Published: April 2, 2025 | Last Updated: April 11, 2025
A production assistant (PA) is an entry-level crew member who supports departments across a film, TV, or commercial production. Their duties can include setting up gear, managing paperwork, handling runs, and assisting the AD team. A great PA is reliable, fast, and able to stay calm under pressure.
The typical production assistant job description
Production assistants are generalists. They go where they’re needed. On any given day, a PA might lock up a location, relay walkies, drive talent, prep coffee, handle paperwork, or move sandbags.
The work is often physical and rarely glamorous, but it’s the fastest way to learn how a real movie set functions.
There are two common types of PAs:
- Set PA: Works directly on location, helping the AD team, managing crew flow, and keeping things running smoothly.
- Office PA: Based in production offices, handling scheduling, printing, travel logistics, and supply runs.
On large shows, you might also find post PAs, costume PAs, or camera PAs—each assisting within specific departments.
How to become a production assistant
You don’t need a film degree to start as a PA. You just need to show up, stay alert, and help without getting in the way.
Most PAs get their first job through a student film, indie short, or local commercial shoot. From there, the goal is to keep working and make yourself indispensable.
Use job boards like ProductionBeast or Mandy, ask friends in film school, or join a city-specific Facebook group for local shoots. Cold emails to coordinators also work—just be brief, professional, and clear about availability.
How much do PAs get paid?
Rates vary widely depending on budget and union status. Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Non-union indie shoots: $150–$225/day
- Union TV or feature sets (IATSE Local 871 in LA): $18–$22/hour
- Commercial or branded shoots: Flat day rate, usually $200–$300
First-time PAs often start with unpaid or stipend-based jobs just to get on set. Once you’ve worked 2–3 productions, aim to move up to consistent paid work.
How to write a production assistant resume
Keep it clean, direct, and practical. Film resumes aren’t about long descriptions—they’re about credits. List the project name, production company, date, and your position.
If you’ve worked with known directors or producers, include that. If not, focus on volume and reliability.
Don’t exaggerate titles. “Director” on a student short means less than “PA” on a real shoot. If you don’t have film credits, include adjacent work: retail, food service, warehouse jobs—all suggest reliability and stamina.
Sample PA Resume Entry:
Production Assistant
“Midnight Highway” – Shadow Creek Films – 2023
Assisted AD team, locked up locations, managed walkie setup, and coordinated lunch drop-offs across 10-day shoot.
What skills actually matter on set?
You won’t get hired for your camera knowledge. You’ll get hired because you’re quick, helpful, and low-maintenance. That means:
- Showing up early
- Listening more than talking
- Knowing set lingo (10-1 = bathroom, “copy that” = understood)
- Being ready with a pen, multitool, or phone charger
- Not wandering off without checking in
PA jobs are about momentum. The more reliable you are, the faster your name gets passed around. The first few gigs are your audition for the next 20.
How to move up from PA roles
Most departments hire from within. A good PA might become a 2nd AD, set dresser, or coordinator depending on their interests. If you’re consistent, observant, and discreet, you’ll get pulled into other departments naturally.
But don’t rush it. The best crew members—grips, ACs, coordinators—were once great PAs. Learn set dynamics, earn trust, and when you’re ready, make your next move.
Summing up
Production assistant jobs are the gateway to everything else in film. You learn how sets work, who does what, and what it takes to keep a shoot alive. The pay is modest, but the access is invaluable.
Show up early, stay helpful, and treat every day as a step toward your next role. From the bottom, you get a full view of how the industry runs.
Read Next: All the below-the-line film set roles you should know about.
