PRODUCTION ASSISTANT CHEATSHEET

DO: LEARN NAMES

The chief responsibility of the Production Assistant is to learn everyone’s name. The director, talent and all the key

department heads will be on and off set so it’s important that you know who everyone is and what they do. This will help

you manage requests and delegate tasks efficiently.

DO: KEEP WORK AREA CLEAN

Everyone appreciates a clean work area so make sure you keep all areas clean. Take pride in a mess-free office, set and

even production vehicle. It’ll show people that you’re organized!

DO: ALWAYS BE ON THE MOVE

A very valuable thing you can do in any job is anticipate what’s needed next. Even at the end of the day, when the last shot

is finally mounted, you can begin a trash sweep, collect paperwork or ask your producer how to wrap quicker.

DO: ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS

The questions you ask shows that you respect what’s being done which can ultimately lead to future work. Remember,

there is an appropriate time for questions (during breaks, downtime, etc.) so don’t be afraid to ask.

DON’T: BE LATE
You should be the first one to arrive to set and the last one to leave. When traveling to the set, anticipate the traffic when

estimating the amount of time it’ll take to drive. Being on time ensures you don’t miss anything important.

DON’T: SHARE CONTACT INFO

Keep everything on the down low. Confidentiality is important on set and sometimes even an NDA is required. Even

without NDA’s, anything on the call sheets, time sheets and even the script should never be shared.

DON’T: DO A JOB THAT’S NOT YOURS

If you’re an eager PA, you’ll naturally want to keep an eye out for the next opportunity. But, be careful not to do a job that

isn’t yours, or step on anyone’s toes. Union rules often dictate who can do what. For example, you shouldn’t touch cables

unless you’ve been specifically asked.

DON’T: OFFER UNSOLICITED ADVICE

Everyone has an opinion, but sometimes it’s better to listen and let more qualified staff offer theirs first. People will ask

for your input when the time is right. A trick you can use is to ask yourself “does it need to be said by me?” before

commenting on a situation or event.

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