pa positions

A

aaron_wade

Well-known member
i have been on a couple of sets before (low-budget), and it seems like no one knows what the hell they are talking about. even though i was the freaking pa, they might as well put me in the director's chair. for example, this new director wanted so many camera angles, and it didn't even make sense. in no way, shape or form did the shots have anything to do with the story. i was so pissed! and to top it off, i was there from like 6pm-5am! not to mention, NO PAY! i think i am going to choose my pa positions more carefully next time. don't get me wrong being on set is a total learning experience, but sometimes i think i waste my time. i could be working on my own projects.

sorry for my rants!
 
I know how you feel. I was on a shoot once where all we needed to shoot was a simple one-shot public service announcement. We shot a great one in a beautiful location, but the client insisted that we shoot a second one just to see which one would look better. The second location was quite ugly and didn't lend itself to shooting. He kept wanting take after take until we almost missed our flight back. It gets frustrating, but you learn a great deal about dealing with people.
 
I'm mainly a still photographer for a living. Its the same in that business too. I had to throw an art director out of a 10 story window one time in LA. So yeh, it is good to learn how to deal with people that are being difficult.
 
The thing to do is connect with a real production company in Dallas.... There are a ton of them...
and, at least six that I know of have a VariCam... Hit the phonebooks; never respond to craigslist.
 
Aaron, how close were you to the pre-production process as a PA for this shoot? I mean, how do you know the shots did not work with the story? It just seems like maybe you have an axe to grind over something else. Maybe you should remember you were hired as a PA, not a production consultant. Most Directors I've worked with rarely, no, NEVER share their visions via shot list and details with the PA.

PA stands for Production Assistant, not Production Analyst. Many get these two positions confused. I can understand your anger with no-pay, and long hours, however that's the choice you made and it's not the Directors fault you made the commitment.

I think my primary point is I've seen this before on sets, and this may not be you, but I've seen so many various disgruntled PA's spreading hostility around the set and ultimately it affects morale, then, it does become the Directors problem. I agree with you on one thing, you should go do your own film.
 
Hey, thisiswells, I dissagree, Craigslist is a solid site for gigs. It's like any other site, simply research every position and do your homework before responding and accepting a position.
 
well i worked w/ the exec. producer closely so he gave me the shot lists and etc.. so i pretty much new the script and what the director wanted.

thisiswells,
what part of texas are you in. ive hit pretty much all production companies here. no one wants to work with newcomers, especially if they are in school. so im gonna just make them come to me! by doing my own work, and gaining exposure.
 
aaron,

if I follow this correctly:

you're a student (i'll assume highschool)...
you're basically inexperienced...
you're working for free...
you're frustrated at being under appreciated...
you think being on set is a total learning experience, but sometimes i think i waste my time...


It's called paying your dues, and if you're in school, you're young, you've only begun...
 
pookie,

im a college student
i have a little experience
don't mind working for free to learn
sort of fill under appreciated
yes being on set is a learning experience, only if its the RIGHT set. b/c if the crew doesn't treat it like i real set, then i really would rather not surround myself around those type of people

yes i understand all about paying dues. believe me i payed enough of them, and im sure there is more in store for me.

i think im going to concentrate on a project that i have just came across and see where i can go from that. :) hopefully i can enter in a festival.

thanks for the response though! hehe
 
Just remember to soak it all in, and leave the directing to the director. Every set is different and many will simply suck, that's showbiz, not an excuse to leave the set or become angry. In those instances simply soak it in and remember that when your time comes you will not run a set the same way.

You keep saying things like, 'if the crew doesn't do this, or do that'...you're on the fastrack to dissapointment. You're a young student and have a lot to learn. You don't have time to be opinionated, you should be focused and asking questions, period. You'll have time to give your theories of production management later, much later. Go learn, and listen more than you talk.
 
Alveraz,

you said "You keep saying things like, 'if the crew doesn't do this, or do that'...you're on the fastrack to dissapointment"....

I think you meant "You keep saying things like, 'if the crew doesn't do this, or do that'...you're on the fastrack to unemployment"....
 
exactomundo!

I know we seem harsh Arron, but I swear you'll make so much more progress if you calm down and stay focused, leaving all the bitter stuff behind you. No one likes a chatty, opinionated PA running around with a scowl on his face.

By the way 13 hours is not a 'long shoot', it's just another day in filmmaking, get used to it.

Smile, nod, smile, nod, smile, nod.... :)
 
"You keep saying things like, 'if the crew doesn't do this, or do that'...you're on the fastrack to unemployment"....
Click to expand...
HaHa.. Pookie must actually be in this business for a living -or- something. JK. I've seen your work.

Aaron, I sent you a PM.
 
Part of what you learn when you are young is to be effective and have influence among a group of people without whining. So even if you are better than your group technically, that is only a small part of what there is to learn. Do it well enough and you can be President of the USA.
 
(J.P. walks in to check whats going on, tables and chairs are flying through the air. J.P. ducks and quickly gets the hell out of there)
 
pookie said:
We're trying to help, and offer support to aaron here.......not put him off...
Click to expand...
Actually, I am making it my personal mission to see him fail. You will never be a part of another film, if I've got anything to say about it.

:laugh:
 
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