Find out who hires you & how to find production work. I'll reveal the #1 way of getting hired in film & TV!

How do you get hired in film and TV? The film industry is not a conventional industry. It’s fast paced, jobs are short (a few days or a few months), the window for hiring can be a few hours or a few days. You have to be able to move quickly and be in the know. Always be planting seeds of opportunity, you never know when something will blossom.

As I’ve mentioned, I’ll be having some videos on how to be a PA, which is the entry-level position. There are 2 types of PAs: Office and Set. Most folks start off day playing, which is where you work temporarily on an as needed basis. This is a great way to prove your value for future opportunities. Or I’ve also seen some day playing PAs do so well they get hired on as staff to work full time.

Set PA vs Office PA

I worked both on set and in the office. By working in both environments, it’s allowed me to know how to prep, shoot, and wrap for day of filming, Many positions can fluctuate between being in the office and on set. It’s not a bad idea to learn both.

Eventually, you will want to commit to one over the other. I’d recommend deciding what you ultimately what to do and position yourself accordingly. For example, if you want to work in camera or sound, I’d recommend working on set.

Or perhaps you don’t know yet, take some time to explore and ask questions about each department to find where you fit in.

Who hires you?

If you’re going the Set PA route, then you’ll get hired by ADs (Assistant Director), Key Set PA, and other PAs.

If you’re aiming to be an Office PA, then you’ll get hired by other PAs, Production Secretary, APOC (Assistant Production Office Coordinator), or the POC (Production Office Coordinator).

How to find work

I’ll admit, this first step of finding work is the hardest and there’s no 1 answer. Literally everyone has a different story of how they got their foot in the door. You can learn about my story in my blog post How I got my start in film and TV.

It comes down to, you have to be knocking on more doors. Eventually one will open. The longer you’re in the business, the more doors that will be open and then you can decide which ones to walk through.

You need to already be living where you want to work. I realize this can be a risky first step. Check out my blog post about Where to work in film, to walk you through that decision. Filming is very fast-paced and you may get a call to work as soon as the next day.

You need to have money saved! Do NOT skip this step. Especially when you’re starting out and have no connections. It will take time to build up your resume and create connections to work consistently. Have at least 3 months worth of savings. You may want to find a part-time side hustle that you can start/stop work on your own schedule. You never know when the next job is going to call.

OK, I’m about to get real with you and reveal the #1 way of getting hired in the industry. You will not and cannot get hired if you do not master this. Are you paying attention? NETWORKING! Partly it’s who you know, but mainly who knows you. It’s a people industry. The workdays are long (minimum 10-12 hours per day). Not only do they want to know you can do the job, but they want someone who is pleasant to be around. Now I know what you’re thinking, “but Michelle I don’t know anyone in the film industry. I don’t have a famous uncle or cousin. How am I supposed to get in?” I know because I’ve been there. I came to Atlanta in 2010 without a single connection and before the industry blew up. So listen up.

NETWORK YOUR A$$ OFF

Find networking opportunities. Are there any film festivals coming up? Are there any indie, locally produced films premiering? What are some local organizations that you can join? Get on social media and find those groups. I’ll list at the end of this post, the groups and online forums I’m a part of. Find any niche groups. Are there any film organizations based on your gender, ethnicity, age, position or department? I guarantee you there are. Find them and go to their events! Put them in your calendar.

When you attend these networking opportunities, circulate (talk to as many people as you can) and exchange contact information. Get over being shy because your livelihood literally depends on you making connections. I recommend coming with business cards (have your name, contact info, and Production Assistant as your title). As a rule of thumb for crew, we don’t use headshots on business cards or resumes, that’s for the talent (actors). If you meet anyone in a position to hire you, ask for their contact information. That night or the next morning, send them your resume with a personal message of how great it was to meet them and a memorable detail so they recall who you are. I recommend following up every 3 months. It’s enough time to not bombard them, but stay on their radar.

Build your network of connections even faster, with the power of the Internet. Do your research on what is filming or has filmed in your area. Look the projects up on IMDB and see who were the PAs, ADs, production secretary, APOC, and POC. Not to sound creepy, but we are in a great digital era where you can usually find ways to contact someone. Are they on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram? If you have IMDBPro, perhaps they have their contact info listed. Do they have a website? Is there a film sourcebook for your area? I personally like The Georgia Film and Television Sourcebook by Oz Publishing, Inc. They have crew listed with their contact info. Or find the local IATSE film union in your area. For Atlanta it’s IATSE local 479. See if they have a member’s contact list on their website. Get scrappy and be resourceful!

It also doesn’t hurt to ask your current network if they know of anyone who works in Film or TV. You may be surprised. They may know someone by just a few degrees of separation. Get their phone # or e-mail and reach out!

Don’t forget to listen. Yes, it’s important to pitch yourself, but make sure you ask them questions. See what they do and what they may have in the future. Get your skin in the game by saying something like, “Wow, that’s the type of project I’d love to work on.” Or “It was so nice to meet you. Thank you for sharing XYZ. Let’s stay in touch so we can work together.” Acknowledge them and how you can add value. If they are in the same boat as you and are looking for PA work: Great! So many of my first jobs came from other PAs recommending me and we helped each other get hired. Projects need multiple PAs.

Diversify

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, diversify! Look for ways to meet new people, work with different crews, on different types of projects. Life circumstances may change; someone may start a family, retire, change careers, or simply not vibe well with you. So don’t heavily rely on someone to make or break your career. Also, working with different crews will allow you to have different responsibilities and make you more well rounded.

Be adaptable. Every project is different. Learning how to work well with different crews will showcase you range of skills.

I’d also recommend working on a variety of types of shows. Feature films, TV series, working with different studios, and various budgets. You’d be surprised how much jobs differ by these varying factors.

Gain experience

Once you build your database of connections, continue fostering those relationships. Keep them updated as you go to workshops, gain some experience, and see how they are doing. Don’t keep begging for a job. You’ll appear desperate and annoying. They want to see you’re moving the needle in your career. There were a lot of people I reached out to early on, who never responded, but I did work with them later and they remembered me reaching out. That’s the beautiful thing about film, you never know how things will come full circle. Get your name out there and become known!

Gain experience early. Intern or work as a PA on whatever you can. Music videos, indie films, documentaries, commercials, production company shoots, reality TV, etc. Occasionally you can find these types of jobs on job boards (I’ll list some resources in the description below). When I was in college, I hit up all the production companies that created video content. Often times I worked for free as an intern so I could gain the experience. Don’t be picky. You should take whatever comes your way to build your resume and gain experience. I’ll list at the end of this post some job board websites for Production work.

There’s no substitute education like gaining real life experience. Being an extra is how a lot of people start and you get exposure to how sets are run. What’s nice about being an extra is you simply follow direction and there’s not a lot of pressure on you. So take the opportunity to observe, learn, and network (not while someone is busy working though, be sure to read the situation). Check out my blog on How to be an extra.

RESUME

Always keep your resume updated. You want to have it ready to send. You may lose an opportunity if you don’t respond within the same hour you’re hit up for a job. Keep your resume to 1 page and send it as a PDF. The file name should have your name, position, and date (MichelleCaruso_PA_Date). The overall format should be clean, readable, and consistent. Make sure your font size and font type is the same for your headings vs descriptions. Spacing and indentation should be uniform throughout. Don’t forget to proofread.

Ideally, you should list your experience first. In your work section, list the name of the movie or show, studio or production company, month(s) and year you worked on it, your position (be specific, were you an additional PA, background, basecamp, office PA, etc), and list your supervisors (the ADs, Key Set PA, Production Secretary, APOC, or POC). List your references at the bottom. Please be sure to ask folks if you can list them as a reference and if you can list their phone and e-mail. As I mentioned, it’s a people industry. By listing who you have worked with, it may help get you hired for the job.

Say you don’t have any film experience yet. Be sure to list any relatable skills or tasks. If you’ve worked in an office and you’re applying to be an Office PA, it’s helpful if you’ve answered phones, handled paperwork, used an office copier, or made coffee. You may be surprised to learn a common task is to take care of people’s dietary needs. Being a server or a waitress is relatable experience. You’re used to fast paced environments, long hours, multitasking, and how to work with a variety of personalities.

INTERVIEW

First of all, get there EARLY! It will likely take you a while to find parking and how to find the office or interview location. Film is a casual industry. Don’t go in with a suit or dress, they’ll immediately know you don’t know what you’re doing.

Office PA interview look

If you’re applying for an **Office PA** role, you can dress a bit nicer. Working in the office doesn’t require as much physical labor in unpredictable conditions. You may also be in a position of prepping an office or room for a studio executive, so being presentable is a higher priority. I still recommend wearing flat, closed toed shoes, but they can be a bit more formal with a nicer top and slacks. A casual button down for men is a safe bet.

Come with at least 3 copies of your resume printed. You may be interviewed by more than one person. Come prepared with a resume in hand for them to look at and keep. Your resume should change often since jobs can be a few days, weeks, or months, so printing on regular copy paper is fine.

Be honest about your work experience. If you oversell yourself, you may find yourself in over your head. If you get hired for a position you’re not qualified for, then you may burn a bridge because you’ve also made that boss look bad.

During any outreach and especially during an interview, do some prep work on who they are. What are their projects? Have you seen any? You’ll stand out if you can drop a personal detail specific to them. People will care more about you if you care about them.

If you’re going the Set PA route, you’ll want to make sure that you do all the different types of PA positions so you’re empowered as you move up to the various AD roles.

Length of Job

Once you’ve worked your way up to being a staff PA (working the entire length of the show), you may get some time for prep and wrap. Prep is the time prior to filming. Wrap is the time to wrap up any filming assets that are not needed for Post Production. Especially when you’re new (also known as being green), you’ll likely only be hired as a day player.

A shooting schedule for a feature film ranges from 30 to about 60 days of filming.

TV shows (or episodic gigs), can really vary. A typical, narrative half or full hour show can take a week or two to film an episode. You can expect to be hired on a TV show for 5-6 months.

There are pros and cons to features vs episodic work. There won’t be as many paydays with a feature, but having a shorter gig will allow you to work on more projects and perhaps switch up your responsibilities more often. However, you get hired and paid longer on episodic. The longer runs can be especially nice if you really like your crew and the work environment.

Usually filming days are Monday through Friday. There may be day or night shoots. There could be a few different units, limited actor availability, or locations with specific needs that will force an unusual filming schedule. Due to the unpredictable nature of filming, I recommend booking any travel plans or long appointments in between shows.

Copy That

Make sure you have a great attitude and a willingness to do anything that is asked. Believe it or not, film is not the most glamorous business. There will be tasks you’re not going to want to do.

On set, be sure to say “Copy, on it.” Jump on whatever it is and show readiness to get it done.

In the office you can use this same phrase or put your own spin on it. A crew member I know would say, “You got it.” I liked that it sounded like “I’ve got your back.” It’s a team effort; show your part of the team.

Showing you’re hungry to learn and do the job, goes a long way. Communicate and ask questions. Speaking confidently also demonstrates you’re assertive and can be relied upon. Speaking loudly is especially important for working on set where you may need to yell “Rolling” or “Cut” amongst working crew or loud conditions. This was an area of growth for me early on. I was constantly being told I was not loud enough. Well I got over that real fast so I could keep my job!

Avoid burning bridges

This business is growing, but everyone talks and it can feel like a small world. You may not always know who you’re speaking to in the moment of carrying out a task, so always be respectful. It could be a Producer’s son or actor’s girlfriend trying to find set. Be courteous.

I know this next bit is going to be controversial, but it’s my 2 cents. Take it or leave it.

You’ll notice I say avoid vs don’t burn bridges. I’ll admit I have burned bridges in my past and even quit shows. Just know I didn’t do it lightly. Early in my career, I was advised to never quit a show because it would mean you never work again. I can tell you that’s not true and people who shouldn’t continue to get jobs, do. Plus there are bosses or crew member I would never work with again. However, you may have to think twice if it’s a show you really want to work on. Or perhaps it’s your only job offer. So think very carefully if you feel a decision in the moment or on a job may cost you a connection for life.

Martini is up

I promise I’m not drinking yet…if you don’t know already, “martini is up” is actually a film term. Stay tuned for my blog post on being a Set PA to learn what that means. Subscribe to my newsletter to stay current & connected.

Networking is absolutely necessary for your career, so I really wanted to devote some time to this step. To this day I’m constantly networking. The industry is always evolving, as is my career.

Thanks for reading, let me know what questions you may have, please share this blog post with anyone interested in working in the industry.