Working On a Film Set: First Day Survival Tips
Jul30

Working On a Film Set: First Day Survival Tips

Posted By on Jul 30, 2012

Securing the first opportunity to get on a movie or TV set is a huge accomplishment. The next step is to do a good enough job in order to get hired again, and perhaps turn this bizarre (yet awesome!) job into a career. Here are some tips for surviving that first day, and some protocol that’ll help you appear less “green” or “new”: First and Foremost: Learn to Use the Walkie. Listen to it, and for the love of all that’s good in the world, ANSWER it. You will thank me.    If you don’t want a giant arrow above your head with the word “NEWBIE” flashing in neon, learn to use your walkie. OK, maybe I’m being unfair- you’ve never used a walkie before, of course you won’t know how to use it! But film sets are fast-moving, well-oiled machines – and when close to a hundred people are spread out all over a set, walkie communication is vital. It doesn’t matter that you’re new. You will be given a quick, 30-second tutorial by the walkie PA on how to use the walkie, and it’s up to you from there. Few things are more frustrating than working with someone who doesn’t listen to their walkie, so pay attention. Paying attention to your walkie and “copy”-ing when you’re spoken to will earn you a gold star and your peers will never guess it’s your first day on set. I promise. Okay, so there’s no gold star, but being walkie savvy is an easy way to showcase you’re not worthless.    Do not stand around staring at the action.  It’s easy to get sucked in by the awe of being on a set. After all, you’re given a behind-the-scenes look at something just a fraction of society gets to see – but you have to fight the urge to gawk. Standing around observing is the job of the executives, not yours. The AD will get annoyed at you for being in the way. There’s almost always something to do. If you’re not sure what that is, watch your fellow PAs.     Do NOT take pictures of celebrities…and definitely don’t post them on Facebook! Unless you want to end your career before it begins, this isn’t smart as someone starting out in the business. Eventually, after you prove you’re not in the business to be a stalker or a fan, you’ll be an AD or producer and you CAN do these things, but if you do this on Day 1, or even Day 50, you will not be asked back. Similarly, do not talk to the actors unless they talk to you.    Ask one of your...

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How I Got Started in Production
Jul23

How I Got Started in Production

Posted By on Jul 23, 2012

As I said in my previous post about not having all the answers, networking wasn’t my strong suit.  The hardest part about getting into the film industry – especially a smaller, concentrated one like Nashville – was making the initial contacts. I knew I didn’t have any experience.  How do you convince someone to hire you over someone else when you don’t know anything about the industry you’re trying to get into? I didn’t know anything about film. Or cameras. Or lighting. All I knew was I wanted to be on a set and see whatever I did on TV.    Internships, yay!  In the summer before my senior year of college, I landed an internship with a chill music video production company. Unlike my music business internships, I was thrilled! My first day on the job broke down like this: Started at the office at 10am. Ran errands (which consisted of picking up police lights). The music video* shoot began that afternoon at 3:30pm and lasted until 4am the next morning. During that time, I babysat extras (who can get into trouble if left unsupervised, I quickly learned), helped with set dec (which consisted of removing dozens of old, dusty fourth of July decorations from bannisters in the background), and made two separate runs to Wal-Mart at 2am for zip ties to re-tie the dirty decorations. It was crappy work, but I didn’t notice – I immediately fell in love with the energy, and how thirty normal people can create something seen by thousands. I didn’t get home until 6:30am and then had to turn around and go to an 8am class. I’d worked a 20 hour day, didn’t make any money, but it didn’t matter. I knew I’d found what I wanted to do.    Want to get into the film industry? Work for free. You don’t have to commit to a semester-long internship in order to get your foot in the door, although it was helpful for me since I didn’t know anything about the way a set flows, and it allowed me to see a little bit of how the office worked in preparation for the shoots. Interning on independent movies can be a good way to get your foot in the door. Call the film commission in your state, ask them what’s going on. You probably won’t get on Tom Hanks latest feature (or maybe you will!), but you might be able to get a few days on an indie movie. It’ll introduce you to people who normally work in the biz, and they may be able to help you secure future gigs.   Film School Disclaimer: Having never...

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