The Right Title
Alex writes: I got my first big PA job! A friend in the camera dept. put a good name in for me. I’m a 3D Camera PA for [REDACTED]. I was just curious how I should put that on my resume. Do I specify what kind of PA I am or just put Set PA […]
From Extra to PA
Kate writes in: What do you think about someone who works as an extra (background) to network with crew? I laughingly find it easy to get a job as an extra (they call me pretty often), but harder to get a job as a PA, since that’s a “who you know” job versus a “what […]
Should I Call When They Ask Me To Call?
A reader whose name I will withhold for obvious reasons writes– I’m a recent film graduate, and will be moving to LA soon. Not too long ago, a casting producer of [Big Time Reality Show] came to my school to give a presentation on reality TV. After the presentation, I introduced myself and told her […]
Think About It
Just about every time I post a new joblist, someone emails or tweets me, “Hey, TAPA, are all of these jobs for LA?” or something to that effect. Also on almost every joblist there is a section with the header, “NON-LA POSITIONS (All Locations/All Positions)”. In big, bold font, just like that. Now, I realize […]
Where Do I Go?
[Name Redacted]{{1}} asks: A question I’m always asking myself when I step on a set as a day player is where do I go? It can be confusing with so many people and so many trailers. And no one wants to be late for call time. So where do you go? First of all, don’t […]
Clocking Out
Some readers emailed me about my use of the term “clocking out” in yesterday’s post. No, there is no actual clock to punch on my show, or any show I’ve ever been on. No, nothing cool like that. We actually fill out time cards here in Hollywood. “That just seems really archaic, filling out a […]
Reporting Overtime
Reader Joe called my attention to this article on Deadspin, about a leaked memo to the crew of the X-Games in Brazil. In it, Severn Sandt, senior TV operations person for the X-Games Remote,{{1}} tells the crew to dress appropriately, don’t make fun of the locals (who he all but calls “lazy”), and remember that […]
Be A Morning Person
The production office is one of the few departments that works in shifts. Because we’re one of the few departments that can, and because we kinda have to. On days when the production is shooting late, you still need to open the doors at around 8:00am. Business needs to be taken care of during business […]
A Random Collection of Resume Tips
After helping over a hundred people with my resume service, I’ve noticed certain mistakes seem to crop up repeatedly. So, here’s some tips in no particular order: Don’t include “social media proficiency” or something like that under your “skills.” Old people read that as “spends all day on Facebook.” Or possibly Myspace. Because, you know, […]
Should Wannabe Actors Be PAs?
Over on Facebook{{1}}, Christina asked: Do you have a post on wannabe actors being PAs? No. Because it’s a terrible idea. If you’re serious about acting, you’ll spend your days either attending classes or auditioning. You need a flexible schedule that allows time off when you get a part. This is the exact opposite of […]
Should Wannabe Writers Be PAs?
Corey writes: Due to the nature of production and the long shifts, would you still recommend PA to someone trying to write films? Many writers have told me that it is often best to pick a job that allows you to pay bills and still have time to write. Since you are obviously doing both, […]
How to Carry Coffee
Huh. Learn something new every day. Reader Brian writes in– Wouldn’t it be great if you could carry more coffee and carry them with ease? My trick: I call it the Lot of Latte. What I do is I take the lid of a printer paper box and stick two coffee holders inside. Then I […]