Within the world of scripted television there are a few different “seasons”.  There is staffing season, where all the writers a hired to new shows, and then there is pilot season which is currently happening now.

What is pilot season you ask?  Well pilot season is where show pilots begin production and start to pitch to the big networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CW) near the end of the season.  For those of you that don’t know a pilot is a either a full episode or a demo reel of the show being pitched to the network.

Normally you hear of actors flocking to LA and NY for pilot season because it could be their big break, but I got to say, pilot season should be just as important to us production assistants and other crew members as it is to actors.  Because of the high amount of pilots being shot there is a good chance you could land a network gig if the pilot you are working on gets picked up.

So instead of sitting around trolling craigslist for your next gig, purchase a copy of Variety or The Hollywood Reporter or even subscribe to email lists like The Mercury Report or Production Weekly.  In these publications they list several shows as well as movies that are in development or pre-production and they usually have some form of contact information.

Don’t get discouraged if you don’t hear anything back because if the pilot has already been shot, then the production company is just in the fun waiting game with the network.  While some shows may get picked up right away others will have to wait until staffing season in April-June when networks start to officially announce and order their lineup for the next year.

So get those resumes polished up, and your interview clothes ready to go because who knows how many calls you could end up getting.

Happy pilot season everyone!