On a movie set, a film production assistant is responsible for a variety of tasks, including administrative tasks, equipment procurement, film editing, fetching lunch, and making coffee. She is customarily expected to do whatever it takes to make the filming project run smoothly. This entry-level position could be performed on a commercial Hollywood movie set, a college campus producing student films, or on a movie set anywhere in the world.
In this position, each day usually entails a different set of responsibilities. These requests are typically made the producer, director, writer, or other members of the filmmaking team. Because demands are frequently made at the same time and with the same level of urgency, an effective film production assistant must have excellent time management and prioritization skills. This job is frequently associated with long, irregular hours.
One of the most important qualifications for the position of film production assistant is the ability to multitask effectively. Computer skills, project management, and communication skills are all highly desirable. To be successful in this position, you must have excellent record-keeping skills and outstanding research abilities.
Computer skills are required of an assistant in order for her to communicate via e-mail and make travel and hotel arrangements. She may also be asked to research specific requests from the production crew or actors on a regular basis. A production assistant’s duties typically include organizing and maintaining records related to the film.
This position typically requires good listening and comprehension skills, in addition to administrative and personal assistance skills. A film production assistant must mentally take notes and act accordingly because many different people are usually making requests at the same time. She is expected to have a can-do attitude and to remain calm and focused even in the most stressful situations.
This job is traditionally thought of as a stepping stone to more professional and lucrative film jobs. According to this viewpoint, a film production assistant is typically expected to learn the jobs of other crew members in order to increase her value to the production and her chances of advancement. Many well-known directors and producers are said to have started their careers as production assistants.
For this position, there are usually no educational or work experience requirements. In fact, many film production assistants have advanced degrees in a variety of fields, but they believe that the training and opportunities provided this job are more important in helping them achieve their goals. Applicants with bachelor’s degrees in film studies or related fields may be considered.