How to Be a Production Assistant

As a Production Assistant, or PA, you will be expected to complete assigned tasks and think on your feet. Although this is an entry-level position in the film industry, you may be responsible for important duties, equipment, paperwork, and production resources.

PAs are often among the first people to arrive and the last to leave. While on the job, you are expected to remain available to assist and ready to work.

Typical PA Responsibilities

• Collecting lunch orders.
• Making copies of important documents.
• Answering phones.
• Moving furniture and equipment.
• Setting up and taking down pop-up tents, tables, chairs, and other production equipment.
• Making deliveries in your own vehicle or in a rented van or cube truck.
• Picking up and returning equipment.
• Managing petty cash and receipts.
• Greeting clients, guests, actors, and crew members.
• Supporting set security by holding exits, maintaining lockups, and helping with crowd control while filming is in progress.

Working on an Active Set

When working on an active film set, always remain ready for a task. Do not disappear, become difficult to locate, or appear disengaged. When you are not actively assigned, look for useful housekeeping work that helps the production.

Picking up trash, wiping down tables, organizing supplies, restocking water, and keeping work areas orderly are simple tasks that demonstrate awareness and professionalism.

When first arriving on set, the PA team may need to prepare the breakfast or snack table and set up drink coolers. After that, meet with production management or the Key PA to understand the day’s plan, assignments, and priorities.

Cleanliness and Safety

Clean up after yourself and address anything around you that needs attention. Report safety concerns and damaged equipment as soon as you notice them.

As a Set Key, I would rather have three PAs report the same scratch on a wall than watch them walk past it. The sooner a problem is noticed, the sooner it can be resolved. Every minute saved by cleaning trash, staging equipment, and keeping work areas organized can improve the pace and mood of the day.

At wrap, clean up everything and leave the location cleaner than it was when the crew arrived. This is one of the most important PA responsibilities. The condition of the location when the last production vehicles leave reflects directly on the crew’s professionalism and can determine whether the production—or another production—will be invited back.

Pre-Production and Post-Production

During pre-production and post-production, PA work often shifts toward office tasks, production runs, equipment pickups, and returns. The same expectations still apply: stay organized, document what you are doing, protect production resources, and complete every assignment.

Standard Items to Carry

• Red and black pens.
• Pencils and erasers.
• Sharpies in several colors and widths.
• Three-inch blue painter’s tape. Begin each shoot with several rolls.
• A small notepad. Do not depend on your phone for every note; pen and paper are fast, reliable, and professional.
• Standard envelopes for organizing receipts, petty cash records, and small documents.
• Legal-size envelopes for larger paperwork, releases, call sheets, and production documents.
• A flashlight with fresh batteries.
• A multitool or basic pocket tool where permitted.
• Work gloves appropriate for moving equipment and handling cases.
• A phone charger and, when practical, a portable battery pack.
• Weather-appropriate clothing, including layers, a hat, sunscreen, and rain protection when needed.

Organization

Keep receipts, petty cash, keys, paperwork, and production property organized. Write down instructions, names, phone numbers, addresses, confirmation numbers, and changes. Never assume that you will remember everything after a long day.

When receiving money, equipment, keys, documents, or other production property, confirm what you received and who gave it to you. When delivering or returning those items, confirm who accepted them.

Communication

Listen carefully, repeat instructions when necessary, and ask a concise question when a task is unclear. Do not pretend to understand an assignment that you do not understand.

When reporting that a task is complete, include any information the person assigning it needs to know. If the task cannot be completed, report the problem promptly rather than waiting until someone asks for an update.

Professional Conduct

• Arrive early enough to be ready at your call time.
• Wear practical, clean, work-appropriate clothing.
• Keep your phone quiet and use it only when work requires it.
• Do not photograph the set, talent, or production materials without permission.
• Do not post production information on social media.
• Respect confidential scripts, schedules, call sheets, and client information.
• Do not sit in cast, client, camera, or department-designated areas.
• Do not handle equipment unless you are assigned or authorized to do so.
• Stay calm, polite, and useful when the production becomes stressful.

Learn From Every Department

A PA position provides an opportunity to observe how a professional production operates. Pay attention to the responsibilities of each department, the language used on set, the chain of command, and the way experienced crew members solve problems.

Do not interfere with another department’s work, but learn whenever an appropriate opportunity appears. Experience, reliability, and a good reputation are what lead to the next job.

A strong PA is alert, organized, safe, respectful, and willing to do necessary work without needing constant supervision. Follow every task through to completion and leave the production better organized than you found it.