Guidance: Help me out brothers

They Live

They Live

Well-known member
For anyone who'd care to answer.

I'm standing at a major crossroads right now, and can't seem to make a decision. I've been offered an entry level position as a PA, working with a long running nationally televised TV show, based on the east coast (D.C. area). I'm a recent college grad, trying to figure out how to best go about starting my career. I want to work in film, and have heard that the more you work in TV, the harder it is to get work in film, and vice versa. Should I continue to do what I'm doing right now, which is waiting tables for money, living in my hometown, working on scripts and making shorts, trying to make a name for myself in a small area and then moving to LA? Or should I do the PA work with a television show while I'm young, get experience there, build my resume that way, and see what happens?

My concerns are getting locked down in a geographic location I'm not so hot about working television. Starting pay ain't so great either.

But, the job is a job, that pays me money doing what I love to do. As of right now I'm just another young guy with a DVX developing my chops and working on my own projects, some of which have screened at festivals. But, there's no money, and I'm ready to move out.

Please, share some of your wisdom with a confused young man having a quarter life crisis.

Thanks guys,
Ben
 
It's easy to give advice when it doesn't effect the person giving the advice. So here's mine. LOL

Take the PA job. You're a recent grad and you've been given an opportunity for a job that can help you on your resume/portfolio. If you want a producer to see the short film you made, he's more likely to give you a chance if he knows you worked as a PA on a long running TV show, ..rather than working at TGI Fridays. lol

Also, there's nothing stopping you from continuing to work on your scripts and DVX while doing the PA job. I'm sure you'll actually learn a lot of stuff while on the set that could benefit your filmmaking. Besides, A LOT of filmmakers have started in television. I think there are some people on this site who work as PAs and whose opinion is worth more than my .02 cents.

:)

But I'm a firm believer that if you've got passion and talent the job won't stop you from doing what you love. Whether you're waiting tables or working as a PA. The destination is the same.... you're just taking a different path.

Good luck!
 
Last edited:
I grew up in the business. I went to the lots everyday after school. Everyone I knew and now know are in the business. Most have no ambitions beyond their 9-5 job, while a few have/had greater ambitions.

One friend went to USC film school, was a PA on Empire Strikes Back and has gone on to hit much higher levels and is in demand by several big name directors. He has chosen to leave the business and move back to to midwest. He's been back there a few years and when we were at Warner just under a year ago, Spielberg saw us drive by, rolled down his window and asked my friend when he was coming back to work with him. Starting as a PA got him far.

Another very close friend started as a PA along with myself on a friend's short. (An actor wanting to become a director and did some shorts.) I hated it, he continued, became a film loader, and went on to become 1st AC on an Emmy winning very popular TV show that is starting it's new season this week.... I'm excited.

He left that to buy an air conditioning business in the desert. (Ha! Also "AC".) He is still invited back by production every season and every season he declines. He wasn't happy in the business. (His license plate in high school read "DP TO BE".) It was his dream and he burned out. But.... PA got him far.

I never wanted to have anything to do with the industry and now I'm pouring every ounce of life blood I have into my own feature. I'm not a PA kinda guy. I will either fail big, or succeed big. I have no middle ground.

If being around films is your dream, get in. Get it done. And start moving up. But it isnt a quick process. And whenever another area needs you, switch from PA to film loader if you can. If you dont like it so something else. But learn alot. When you find what you like, make sure you concentrate on moving UP as opposed to keep switching.

Just my 2 cents. Let us know what you decide.

-GageFX
 
PA for sure.

At worst, you quit and can go back home and do what you talked about. Plus, in LA you have a plethra of talent and equipment at your doorstep. You'll meet like-minded people who want to make movies and you'll get paid to be on set!!
 
Do the PA job. You'll make contacts that will be useful and it looks much better on a resume than "waiting tables for money, living in my hometown, working on scripts and making shorts, trying to make a name for myself in a small area and then moving to LA."

And there's nothing wrong with working in television. Some of the best work today is in television. If I had the choice I would choose a really good television show over a film for work. I think television is taking more risks and the quality is higher than a lot of feature films.

Anyway, this sounds like a good opportunity, getting paid for what you want to do beats waitering in a small town. Easy decision...
 
Go with the PA job, at least, for a while. Sounds like it offers advantages over what you're up to, now (contacts/failing that, useful experience). And, the membrane between TV and feature work has become extremely permeable. Some of the last few TV projects I've been on, felt more like small features than anything else.
 
Haha, you guys are awesome. Thanks for the helpful advice/encouragement. We'll see what happens.
 
Dress warm.

Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

Don't eat the yellow snow.

Don't swim within 20 minutes of eating the yellow snow.

Ignore the fnords.

You'll put yer eye out, kid.
 
Anhar Miah said:
erh, dare I ask whats yellow snow?
Click to expand...

HA HA HA!!!

moving on. if you don't take the pa gig, will you always wonder how things would have turned out if you gave it a shot?

i moved to nashville tn (yee haw!!!) to take a job as an assistant audio engineer about 8 years ago. it ended up not being my thing, but i'm so glad i gave it a shot, and now i'll never wonder "what if".
 
I would say...since you are free to make either decision without consequence, take the PA job. You can always quit the PA job and go back to waiting tables. I'm not so sure you can quit waiting tables and get a PA job any day of the week.

Just my $0.01 9/10

Peace!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top