P.A. BOOTCAMP DAY 1&2
P.A. bootcamp really opened my eyes to what it's going to be like to work on studio events. It's not about you, it's about the people above you. On the first day, we mostly learned vocabulary. We learned how to set up AD kits, and what all the paper work is. We learned the proper way to act on each show and movie. Big profit television shows you need to be 50% personality and 50% work ethic. On just a regular television show you need to be 70% work ethic and 30% personality. The reason for the ratio being 70:30 is because time is money, and on a television show you have less time/ shorter deadlines. I learned that you have to think positive and leave work stuff, at work. If you make a mistake, put it behind you and learn from it for your next production. You have to put yourself in the mind set of a A.D. which is always anticipating. Anticipating the next scene, who needs to come next, what you need, ect. As a P.A. you want to talk little as possible. You do not want to talk to anyone that's in higher power than you, till the time is appropriate, especially not while on set.
On our second say of P.A. bootcamp we learned radio etiquette. We learned how to change the batteries, which batteries are call hot bricks. We learned the proper way to talk over the headsets. If you do not have your own two wire surveillance head set you will have to wear what they call the "burger king" headset. Which, you will be made fun of by P.A.'s who know you are a newbie. We learned the proper places to put 6-pack battery charing packs with would be in the trucks that need use the walkies, such as grip, electric, camera, transportation, props, and your own trailer. It was intimidating when they took us outside and read call sheets to us and we had to scatter and find the answers, but at the end I knew this would help make me be a stronger and better P.A. Doing this helped me get more comfortable with a call sheet. P.A. bootcamp was an interesting experience that I am grateful for, as well as something that will give me actual job opportunities and more experience then most P.A.'s walking onto the set.
After, our last night at P.A. bootcamp we got to go our to dinner and sit with a focus puller named Symon Mink. A focus puller is someone who's in charge of changing the lens's focus distance to a moving subjects physical distance from the focal plane. He was really interesting. It was nice to sit with someone and feel so much more personality than you usually get in a studio tour. We really got to pick his brain, and hear about how to push your way through and figure out what you would really like to do in the production field.
On our second say of P.A. bootcamp we learned radio etiquette. We learned how to change the batteries, which batteries are call hot bricks. We learned the proper way to talk over the headsets. If you do not have your own two wire surveillance head set you will have to wear what they call the "burger king" headset. Which, you will be made fun of by P.A.'s who know you are a newbie. We learned the proper places to put 6-pack battery charing packs with would be in the trucks that need use the walkies, such as grip, electric, camera, transportation, props, and your own trailer. It was intimidating when they took us outside and read call sheets to us and we had to scatter and find the answers, but at the end I knew this would help make me be a stronger and better P.A. Doing this helped me get more comfortable with a call sheet. P.A. bootcamp was an interesting experience that I am grateful for, as well as something that will give me actual job opportunities and more experience then most P.A.'s walking onto the set.
After, our last night at P.A. bootcamp we got to go our to dinner and sit with a focus puller named Symon Mink. A focus puller is someone who's in charge of changing the lens's focus distance to a moving subjects physical distance from the focal plane. He was really interesting. It was nice to sit with someone and feel so much more personality than you usually get in a studio tour. We really got to pick his brain, and hear about how to push your way through and figure out what you would really like to do in the production field.
I agree, no matter what field you're in time is money. This trip is a tremendous opportunity to learn from those doing what you want to do. It takes a ton of hard work and networking to set yourself apart from your competition. Of course relationships are important too. Always strive to your very best in everything you do.
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