Tagged: Industry

Jun 30

Courage to take that chance

 

TAPA has a blog post up yesterday that really made me sit back and think.  TAPA explained how he currently has a job as an office pa on a movie that will last him until the end of the year.  Recently he got an offer to work as a director’s assistant on a low budget horror film which he was ecstatic about.  When he went to the interview he found out that the job would only last him 8 weeks, and he sadly had to turn down this dream position because he couldn’t afford to have that job and he decided to stay in his current position as office pa.

I started to think what would I do if I were in this position?  It made me think of my predicament of being stuck on a hamster wheel and how I would love to be offered a different position.  Would I bite the bullet and take the job knowing it would help further my career or would I stay at the steady job so I could pay all of my bills?

This is such a tough decision that I feel that a lot of people in our industry have to make.  At what point do we need to start thinking about moving up in our careers and taking the gigs that don’t last that long over taking the steady ones in positions we have done countless times before?

I completely understand TAPA’s decision and I have to say I don’t blame him for staying in the longer gig, however, I think I may have taken the director’s assistant position and dealt with finding money to pay my bills afterwards.

Walt Disney said “All of our dreams can come true- if you have the courage to pursue them” and I agree with Mr. Disney 100%.  We have to have the courage to take the chance for our dream jobs to happen.  If we do not then we will remain in the dreaded hamster wheel and never truly get to where we want to be.

9
comments

Posted in Being a Production Assistant, Career Path

May 16

Stuck in a Hamster Wheel

 

Last week while on set I got asked a question that really shocked me, and made me really think. While in the middle of crew meal, the D.I.T. leaned over to me and asked  “So why are you a PA still?”  I looked up with him with a completely dumbfounded face and honestly replied, “I really don’t know.”

Later on that day  I started thinking, why exactly am I still a PA?  I’ve been working in the industry for a few years now, and I know I could coordinate a production a whole heck of a lot better than some people I’ve worked with, so then why am I stuck in this continuous PA loop?  Finally the answer hit me.. I was still applying for PA positions hoping that someone would notice that I am over qualified and place me somewhere else. I was the one causing me to stay in the hamster wheel and not get anywhere.

So fellow PA’s that are in the same position as me, I say we take a stand and quit applying for the same position.  Take a chance and who knows..maybe I’ll end up getting something great.  Has anyone else started to do this?  Post your comments about it!

4
comments

Posted in Being a Production Assistant, Career Path

Mar 07

Working On Your Own Projects

 

After a lot of thought I have decided to take the next few months off to work on some of my own projects.  It’s time to quit saying what I would love to do and actually start doing it.  I will continue to blog about my progress to hopefully give you the motivation to work on your own things as well.

Where did this all come from you ask?  Well it all started by going to a networking event.  At the event they screened a short film and afterward they had a Q&A with the producer and director.  At one point during the questions the producer was asked about giving advice to aspiring filmmakers, and she responded with “just get out there a do it”.  At that point a light bulb clicked on in my head and I got the push that I have been needing since I graduated from film school three years ago.

So wish me luck as I attempt to write my own short film, and eventually get it to festivals.  Any advice from those of you that have done this would be greatly appreciated!

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Posted in Career Path

Jan 11

This just makes me love Pixar even more

 

Check out this article from Geek O System on how Pixar’s bosses Alvy Ray Smith and Ed Catmull saved their employees from getting fired:

How Pixar Bosses Saved Their Employees from Layoffs

by Robert Quigley | 10:07 am, January 11th, 2011
Today, Pixar may be a multibillion dollar company seemingly capable of doing no wrong in the box office, but in its early days as Lucasfilm’s computer animation division, its future was far from certain. Indeed, in the mid-’80s, some at Lucasfilm doubted the value of computer animation, and the division faced deep layoffs. Then, its two heads, Alvy Ray Smith and Ed Catmull, saved it in a positively Pixaresque way.

The Harvard Business Review recently spoke to 25+ year Pixar vet Craig Good, who recounted the remarkable story:

[Lucasfilm president Doug] Norby was pressing Catmull and Smith to do some fairly deep layoffs. The two couldn’t bring themselves to do it. Instead, Catmull tried to make a financial case for keeping his group intact, arguing that layoffs would only reduce the value of a unit that Lucasfilm could profitably sell … But Norby was unmoved. As Craig tells it: “He was pestering Ed and Alvy for a list of names from the Computer Division to lay off, and Ed and Alvy kept blowing him off. Finally came the order: You will be in my office tomorrow morning at 9:00 with a list of names.”

So what did these two bosses do? “They showed up in his office at 9:00 and plunked down a list,” Craig told me. “It had two names on it: Ed Catmull and Alvy Ray Smith.”

The gutsy move worked, and not a single employee of what would soon become Pixar was fired. Not long afterwards, Lucasfilm spun Pixar off as its own company under Catmull’s and Smith’s leadership, selling it to Steve Jobs for $5 million; two decades later, Disney would buy it for $7.4 billion.

http://www.geekosystem.com/how-pixar-bosses-saved-their-employees-from-layoffs/

Seriously guys..please hire me

3
comments

Posted in Movie News

Jan 10

Update on production resume

 

Today in the office I got assigned to put submitted resumes into a binder for my line producer.  As I was going through the resumes I started to realize that there are some extremly terrible production resumes out there and I mean seriously terrbile.

If you are making a  production resume or a CV for you silly Brits,  please just keep it simple.  All you really need is four columns.  First for the date you worked on the project, second for your title, third for the show name and network and the last one for the production company and viola!  You have the perfect production resume.    You do not need to describe every single thing you did  in your past positions because usually the person hiring you will know exactly what a PA does.

Also another tip.. make sure your resume makes it clear what type of position you are applying for.  For example if you are applying for a production assistant position make sure you have production assistant positions on your resume, not your summer job working at McDonalds.  Keep in mind that this is the first thing a potential employer will see from you so make it look good..not like you just threw it together 10 minutes ago.

If you are interested in seeing what my resume looks like for your reference feel free to email me.  I am no resume expert..but I do keep getting hired so I must be doing something right.

1
comments

Posted in Being a Production Assistant

Jan 10

To be an assistant or to stay freelance

 

For the past year I have been working freelance as a production assistant and I have to admit there are some days when I wish I could finally land a full time job.  It admittedly gets very old having to look for a new job every couple of months.  That being said I think my career path would take a different turn in the industry if I decided to stop working freelance, and here are my options:

I could try to find a position as a producer or director’s assistant.  The pro’s of this position would be that I would be working directly or close to directly underneath an producer in Hollywood and I would be somewhat involved with the films or tv shows that he/she is working on.  I would be doing a lot of script coverage which means I would be reading scripts and taking notes on them to help the producer decide if the script is worth them reading.  The con’s would be that I would be doing a lot of regular assistant duties like scheduling, answering phones, and picking up coffee.

I could also work at a network or a studio as someone’s assistant.  There are a lot of different divisions at a studio and a network from legal and financing to development and business affairs.  Depending on who I am assisting my job could differ however  most likely I would end up doing a lot of regular assistant duties with a few interesting projects thrown in.

Last but not least I could become a personal assistant to a director, writer or even a celebrity.  In this position my main job would be dealing with scheduling, and basically organizing that persons life, which could usually end up meaning I would have no personal life of my own.

As you can see most of these positions are not the most glamorous positions, but then again neither is being a PA.  Either way I will have to work my way up from the bottom.

I have never really been an assistant so I’d love to hear someone’s experience being one.  Email your story or post it in the comments.

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Posted in Being an Assistant

Jan 07

Job Hunting

 

As the gig I am currently on sadly comes to an end with no second season picked up I figured it would be a great time to blog about job hunting.  I know it sucks..but as a freelancer you always have to keep looking for work.  Here are a few avenues that you can go through to find the best thing for you:

Call or email your past contacts

This is possibly the most important thing you can do.  All those people you worked on set with before are probably working on a new production now.  While you were working you should have gotten all of their contact information so put that to use and email them to see what they are up to.  DO NOT just flat out as for a job because that will usually annoy people.  Create some form of a conversation that will lead to them asking about if you are working and hopefully they will know someone that needs help.

Job Sites

There are a few job sites that are usually pretty good to check out when looking for production work.  Some are free while others charge per month to use the service.

www.mandy.com – free

www.craigslist.org – free

www.crewedup.com -free

www.realitystaff.com- free and subscription (The subscription allows you to write more in your cover letter).

www.entertainmentcareers.net – subscription

www.media-match.com – subscription

www.filmstaff.com – subscription

www.productionhub.com- free

www.varietymediacareers.com- free

www.productionweekly.com – subscription

www.mercuryreport.com- subscription

You can also check out specific production company websites, studio websites, imdb in the forums section (though it is shady sometimes) and any other place you can think of.  If anyone knows of any more websites please let me know!

Go to a networking event

This is just like calling your old contacts, however, here you are making new ones.  A lot of different film groups or societies tend to have networking parties that you can attend.  Google or ask your other friends in production and go armed with your business card.

Cold calling/ emailing companies

You can always cold call and email production companies to find if they are hiring crew or if they keep potential crew resume’s on file.

UTA job list

This as I have mentioned before is a list created by UTA of all the assistant positions in Hollywood.  This list is awesome if you are looking to be an assistant, but very bad if you are looking to actually work on set in a production.  Keep in mind thousands of people receive  this list so don’t be surprised if you never hear back when you apply for something.  If you want to receive the UTA job list email me at rachelmmarks@gmail.com

It is important to remember to not doubt yourself and give up.  There are a lot of production companies and projects filming that need a hand.  Keep at it and eventually you will land a gig.  Happy hunting!

1
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Posted in Being a Production Assistant, Job Hunting

Jan 03

Questions About The UTA Job List

 

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.

4
comments

Posted in Being a Production Assistant, Being an Assistant

Dec 09

To work in porn or to not work to work in porn

 

As things are slowly start to wind down on the series I am working on with not a good chance of a second season in sight I am starting to wonder (aka slightly panic) about what I am going to do next.

While job searching today online I came across this great article on keypa.net and  it reminded me of the time my mother told me to get a job as a PA on Guys Gone Wild because “they are just hot boys taking off their shirts”.

Production Assistants and Porn

Posted by Mike DeHart in Breaking In, Industry, Job Hunt, Lifestyle

Yesterday morning someone sent over a job opportunity for a Production / Administrative Assistant at a prominent Adult Entertainment company.

Before passing it on to people, it got me thinking: do I potentially want to be responsible for launching someones career in Porn?

Two years ago I spent a few days in the field as a sound mixer with a documentary crew while we did interviews with Vivid (both on set and in their offices).

Granted, everyone acts differently when cameras are around, even if you aren’t recording, but all in all their offices were pretty awesome and everyone we met seemed to be very happy and friendly. I remember being slightly surprised to see so many family pictures on people’s desks.

Before stepping onto their set I definitely had expectations (Boogie Nights, Weed’s, Family Guy) and with the location for that day being in a dingy warehouse basement in downtown LA, I thought they were going to come true. By the time we wrapped, it felt like your standard indie movie set.

The most interesting part was meeting the crew. Everyone was in good spirits and happy to be working. The make up artist said that it was good work, but she would use a fake name for the credits and left those types of jobs off her resume.

I have a slew of friends who have dabbled behind the scenes in the world of erotica and everyone always says its not as sexy as you’d think, but it pays well.  Imagine editing teaser trailers for something like the Playboy channel, your day is spent scanning through movies for sexy facial expressions and unique positions.  As much as everyone needs to pay the bills, you should always be working towards your goals.

If you’re not comfortable putting it on your resume, it shouldn’t be your full time job. No matter what industry it is.

When all is said and done if you don’t have any personal objections to working on porn, the biggest downside (generally) is the work you’re doing doesn’t hold as much credibility in other areas of the entertainment industry.

What’s the point of doing all that work and not getting any credit? Money will only get you so far.

Regardless of if you end up on a porno set or not, odds are you won’t get a chance to rub noses with the stars. However, if that was all you were looking for you should just head over to Sardo’s in Burbank on Tuesday Nights for Porn Star Karaoke. No joke, it’s an adult industry event that’s been going on since 2003 and everyone’s welcome.

What do you think, would you work on set or in the office for an Adult Entertainment company?

3
comments

Posted in Being a Production Assistant, Job Hunting

Nov 22

Walkie Talk

 

One thing that I have realized working on set is that green PA’s don’t know how to use their walkies.  What I don’t get is that walkies really aren’t that hard to use, but then again I’ve also said that it isn’t that hard to be a PA and yet some people still manage to screw that up.

Here is your basic guide on how to use your walkie on set:

Turn it on

So it is your first time being a PA and you are so super excited so you arrive on set like 30 minutes before your call.  You meet up with your production coordinator and they hand you a walkie.  At first glance it looks simple enough.  Then the coordinator hands you some crazy looking headset.  Don’t panic it’s pretty simple, just plug everything in and turn the nob on top.  When you hear it make a nose that means that its on.  Grab your mic and say “walkie check”.  If someone else is on walkie they should say “good check”.  Trust me you don’t want to be that PA who does not have their walkie on.

Keep it on the right channel

This should be pretty self explanatory but everyone messes this up at some point or another.  Depending on how large or small your production is different departments will be placed on different walkie channels.  Double and triple check which channel you and the rest of the PA’s are supposed to be on.  Only switch to a different channel if someone asks you to.  Once you are finished on that channel switch back to your PA channel.

Walkie Sayings

There are several quick phrases that people use on walkies to get their points across quickly.  Here are some main ones that you should know:

Walkie Check- what you say when you are trying to see if your walkie is working

Good Check – what people say when someone asks walkie check

10-1- You are using the restroom

Switch to (insert number)- switch your walkie channel to another one

Copy- You understood what is being asked of you.

Remember each set is different.  Find out how your production runs and follow those rules.

7
comments

Posted in Being a Production Assistant

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