Base Production Assistant

What is a Base Production Assistant? 

A Base PA works with the Base or Key 2nd AD at the unit base to help ready the cast in the morning, manage fittings and help with any necessary paperwork. On bigger productions this job becomes known as a Base 3rd Assistant Director and they basically run the base camp for the Key 2nd AD. So you could say that depending on the scale of your production you might learn much more as a Base PA who doesn’t also have a Base 3rd AD.

What does a Base PA do? 

In the mornings during the ‘cast call’ the Base PA will help the Key 2nd AD greet the actors as they arrive, show them to their trailers and put them into hair/make-up and costume. They will make sure the actors have breakfast & teas/coffees and once they’re 100% ready they will travel them down to set.

After the ‘cast call’ is complete and the unit base is empty there might be fittings and other activities happening that the Base PA might need to help with. They will also be looking forward to the next day’s work and preparing artist trailers for upcoming cast arrivals.

Another important role that the Base PA does is keeping on top of the AD trailer - this means keeping it tidy, organised and well stocked. They should keep in contact with the Office Production Assistants and order stationery and snacks for the trailer and the actors.

Once wrap is called and the actors travel back to the unit base the Base PA will then help to ensure that they’re derig goes smoothly and that cars are waiting to transport them home.

What’s next after being a Base PA? 

As already mentioned the next step would be to move onto a high budget production and become a Base 3rd AD which is essentially a lot of the same tasks but with more responsibility and leadership (timesheets/SAG reports and AD Reports). You could however, move onto the floor and try out being a Set PA or a Crowd PA first.

TAR

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