It’s a Habit

So, I haven’t written here in a while, and the reason is… there is no reason. Between being unusually busy at work and working on personal projects in my free time, there were a few weeks there where I just didn’t have time to blog. Another factor is the unrelenting series of emails that boil […]

Hearing, But Not Listening

Passing out the latest draft of a script, I often wonder, who really cares?  I’m not saying the script doesn’t matter; I’m saying it doesn’t really affect most people. The camera guys, the grips, the electrics– they’re just gonna show up where and when the call sheet tells them to.  They’ll set up where the […]

Elitist Prick

I was planning on writing a different post today, until I received a comment on Tuesday’s post from “PA.” I really liked this blog until your lecturing rant about the use of the word L.A. I can’t figure out if it’s just you trying to prove how smart you are or something else. People say […]

NYC Vs. Los Angeles

First off, I’d like to congratulate friend-of-the-blog Elana on her newborn.  You can read all about the birth/near-death here.  Also, if you haven’t read her posts “Life of a Pseudo-Writer” and “Life of a Pseudo-Writer II,” you should. On to PA business.  Tom writes: I have made the switch from being a stagehand to being […]

Secret Origins

Green PA commented on a post from a couple weeks ago, “The Curse of the Origin Story”: I recently got very lucky and was able to finagle my way out of the mail room and into a sweet PA job on the lot. I have been scouring IMDB to find the origins of all of […]

In Addition

Andrew writes in: My fiance recently fell into a PA position and landed a couple days on a movie.  After day two/three she was told they had enough PA’s for the next day and they would call her.  It has been a few days and no word back yet. A family member of mine works […]

Paying Off Debt

If you’re curious about working in Canada, be sure to check out yesterday’s comments.  Which reminds me, I recently got another email from America Jr: As a recent Canadian(Vancouver) graduate from film school I am in debts from upwards of 5000$. I quit my regular serving job in the summer to be available for on-call […]

Oh, Canadia!

LB writes: I will be relocating to Canada soon. Are all crew members of television productions shot in Canada, including set and office production assistants, required to be union members? If so, does this include American television productions shot in Canada? My knowledge of Canadian unions extends only so far as to know that they […]

No Experience Necessary! (Some Experience Required)

Leala writes: Ok, I keep reading “no experience” needed to PA. So why it so hard to land a PA job? I actually have some experience -film school, student projects, independent projects, game show pilot, award shows, major network webisode and even dayplayed in the production office of a network TV show. I get Production […]

Atlanta Isn’t Burning (With Jobs)

Kyle writes in: I recently stumbled across your blog and have really enjoyed the reading. I have a few questions I was hoping you might give some advice on. I have interned as a P.A. on a few different occasions for editing studios in Atlanta, Ga. However, now that I have graduated I am finding […]

Does Age Matter? – II

Adam writes in with another age-related question: How old are most office and set production assistants?  I mean, ignoring the happenstance of Hollywood, not to mention just finding those first few jobs, isn’t one looking at a commitment of several years just as PA before even the possibility of moving to a position higher up […]

Does Age Matter?

Reader Dan writes: I am 17, soon to be 18. When I am 18, or sort of maybe a few months after I’m 18, I wanted to be a PA for reality tlelevision. I’m worried I’m a bit too young to do this. I’ll be ready late this year or early 2010, depending on how […]