowed fondness for boobs and explosions). Still, there is a kind of silent male communication I can participate in. I was passing out callsheets, and I happened to be walking about ten paces behind one […]
Learning the Hard Way
Well, maybe not the hardest way, but still, I learned. I got myself a fancy new phone last week, and the first thing I did was figure out how to turn my phone on vibrate. This is a very important feature on any phone, when you work on a film set. In fact, if you’re […]
Pick Ups
This funny little story was related to me recently: The office PA was sent out for a few items that were needed on set ASAP. (Everything’s always needed ASAP; I’m not sure why anyone even bothers to say “ASAP” anymore.) The art department needed some rubber gloves; make-up and wardrobe were low on Polaroid film, […]
Film Set Confidential
Just about every call sheet I’ve ever seen had some variation of the following written across the top: CLOSED SET NO VISITORS WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL FROM THE UPM. Just once, I’d like to see, OPEN SET BRING YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR NEIGHBORS’ FRIENDS! Same thing goes for the scripts. They’re all stamped “CONFIDENTIAL,” with […]
Colorful Response
Just over a week ago, I related an anecdote about the producer’s assistant indirectly checking that the intern was doing her job correctly. A lot of people took exception to the assistant’s methods. Final Girl’s comment was typical: What a passive agressive moron. I hate people. I have to admit, this surprised me. At the […]
Blasé
I know a guy who started out working in porn. Not in porn, but as a cameraman. Although he did admit he’d have to wrap his arms around a big, sweaty, greased up hunk of man in order to get some of the more interesting angles. Anyway. The point is, he told me it was […]
Miles and Miles
Sorry for the late post today, but I was sent on a run the moment I walked in the door. Runs are one of the main differences between set and office production assistants. Set PAs stay on set all day, everyday (or longer; they’re the first to arrive and last to leave, other than teamsters). […]
It’s Rather Easy Being Green, Actually
In recent months, there’s been much discussion of shows “going green.” Don’t believe a word of it. I heard on some entertainment show or other that a particular show-that-shall-remain-nameless is reducing paper by giving all of the actors Kindles. I happen to know a guy on said show. When I told him about the story, […]
Colorize
This morning, the showrunner’s assistant came in the office and asked our intern, “Which pot has the decaf coffee in it? The orange or the brown?” The intern replied, “I think orange is always decaf.” “It is. That was just my polite way of making sure you knew.” Makes me wonder how many questions he […]
Links, Links, and More Links
I received a very lovely email today, from Heather of Howcast.com: Your blog makes me laugh, and reminds me why I ran far from set work…It’s not easy! Although, the “There’s Always Someone Below You” post made me happy….it’s *not* easy, but it has its rewards for sure. Anyway, I figure as a PA, you […]
Identity
You may have noticed that I rarely mention anyone’s name on this blog. That’s partly to protect my anonymity, and partly because that’s how I actually think of them. It’s funny, after a few years on the job, you start to be able to identify most positions on sight. The camera guys are generally clean […]
Overheard in the Catering Line II
Or is it III, since I double posted the last one? Anyway. I was standing behind a couple of PAs from another department. Post, maybe? In any case, I overheard the following conversation, as they were perusing the food options– “What should we get for him?” (Their department head, I assume.) “I dunno. He said […]