How to PA: Division of labor

Here’s my attempt at describing how a professional AD department works. Note that you’ll rarely see this kind of system on independent movies or shows. It takes a very experienced AD team to pull this off. Very often, the less experienced crew members just aren’t aware of it, and trying to do things this way on your own won’t work. If you get on a union show though, you can expect most teams to run this way.

Titles

Your typical AD department consists of:

• a 1st AD
• a key 2nd AD
• a 2nd 2nd AD
• a key set PA
• a first team PA
• a basecamp PA (or DGA Trainee)

In addition to these people, the following people are added whenever a location or scene calls for it:

• one or several additional 2nd ADs
• one or several additional PAs

Assistant director responsibilities

This list doesn’t intend to be complete. This is a summary of who does what.

1st AD

• Creates the schedule for the entire show
• Runs the set

key 2nd AD

• Adjusts the schedule from day to day once production has started
• Creates the call sheets
• Is the central point of contact between all departments
• collects and maintain any document pertaining to time and cost of manpower/equipment (this is a shared duty with the 2nd 2nd AD)

2nd 2nd AD

• Assists the 1st AD on set
• Is responsible for the placement of background actors on set
• Is in charge of the all the PAs
• collects and maintain any document pertaining to time and cost of manpower/equipment (this is a shared duty with the key 2nd AD)

additional 2nd AD

• Assists the 2nd 2nd AD on set

DGA Trainee

The trainee is often used at basecamp to run talent through hair, makeup, and wardrobe. But sometimes, a trainee can act as an additional 2nd AD while a basecamp PA runs takes care of this.
A DGA Trainee may also share the time & cost keeping duties of the Key 2nd AD and 2nd 2nd AD.

PA Responsibilities

Contrary to the list above, I’ll try to details things as much as possible here.

All PAs

• echo the calls (roll, cut, rehearsal, first team, 2nd team, last looks ect…)
• Hand out sides
• collect radios after car scenes or other special occasions
• hand out water to the crew
• Lock up the set

key set PA

• Hands out and collects start paperwork (check with all departments every day to know if there are some new crew members)
• Calls lunch, 2nd meal, the Abby and/or the Martini shot on every channel. Some AD teams also want their key PA to relay 1st shot and 1st shot after lunch to the production office
• Hands out daily time sheets
• Oversees BG processing (check in, wardrobe, holding, wrap)
• fills the BG breakdown
• Oversees the loading of passenger vans when the crew is moving from point A to point B
• Helps the 2nd 2nd AD place BG

first team PA

• Keeps eyes on the cast while they are on set
• Calls for transportation if a cast member is sent back to base camp and loads the van, or starts walking the cast to base and calls the base camp PA to receive them.
• Receives actors when they land on set
• Talks with the sound department after blocking to figure out who is getting lav’ed, then brings the actors to the sound cart
• Makes sure that the on set makeup and wardrobe reps are aware of who is seen in the shot and that they are standing by
• Hand out and charges radios on set
• Puts radios in picture cars
• Gets with catering (through base camp PA) / crafty to provide special treats to the cast and their families
• Provides water & shade to the cast

Base camp PA

• Checks that trailer rooms are clean in the morning. Puts door name tags, sides and water for each room
• Gets the cast through makeup, hair and wardrobe. Takes breakfast orders and relays these to another PA if necessary
• Checks with the set teacher how many hours of school have been done each day when working with minors
• Calls for transportation when the cast needs to go to set and loads the van or starts walking the cast to set and calls the first team PA to receive them
• Receives the cast when they back from set
• Lets makeup, hair and wardrobe know when lunch is called if they are still at basecamp
• Lets the cast at basecamp know when lunch is called
• Creates sides
• Starts the production report
• Keeps the day file up to date

Additional PA

• Helps oversee the BG processing
• Loads BG in vans or walks them to set
• Helps the 2nd 2nd AD place BG

If you can remember this list, then you shouldn’t have any problem working on a union set. It will often seem that you are doing less than on a non union show, and that’s absolutely the case. BUT, you will be expected to perform your duties without being told when or how to do them, and with deadly accuracy.

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