This is how you get any job you want in the film industry. Become an actor, director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, gaffer, grip – whatever it is. Many roads to craft jobs go through production assistant work.
When you’re a production assistant, you’re the support for the entire shoot. Many people out of film school, as well as others who want to zoom straight into their crafts often don’t understand how valuable production assistant work is.
It’s best to keep a good attitude and an open mind. Working as a production assistant is the fastest way to network quickly into your craft. You go fast because as a PA, you learn all the details to get good. On set is the only place to learn the film industry.
Many people who succeed in film start as a production assistant, no matter where in life they come from. It gets you inside and connected with the people who can mentor you in your specialty.
When you start as a production assistant, you learn your craft directly from insiders right on set. You gain practical real-world experience while making the life-long relationships with people who hire you and refer you.
A-list Mentors Goran and Alex are highly successful in the film industry. They both get referred for jobs so much that they get to pick and choose the ones they want to do. They get to do the work they want to do because they are in demand. They both started working as production assistants.
There are a lot of people out there trying to break in by cold calling. Cold calling rarely gets anyone on set. There are plenty of PA jobs out there. You only need to know how to find them and network with the people who can hire you.
Many insiders will understand you want more from your career because they also started as production assistants.
So much in the film industry happens on set, including moving up into the crafts. The film industry is a people business, with opportunities for you to advance.
