First job as P.A--it actually pays!!

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DinosaurInc

Active member
Hey all,

Finally, I've landed a spot as a producer's assistant (fetch-it boy). I'm excited as all hell, which is funny because I'll probably be picking up dog crap and shining shoes. The shoot is from Saturday-Wednesday in Lincoln, NE (I'm from Omaha). It pays like $150 a day and it's for an NBC reality show (probably an addendum to Tommy Lee's thing). I had to take one day off from my normal job and I'll be missing classes for 3 days (go to University of Nebraska-Omaha).

I plan on staying with some pals that go to UNL while I'm there, suffice to say, that I probably won't get much sleep this next week.

I feel excited, anxious, and absolutely lost. I'd like to know what advice some of you guys can offer me. Anything would be appreciated.

Sidenote: I'm a double-business major, and this semester I took a film appreciation class because the professor actually is co-president of one of the few production houses in Omaha. After a fair amount of after-class brown-nosing, I got the number of his production guy. The company is Oberon Entertainment and they've done work for Alex Payne and some other relatively big stuff.

Gotta start somewhere! :)

Tell me what I can do to make my life easier whilst I'm temporarily enslaved!!!
 
Congrats on the gig. My advice would be stay one step ahead of everyone. Anticipate what they'll need before they have to ask for it and you'll make a great impression. Work your ass off and have fun and they'll be calling you again.
 
Bust your ass the whole time and don't get comfortable. Make a lasting impression. That means work work work and dont sit there and yap and converse all day. Be a professional and go that extra mile.
 
All of the above, and when the main character's wig catches fire, don't stand back. That's one situation where a PA running into the frame can be tolerated (unless the fire is part of the scene)

Congrats!
 
Well, I survived.....barely. There was literally a stretch of 43 hours of work, 3 hours of sleep in between. Obviously, I can't comment on the content of the show, but I will talk about the cameras.

I got paired up with George, a camera-man for NBC on this thing, to do the vehicle-to-vehicle shooting--I equate it with stunt driving and guerilla filming. It was an absolute blast! He did tell me just how many cameras they we using for the shoot (to give you an idea of the scope)---42 SDX-900 cameras!!!! <---not a misprint.

Also, I think many of you will be happy to know that there were plenty of DVX100a's around, as well. Most of you probably don't know what it's like (some can definitely relate) to not have a DVX and then see these things by the handful for use as backup, backup, backup cameras. There was just tons of equipment there, it was unbelievable.

I also did a schiza-load of grip and cast wrangler work. It was something I will never forget, and the people I met made it all the worthwile.
 
I worked as a PA in LA in the early 90's. The worst job I ever had was working for Dick Clark. I was paid $50 a day and that might mean a 16 hour day(no overtime). At one point I was given a hundred dollars in quarters and told to feed parking meters all day so the producers and key people wouldn't get a parking ticket. I developed a bad attitude right away.
 
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