So I recieved this question in my inbox from Justin about the UTA Job list:

Hey Rachel,

Thanks so much for sending that along. If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your connection to the industry? Do you work for an agency? Some of the articles I’ve read made the List seem pretty unobtainable unless you knew the right people so I was just kind of curious how you got it. I understand if you can’t tell me. And I was wondering how often they update it and who it gets sent to once they do. Do they always send it to the same people, and if you get it once does that mean you’ll necessarily get it again? I’m sorry if this is too much, but you did say not to hesitate to ask questions. And I’m trying to absorb as much information as I can about assistant/mailroom/trainee positions out there.

Well first a foremost I am just a freelance production assistant and I have no “real” connection to the UTA Job list.  I actually get the job list through a friend who probably gets it from a friend that gets it through a friend.  The list is actually kept very secret by those who create it and apparently if you contact UTA and ask about the list they will deny that it even exists.  The best way to get the list is to get it from someone else that already gets it.    As for who the list actually gets sent to I have no idea.  I honestly think know one really knows except for the person that physically sends out the list.  I would love to one day speak to that person, however, that has not happened yet.

As for being an assistant/mailroom/trainee it all really depends on what you want to eventually end up doing.  If you want to work at a talent agency working in the mailroom and then moving up to an assistant is the way to go.  If you want to work in production you can go a few ways.  The first is finding work as a producer’s or director’s assistant.  Here you will work directly under that person and learn a ton while doing so.  However, there is a downside to this.  You will most likely not being working on set.   You will be spending most of your time doing general assistant tasks such as organizing your boss’s calendar, answering phones and reading scripts.  The other way to break in is the way I am, by being a production assistant.  You can work a PA on several different types of projects for web, tv and film and slowly start to work your way up.  Either way know that you are starting on the lowest rung on the ladder and that someday hopefully you will make it to the top.