How to apply for a PA position in LA

W

weltonfilment

Active member
I just moved to LA a week ago and figure it's time to start applying for PA jobs. A few questions:

-What is the best way to find out about these jobs?
-How do I write my resume? Do I include only previous film experience, or do I include other past work experience, even if it's non-film related?

Thanks.

Ryan
 
a couple of starter suggestions:
--make sure your phone number has an LA area code
--put any film experience above education info on your resume
--check out the listings in the trade publications
--consider working for free as crew on a student or indie film to meet people
--buy a thomas guide if you don't already have one
 
The best way to find about PA jobs is through other PAs, then Production Coordinators, then maybe Production Managers. If you don't know any, prepare to throw yourself at any production you can find whether it be on craigslist, mandy, on the street, etc. It's a tough nut to crack, but once you are in, be super helpful all the time, makes friends with everyone but the other PAs especially, and never ever let anyone see you sit down except to eat. When you are done, take the other PAs out drinking, buy them drinks - they will be your #1 resource for good gigs.

As for the resume, don't include some cheesy line about wanting to be a PA because that's obviously a lie - no one's goal in life is to be a PA - but don't do a pie-in-the-sky objective like you wanting to be Spielberg. If you are not sure what to put there, it's best not to include it. On the same note, once you are working people will ask you want to do anyway, but it's best not to mention something that seems unrealistic to them (i.e. directing) unless its to another PA friend. I've seen PAs answer this question posed from the director and producer, and I remember one time, when the PA answered 'director', they laughed in his face. Not too kind of them, but looking back on it, it was kind of funny for this kid to answer their offer of help with a seemingly pie-in-the-sky response.

Back to the resume, put your other work experience on there for sure, especially if you have zero film/video experience. But if you do, put those at the top. Then list by chronologic order. Once you get enough projects under your belt, throw out the non-film/video ones. No need to describe what you've done in the past, if you worked as a grip on a DV music video, don't describe how you setup C-Stands or helped lay dolly track etc – they know what a grip does. (As a sidenote, if you show up for an interview/meeting and they have to ask what a grip does, that's a *bad* sign.)

For your skills, and this is very important, don't put anything on there that you don't know how to do. This has no relation to PA work, but when we were trying to hire people with basic Final Cut Pro skills - we got a load of responses from people who claimed to be 'experts' but when we tested them during the interview, they couldn't even digitize a basic DV clip from a DV deck. It was pretty sad to watch, and after they left we just made fun of them. Point is, don't overestimate your abilities because the best case scenario you'll just look like an idiot and the worst case scenario.... well... god help the people on set with an 800A genie and no electrician that knows how to properly lay cable.

In general, when you apply for production jobs, put your higher education next to last and only before references. If you only graduated from HS, don't bother putting that on there. Why? Because mostly it doesn't matter in production, but people would rather hire someone with a degree than not. If you have a bunch of blank space, feel free to list a FEW film/video related classes that you took - but don't go overboard.

For your references, 3 or 4 is a good number, and be sure to let your references know that you are using them.

Keep everything neat and tidy and easy to read, don't go for any crazy graphics, and if handing it in person, don't do any of that colored/perfumed paper nonsense. Make a text version of it in case you need to email it to someone because attachments have a way of not making it there, getting blocked, displaying wrong, etc. It should only be a page, and maybe a second page just for references. Typos are one thing, but spelling... at least run the spellchecker and proofread.

Cover letters... well that's a whole art into itself, and it is often more important than the resume. Just don't tell them your life story or outright beg, that's bad form. I got one man who told me about his drug problems and his divorce (in an effort to get me to feel sorry for him I suppose) in his cover letter. It took me less a nanosecond to decide to delete that one, but several minutes for me and my coworkers to stop laughing about it.

I know this all may seem kind of basic, but you would be surprised how often people don't follow ANY of these steps. I know I was. In as competitive as this business is, you've got to them as few reasons to say 'no' as possible.

Good luck,
Garrett


P.S. Like JY_blue says, get the LA number, the Thomas Guide, and make sure you have a car.
 
I was never a PA myself except on smaller student films, so I don't have real advice, but when you do get that resume all put together, send one to me. We do need PAs from time to time. Usually short on-set things.
 
weltonfilment said:
Should you only include references that are related to film work?
Click to expand...


You should put more preference to those related to film/video if you have them, but after all, work is work. So if a former supervisor says you worked hard and had a great attitude at, for example, BK flipping burgers, that can easily translate to any kind of work you do. But honestly, I wouldn't lose sleep over the references too much, in my personal experience, hardly anyone ever calls them. As long as the references can remember you and say good things about you, you should be alright.

Garrett
 
Do what it takes, but don't sell your soul, homie. At the end of the day, you still gotta come home to yourself everyday. That said, buy star map, find up/coming director, wear black or other 'good hiding' color, drop by unannounced at night (They're totally cool), ask for PA gig. Done.

Besties,

Mischief

P.S. I heard Rio is a pretty good place to 'lay low' if you attempt this...
 
Ya gotta have a car. I only mention it because someone I know landed a PA job and showed up without wheels. End of job.
 
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