Set Production Assistant

What is a Set Production Assistant?

A Set Production Assistant (Set PA for short) is an entry level role and an excellent place to start within the AD department. It allows for a lot of room to move up the ladder or even into other departments.

How do you become a Set PA?

So you might be lucky enough to get onto a production as a contracted Set PA but usually a lot of people start out as lock off PAs and on a daily contract. From there they would then get dailies as an additional Set PA and then ultimately a full contracted Set PA job.

It can be very difficult to get that first foot in the door in this industry but there are a number of different ways you can try to get in. A good example is taking part in a trainee scheme or programme. Screenskills is an excellent place to start as they have their own trainee finder on their website. Failing that, taking part in different masterclasses and networking events through film festivals is another good way to meet people already working in the industry. I'm going to do a more in depth post on how to get into the industry so please check back for that! A lot of jobs, however are gained via word of mouth and making strong connections on previous productions.

What does a Set PA do?

The Set PA has a number of different responsibilities to attend to whilst on a production. Primarily they report to the Floor 3rd Assistant Director who then reports to the Floor 2nd AD, who reports to the Key 2nd AD and 1st AD. Ultimately though you answer to all of the higher up positions within the AD team. You will work most closely with the Floor 3rd AD as they will be the one giving you tasks and instructions throughout the day. These tasks will be things that will help to make the running of the day go smoothly.

Some key job roles include:

Communicating with the crew

Locking off the set

Working with the cast

Helping with background artists

Helping to distribute and prepare radios

Coffee and tea runs

Grabbing lunches for your team and the cast

Dependant on the size of a production there can be as little as one Set PA or as many as four. Being part of a team of two or more Set PAs will allow you to divide and conquer the tasks throughout the day. It can however cause you to stay within your comfort zone so be sure to talk to the Floor 3rd about trying a new task; for example maybe you're always with the cast but you'd like to be put with a camera.

What's next after being a Set PA?

Once you've been a Set PA for a few years or until you feel confident enough to move up the ladder the next step would be to become a Floor 3rd AD. This is the most common path of progression but you could also become a Crowd 3rd AD or even a Base 3rd AD. Once you've got three to four years under your belt you should start to look at stepping up and getting dailies or even opportunities on splinter units to 3rd.

Another option is to do a few jobs as a Set PA and then move onto Crowd PA or Base PA and from there you could rotate what you do and eventually step up to the higher level of 3rding in all of these roles. The more roles you try your hand at the better and more employable you will be.

Well I hope this has helped you to gain a better understanding of what a Set Production Assistant is and where you can take it.

TAR

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