Breaking In: What It Takes To Be A Production Assistant

As a person working in the entertainment industry, I have found there are amazing opportunities and learning experiences for those aspiring to land a position as a TV writer. Many paths lead to the writers' room by working your way, but first, you'll need to develop the skills required to thrive in that environment.

A frequent starting path for people looking to break into the industry is to work as a production assistant (also known as a PA). There are different types of PAs in production: those who work in the office and those who work on stage. As a result, the duties of those types of PAs are different.

An office PA helps the production office run smoothly by performing the smaller tasks that other members in the production office do not have time to do. This can include scheduling and ordering lunch for members in the office, ordering office supplies and maintaining stock, picking up food for the kitchen area of the office, keeping the kitchen and workplace areas clean, and interacting with other departments such as costumes and art. There will also be additional responsibilities depending on what is needed for that particular day of filming or prep if the production is not at the filming stage.

Stage PAs, duties, however, will be more directly involved in the filming process. Their responsibilities will involve assisting crew members such as costume designers and directors with their needs (office PAs may do this as well but in a different capacity), printing and distributing call sheets (this task may also apply to office PAs depending on the production), and conducting crowd control related to keeping people away from the set or location they are shooting at for security reasons related to the safety of the cast and crew and to prevent spoilers related to the show’s storyline from leaking out.

However, a production assistant requires more than a basic understanding of the responsibilities. There are certain skills individuals will need to succeed both in the production assistant job and in future jobs in the industry.

A production assistant will need passion for the industry, as it serves as a strong motivator for them to work hard and because it is key for boosting morale in the office. From my personal experience, having someone there who can boost morale allows the office to maintain a positive and supportive environment. This also makes it easier to have a strong, friendly working relationship with your coworkers. Additionally, as a production assistant, having a positive morale will help you with the emotionally challenging aspects of the job. As someone who has worked as an office PA, there may be obstacles you face that will test your ability to cope with the job. This can include physical labor around the stages or around the production (my suggestion for a positive spin on these situations is that you are getting some additional exercise) or problems related to ordering products for the office (seeking help or advice from coworkers can really help you feel better or learn from your mistakes).

Additionally, there may be some challenges in the workplace that can affect your morale. If one of your coworkers is having a bad attitude, do not respond to it. You must not take any negative attitudes around you personally. Instead, try to sympathize with them and be supportive, assuming they are in the right headspace (otherwise, be professional and save any support for when they are in a better mood). Your interactions with coworkers and coping mechanisms are important in demonstrating that you can be a team player. Furthermore, they are a necessity if you wish to work in the writers’ room, which is a team-centric environment.

These entry-level positions also extend beyond production offices to a writers’ room. The most common positions in the writers’ room include Showrunner's Assistants, Writers' PA, and Writers' Assistants (though only the Writers' Assistant actively sits in the room). The Showrunner's Assistant allows the Showrunner (the person responsible for the creative direction of the show and in charge of writing assignments in the writers’ room) to maintain focus on their work while they take care of the finer details such as the Showrunner’s work schedule, making travel arrangements, answering phone calls, and doing anything that helps make the Showrunner have an easier day.

The Writers' PA is responsible for the needs of the writers, such as picking up lunches and supplies and performing errands. The Writers' Assistant is responsible for taking notes in the writers' room and tracking everything that is said and changes to the story/script. The Writers’ Assistant then publishes the notes to each individual writer at the end of each day. This ensures that everyone has a shared understanding of the different ideas that were discussed and serves as a reference document for the writing team. These positions are essential for individuals looking to become writers. The roles provide opportunities to develop essential skills for writers, such as organization, creating networking opportunities, and gaining firsthand experience in the creative process.

In addition to interpersonal skills for success, organizational skills are vital for the industry. For example, if you are ordering lunches either as an office PA or a Writers' PA (stage PAs do not order lunch since catering is responsible), you will need to keep track of the information for those working in the office. My personal suggestion is to track the staff information through Microsoft Excel consisting of emails for specific members of production and determine when they’re onsite through the call sheet. Many people have preferences, and some will react negatively if they do not get their order correct. Food is a key element in production as it helps provide energy and pleasure during the long days of working in a production setting.

There are many pathways to becoming a writer in a writers’ room. While writing skills are needed, the ability to be organized and learn both deeply and quickly about the topic at hand is also needed. A supporting role in a production is an amazing way of developing and proving your skills.

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