![]() I wasted so much time on things I shouldn’t have. Can you start Monday?” And that Monday I started working on a TV show at one of the major studios in Hollywood as a PA. As I said in my first blog post, I was sleeping on air mattresses (plural, because they kept popping) for over a year before I could afford a real bed.īut last year, I finally got the phone call I was waiting for: “We’d love to have you on our team. Why wasn’t this working out for me? I spent over a year struggling to find steady work. I knew I could be better than many, if not most, of the PAs already working on shows. ![]() I was definitely qualified to be a production assistant. I went into debt, got strung along at unpaid internships, and was weeks away from calling it quits and heading back home. After my fluke one month stint as an apprentice editor, I learned the harsh realities of finding a job in Los Angeles. I thought that because I knew a few people living and working in the city, I’d be fine. I thought that because I was college educated and went to film school and worked on some short indie films back home, I’d be at an advantage in L.A. I naively thought that because being a production assistant is the lowest position on the totem pole, it’d be an easy job to snag. I surely did not know what I was doing when I first got here. But for purposes of this article, I’m going to focus on a young person trying to get their first production assistant/entry-level job on a major film, TV show, or at a legitimate production company. There are so many routes someone can take to get to the exact same spot, it’s impossible to cover all of them. My boss always likes to say, “There’s more than one way to skin a cat.” That saying definitely applies to getting into the entertainment business. It took me longer than some to get this coveted entry-level position, but certainly less time than others. I had had a lot of small (and unpaid) PA jobs prior to that, but never in major television. I’d say I officially made it “in” the business in early 2014 when I landed a PA gig on my first real TV show. It’s been over two years since I moved to L.A. Anyone who just wants to read how it all works. ![]() Any young person looking to switch careers and make it in Hollywood (but any age is possible).Recent grads trying to break into the industry. ![]() This post has nearly 5000 words, but I hope you find it just as useful and educational as it is long. In order to start off on the right foot in Hollywood, you also have to learn how the industry works. I wanted to write something that went a little more in depth. Most blogs that talk about becoming a PA just tell you to “network!” and “be persistent!” And although those two things are important, those blogs usually fail to tell you how or even why. But thanks to my struggles and stupid mistakes, I’ve learned a few things to help anyone get started on the right track. How to Become a Production Assistant in Hollywood: Actionable Steps and Advice to Land the Jobįinding an entry-level position in Hollywood is harder than you think. If you’re interested, check it out on Amazon, here: Full disclosure: It’s very, very similar to what’s in this article (with a few bonus sections at the end). I’ve turned this article into an ebook on Amazon! If you like what you read, please consider purchasing a copy. Now I’d like to write about how I became one. I take road trips when I can, but being a Production Assistant currently consumes most of my life. Actionable Steps to Finding an Entry-Level Job in Hollywood’s Film and Television Industry
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