GETTING IT DONE THE ULTIMATE
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT GUIDE JOSHUA A. FRIEDMAN
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TAB ABLE LE OF CONTENTS CONTE NTS
THE PEOPLE PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT UNIT PRODUCTION MANAGER ASSISTANT DIRECTORS PRODUCTION ASSISTANT ASSISTANTS S z
KEYzPA
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1STzTEAMzPA
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BACKGROUNDzPA
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WORKING CREWS HAIR, MAKEUP & WARDROBE LOCATIONS PROPS SOUND CAMERA GRIP & ELECTRIC SCENIC SET DRESSING SCRIPT SUPERVISOR CRAFT SERVICES TRANSPORTATION
PRODUCTION OFFICE PRODUCTION OFFICE COORDINA COORDINATOR TOR ASS’T PRODUCTION OFFICE COORDINATOR PRODUCTION SECRETARY OFFICE PAS A DAY IN THE LIFE
THE ON-SET EXPERIENCE WORKING ON-SET REHEARSAL PROCESS
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WALKIE ETIQUETTE ETIQUE TTE LOCKUPS INTERACTING WITH TALENT SECOND UNIT PHOTO SHOOTS MOVING VEHICLES TYPES TYP ES OF WORKDA WOR KDAYS YS
THE PAPERWORK CALL SHEET PRODUCTION REPORT SCHEDULE TIME CARDS PETTY CASH
TIPS AND THINGS TO KNOW THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GET TO SET PREP HOW TO READ A SCRIPT
THINGS TO KNOW ON-SET EQUIPMENT & GEAR CAMERA SHOTS TRUCKS COFFEE VS. CAPPUCCINO VS. LATTES GAMBLING ON-SET
HOW TO TO GET A JOB JO B TYPES OF JOBS PA RATES RATES & PERKS PE RKS RESUME GETTING A JOB THE PA LADDE LADDER R WRAPPING UP
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APPENDICES A. TIMING CHART B. PREP C. PAPERW PAPERWORK ORK D. PAPERWORK SURVIVAL GUIDE E. UNIONS F. UNION UN ION CONTRACTS & PAPERWORK G. GLOSSARY OF TERMS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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THE PEOPLE THE PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT
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f you are reading this guide, you are obviously interested in becoming a production assistant (PA) in the fast-paced world of lm and television. WARNING!
This job is a commitment not to be taken lightly. It is intense, hard, and sometimes emotionally draining. This should not deter you from enjoying the thrill of lmmaking and the amazing experiences that you will have along the way. Just be aware, it’s rough and tough. That being said, this section will give you an in-depth understanding of what will be asked of you in this business.
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HIERARCHY OF A PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT Unit Production Manager
1st Assistant Director
2nd Assistant Director
2nd 2nd Assistant Director
Key PA
DGA Trainee/Paperwork
Background PA
Walkie PA
1st Team PA
Everyone who’s seen a movie knows the big names: director, producer, actor. But what do these people do? How do they afect the PAs? Truthully, they have very little efect in the beginning. e director deals primarily with the actors on-set. e producer works out o an oce and comes to set to visit and make sure everything is running on schedule and under budget. e actors are there to do their obvious job… act. So whom do you report to as a PA when you are on-set? at would be the unit production manager and assistant directors.
UNIT PRODUCTION MANAGER e unit production manager (UPM) is the link between the producers and the set. He supervises all aspects o production including budgets, contracts, negotiations, and schedules. e job o a UPM is lled with long hours and constant communication with everyone involved in the project.
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When questions arise on-set about breaking on time and shooting late, they are directed to the UPM. He will also be responsible or approvals on budgets and schedules to keep production on track. He will sign paychecks and authorize payments or rentals and purchases. It’s a big job. e UPM leads a double lie. Hal o his time is spent in the oce working with vendors and the studio. e other hal is spent on-set monitoring the day-to-day operations. In the oce, the UPM will be supported by the production oce coordinator. On-set he is supported by the assistant directors.
ASSISTANT DIRECTORS Assistant directors are in charge o running the set. ey are involved in production beore the cameras are rented and the crew has been completely assembled. ADs are both planners and executors o the shoot on-set. ey organize the schedule and coordinate between all departments to bring the project together. ADs come in three sizes: 1st ADs, 2nd ADs, and 2nd 2nd ADs (outside o the U.S., these olks are called 3rd ADs). z
1STzAD
At the top o the ood chain is the 1st AD. He is the director’s righthand man. e 1st AD is responsible or the day-to-day running o the set. He is calling the shots and making sure that everyone is doing their job on time and correctly. A producer once told me there are two questions a 1st AD is constantly asking: “Why aren’t we shooting?” and “What’s wrong with this picture?” As a good PA it is your job to answer these questions and solve any problems that arise. We are not shooting because: We’re waiting on actors Background needs to be propped up We’re setting lights We need to run a rehearsal And the list o questions and answers goes on. Eventually you run out o answers and shoot. y
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e 1st AD’s second-in-command is the 2nd AD. e 2nd AD is responsible or scheduling the actors’ arrivals and pickups as well as the logistics on-set. Logistics include calling in special equipment, stunts, special efects, etc. e 2nd AD’s main duty is to prep the call sheet (covered in detail later) or the next day. In layman’s terms, while the 1st AD runs the set today, the 2nd AD prepares (preps) everything or tomorrow. Along with prep, the 2nd AD is responsible or secret excursions called photo shoots. It’s pretty much like a real day on-set, except the people don’t move as much. I’ll go into photo shoots in more detail later, but or now, these can be the lm industry’s little goodies you can look orward to. You have the chance to observe the 2nd ADs and producers so that you can develop your own eye or what is a good shot and or what a shot may need. at can be anything rom a slight nudge o the camera, a change in lighting, a shit o urniture, or the repositioning o an actor. z
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Last, but most certainly not least, you will nd the 2nd 2nd AD. is is the person who stands next to the 1st AD on-set and does the legwork. Her main responsibilities are to call the background (background actors) to and rom set, make sure they are ready, and place them in their proper positions or the scene. On top o that she is responsible or ensuring that all paperwork is correct rom the previous day. All three ADs work together to ensure a smooth-running production. ey will be relying heavily on you, the PA, to help make things happen successully.
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My First Fire Watch
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y first day on-set was at a beach on Coney Island. I was assigned to a fire watch on my lunch break. Basically, I
watched over the equipment while the crew ate their food. While I was sitting on the pier guarding the Sound and Prop carts, a beachgoer runs up and grabs two prop buckets. I yelled after him and he started yelling back, “I only want to borrow them! I need water for my sandcastle.” I yelled back, “It doesn’t matter what you need the buckets for! They’re not yours!” He disregarded my warning and attempted to escape with my props. I chased him down the beach, tackling him to the sand in order to retrieve the stolen property. With the prop buckets safely back in my possession, the thief fled the scene of the crime. If a fire watch had not been in place... who knows where those buckets may have ended up!
My First Lockup
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ockups involve you in preventing someone or something from interfering with the working set. The best advice I can offer a
new PA on a lockup is to have presence. I remember one of my first lockups in downtown Manhattan. An extremely large PA came up behind me to watch as a stream of oblivious people (mothers with strollers distracted by cell phones, tourists who didn’t speak English, businessmen absorbed in conversation) blew straight through my lockup. I would say “Excuse me… ma’am… sir… could you… please…. excuse me....” But nobody would stop. Finally the PA comes over and steps in front of me. I watch as a group of eight people head straight for our corner. He looks them in the eye, smiles, and makes a motion with his hands while saying, “Hey folks, just go this way for me! Thanks!” And they did! They actually listened. Why? He had presence. He was sure, he was confident, and remember: Body language works too. The more lockups you handle, the more effective you will become. No matter what, keep smiling and being nice: You are encroaching on someone else’s neighborhood. Respect that and you’ll be great.
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PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS ere is a relatively small circle o working production assistants. Breaking in is the hard part. e purpose o this guide is to bring you up-to-speed so that when you do get that rst job, you’ll be prepared or whatever is thrown your way. Most people assume that PAs are Goers: Go or water, go or ood, go or dry cleaning.... And while that is partially true, it is only a small part o the job. PAs are an invaluable asset to the set. We are the glue that holds the production together through all obstacles. PAs are in charge o Extras, paperwork, crowd control, and many more things that come up throughout the work day. We do everything needed or a production. What most people don’t realize is that within the PA category are sub-categories o PAs; specialized jobs that serve a specic purpose. e PA hierarchy is as ollows: Key PA, 1st team PA, Background PA, Walkie PA, DGA Trainee (on non-DGA productions that would be the Paperwork PA), and Additional PAs. Each PA is responsible or dierent aspects o the set and all should work together to ensure a smooth-running production. z
THEzKEYzPA
e Key PA is in charge o running the PAs on-set. He hires additional PAs on big workdays and is the 1st AD’s link to the rest o the PA staf. He is responsible or getting things done. e real question is, what should he do? HIRING ADDITIONAL PAS
When hiring, you want to make sure to balance out your staf. While a strong experienced staf is ideal, you also want to hire some less-experienced PAs. Somebody has to raise the next generation, right? You You will use your inexperienced inexper ienced (green) PAs or lockups (to (t o be covered later) and errands, while your experienced PAs are in charge o running their respective teams and departments. e bottom line when it comes to hiring is who will do the job correctly, eciently, and with the best attitude.
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CREW SAFETY AND COMFORT
One o the Key PA’s most important responsibilities is the saety o the crew. is means that when shooting in the street, the Key makes sure that trac cones are properly set and pedestrians are properly diverted to keep the crew sae and working on schedule. Know the set. e Key should know where the bathrooms are in every location; know where the controls to the air conditioning are so you can turn it of at the AD/Sound Department’s request. A good Key will know all o the exits in a given location as well as any pertinent inormation that may come into play while shooting. COMMUNICATING AND CONTROLLING THE CREW
e Key PA helps to acilitate the running o the set by translating orders rom the higher-ups. e ADs will tell the Key what needs to be done and it is up to the Key to communicate that to the rest o the crew. As a PA, you will spread the message to department heads. Once you have relayed the message, let the ADs know that all parties involved have been “made aware.” e Crew will either hate you or love you. Why do I say this? Because it is your job as the Key PA to keep them calm and quiet while working. ey’ll be banging ladders and C-stands around, while you’re in the middle o a rehearsal where an actress must cry and needs absolute silence. at is why I want you to be prepared to be the bad guy. Sometimes, it’s just that time. e way the crew eels about you is totally based on the way that you deal with them. I choose a riendly approach. When I ask the crew to be quiet or tone it down, I rst tell them, “You know better.” No one likes to be talked down to and most o these olks have been doing this job since beore you or I was born. For that simple act, give them the benet o the doubt. I you concede that they know what they’re doing, and acknowledge that they know it’s wrong, then you put the responsibility on the crewmembers and they’re usually more inclined to listen. SETTING LOCKUPS
Part o keeping the crew under control is setting lockups. A Key PA will approach the camera monitor and look at the rame (what the 7
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camera sees). Once he has established the rame lines (the borders o the camera rame), he can gure out where he and other PAs can stand to efectively keep people out o the shot, while remaining of-camera themselves. He will then strategically place PAs around the set to keep pedestrians out o the shot. e Key will use trac cones to block of sidewalks and street lanes while shooting, or use other obstacles to help direct and corral pedestrians around the working set. When shooting on a live street, the Key will have to coordinate a trac lockup. is is done using ocers rom the Trac Control Department (TCD). TCD reports to the Locations Department, so the Key needs to communicate with the Locations Manager to arrange or them. LOAD-INS/LOAD-OUTS
e Key PA is responsible or coming up with a plan to load the crew into and out o locations. Discuss this with the Locations Department and the ADs beore the shooting day begins. Once the plan has been approved, the PAs will spread the message to all o the departments. I this is done properly, when the crew starts to roll out their heavy equipment, everyone will know where to go and nobody will complain or get lost. e same thing will apply or the load-out. ASSISTING GUESTS
When guests arrive they are usually brought to the video village (the area where the director and producers sit to see what is being shot on a monitor) to watch the action. I there is a guest on-set, the responsibility o getting them situated usually alls on the Key PA. is means talking to the Prop Department and getting extra cast chairs set up as well as talking to the Sound Department to provide a set o cans (a headset attached to a receiver that allows one to hear what the actors say into the microphone) or the guest.
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EQUIPME NT STAGING STAGING
Another aspect o the Key’s job is to tell the crew where they can stage their equipment saely, without being in the shot. To do this, the Key must talk with the 1st AD who will tell him where all o the sae places around the set will be. Equipment that will need to be staged includes the video village, all carts and equipment, as well as Extras that are not being used, and crewmembers who just like to look in the lens. ORGANIZING THE VANS
At the end o the night, the Key is responsible or organizing van rides or background actors, cast and crew. He will also assign PAs to trucks to get out times (the time at which a department is of the clock). is requires the Key to know which trucks will need to be covered (have an individual looking ater them) and delegate the responsibility o collecting out-times to the PAs accordingly. IN SHORT
e Key PA PA has an endless job with many responsibilities responsibil ities too numerous to go into in this book. You’ll learn on the job and, remember, every job is diferent.... Adapt. e best advice I can give you is to know the process on-set (this will be explained later), remain calm, and pay attention to what’s going on. You’ll do ne.
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The Hair and Makeup Dance
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was working on a movie in upstate New York and we were shooting stunt shots all day. I had six stuntmen and stuntwomen
to get through Hair, Makeup, and Wardrobe. Here’s where coordination and proper handling comes into play. After consulting with the Hair and Makeup artists, I sent the two women to their trailer. (Women usually take the longest, so you always want to send them to get ready first. I’m not trying to be sexist, it’s just a fact. There’s more to do!) Always ask first. I then asked the Wardrobe Department who they would like to see first. They too said the women. I explained that I had sent them to get their hair done and that I could bring them the stuntmen. Once a deal was struck, I brought three stuntmen into the Wardrobe trailer and the remaining stuntman to the Hair and Makeup trailer. When I got to the trailer, the women were finished with Hair and going into Makeup. I put my remaining stuntman in Hair and went to check on the stuntmen in Wardrobe. Two of them were ready, so I brought them to Hair and Makeup (arriving as the women had a minute left). I put one stuntman in the remaining Hair chair, and when the women finished I sent them to Wardrobe and put both stuntmen (hair now ready) into the Makeup chairs. I got my last stuntman from Wardrobe and put him in the Hair chair. The stuntwomen were ready, I had two stuntmen ready, and my last two took about five minutes in Makeup. Because I was patient and worked everything out among all three of these departments, we smoothly finished everyone in forty-five minutes. I hope you can do better.
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e 1st Team PA is responsible or the 1st Team. In the industry that means principal actors. Principal actors include stars, day players, stunt players, and stunt coordinators. e 1st team PA gets the actors comortably situated in their dressing rooms, and brings them to Hair, Makeup, and Wardrobe beore taking them to set or rehearsals and shooting. ey are the ones responsible or the needs o the principal actors as well as any paperwork and contracts that may need to be signed. 10
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COMMUNICATING WITH 1ST TEAMERS
Communication is key in this industry. e 1st Team PA must keep the ADs inormed about the whereabouts o each actor as well as their progress in getting ready or set. I an actor steps away rom set, the 1st Team PA should be aware so that when the actor is called back, he knows where to look and is not scrambling and wasting time. Time is money and we already waste enough. PAPERWORK
e 1st Team PA handles the principal actors’ paperwork. He makes sure that contracts are signed and IDs are properly copied. He keeps track o the actors through a orm called an Exhibit G (otherwise known as the “G”). is tells you what actors came in and which characters they played. It tracks the times that they: arrive, go through Hair and Makeup, arrive on-set, are released on-set, and when they actually leave. Actors must sign the “G” beore they leave in order to be dismissed from set. e G is not the only responsibility of a 1st Team PA. An example of the Exhibit G can be found at the end of this section. PRINCIPAL CAST MEAL PENAL PENALTIES TIES
While rare, principal cast members are entitled to receive meal penalties i they do not get a break rom work every six hours. In order to avoid cast meal penalties we have three options. e rst thing production may due is NDB the actor. I we break the actor within two hours o his call, then the six hour penalties do not go into efect until six hours rom the time o the NDB. Production just saved two hours worth o penalties. Breaking an actor or a onehour lunch right at the six-hour mark will also prevent penalties, and usually saves production teen minutes to get the cast ready. ey never really take a ull hour to eat. I ater lunch an actor must work or more than six hours, production has the option o breaking the actor or a second meal. is is usually a thirty-minute break, because there is work to be done and we cannot aford to pay the crew meal penalties just to save some on the principal actors. Cast Penalties: Cast members are entitled to a thirty-minute meal break or every six hours o work. I the cast works past the break time, they receive the ollowing compensation: Penalty 1 11
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(thirty minutes) costs production $25, Penalty 2 (30 minutes) costs production $35. Each additional penalty (thirty minutes) costs production $50. SETTING UP FOR THE ACTORS
e 1st Team PA arrives on-set and immediately checks all o the dressing rooms/ trailers to make sure that they are clean and ready or use. He/she places sides (small script pages with that day’s scenes) inside the rooms and labels them using the characters’ names, not the actors’. We do this or two reasons: 1) we use character names or the saety and security o the actors and 2) so that the Wardrobe Department can set the costumes or the actors inside the rooms ahead o time. Once the rooms are all labeled, the PA will wait or the actors to arrive. THE MORNING RITUAL — GOING THROUGH THE WORKS
e 1st team PA announces the arrival o all actors as it happens. He keeps his Assistant Directors in the know. Once the actors have landed, the PA will knock on doors asking to take breakast orders. While these orders are being made, the actors head to Hair and Makeup to get ready or set. e process o going through Hair and Makeup is known as putting an actor “through the works.” e 1st team PA keeps track o time. What time did the actors go into the chair? How long did it take? What time did they arrive? What time were they asked to come to set? Ater the actors are through with Hair and Makeup they will come back to their rooms, get dressed, and relax until the director is ready or them on-set. INVITING ACTORS TO SET
e ADs will give the PA a warning beore the actors are needed on set (usually ve or ten minutes). It is then the PA’s job to pass this message on to the actors. Once the cameras are up and everyone on-set is ready, the actors will be invited.
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any ADs do not like to use the word “invite” when calling actors to set. This implies that the actor has a choice, when
in fact they’ve been hired for a job. One alternative: “I’ve requested ____’s presence.”
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e 1st Team PA makes sure that a van or car is standing by or the actors to take them to set. He sees to it that all responsible departments (Hair, Makeup, and Wardrobe) are coming to set with the actors or right ater. Anytime an actor is on-set to shoot, the above-mentioned departments must have a representative on-set as well. BEING ON-SET
Once the actors are on-set, you (the 1st PA) stand by or them in case they need anything. Be prepared with water and some kind o snack in case they are hungry. Mints and gum are always a good idea, too. Have at least one set o small sides and one set o big sides in case actors lose their copies. Be sure to keep an eye on the actors while you are on-set. ey will step away or a phone call or run back to their trailers without telling anybody. I you keep constant tabs on the talent, you’ll be able to answer the Assistant Directors when they ask or the actor’s location. On that note, an AD should never have to ask or an actor’s location. I an actor decides to step of set or run to Craty (ood service), let the ADs know over the walkie (short or walkie-talkie). You cannot control the stars; you can keep your boss in the loop. STAY WITH THE ACTORS
I you have a lot o actors to work with, you may split the responsibility with an assistant. e assistant may stay with the actors on-set, and you may hang back with the ones in base camp getting ready or whatever is next. A PA is always present to catch (called receiving an actor) actors on their way to and rom set. Actors tend to get lost quickly: It is our job to make sure they get to and know where to go at all times. SET DISMISSAL
Once the actors have been dismissed or the day, they will go back to their rooms, change, take of their makeup, etc., and come nd you, the 1st Team PA. ey will have to sign out on the Exhibit G. When they sign you can present them with a call sheet or the ollowing day o work as well as their in-time or report time marked
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t r o d l i p e u R G n s i o r t o t c c u A d n o r e P e r r s c o : S t c o A C n o i t c u d o r P
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R E T R C l R A a T R s - A r H l a T H e e t v C h s d l a e e o r R T H T P / N d e h T p S a r A g C W F S o - t o d d e d e h e h k r P r s t a t o i n t o i W F S N
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and circled on the call sheet in big red Sharpie. Once that is done, the actors are ree to go. A side note to running a 1st team: Always be prepared. ink ahead, anticipate, and know what is needed, what will be asked or, and how you can get it done most eciently. Multitasking will save your lie when the shit hits the an… and believe me it will. IN SHORT
To sum up the 1st Team PA’s job, he is in charge o getting the principal actors ready or set, transporting them, and acilitating the completion o all o their paperwork.
Setting the Kraut
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was once working on a movie with Harrison Ford where he played a reporter at a sauerkraut festival. After Mr. Ford finished
working for the day, the main unit left to shoot another scene. I was left back with the B-camera, the 2nd ADs, and 250 Extras. Our instructions were simple; shoot some footage of the festival. I asked the AD what the frame of the shot was and he responded, “I don’t know yet, just set something.” (I think he thought I was an AD). So I had 250 Extras to play with. And boy, did I play. I pulled a few kids into a field and sat them down in a semicircle next to some bales of hay. I grabbed a clown and asked, “Please entertain these kids.” And he did. I put a little girl on a tractor and introduced her to the actor who would play her father for the next two hours. “Honey, this is your pretend daddy, he’s gonna help you play on this tractor.” She’s an actor, she understood. Next I organized a kraut-eating contest, placing some vendors at service stations and positioning festival-goers to look natural.. As I finished setting the festival the AD meeting broke up. As the ADs headed in my direction the Key 2nd began to shout, “Alright, let’s start setting….” He looks around. “Never mind… let’s shoot!” Imagine my pride!
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THEzBACKGROUNDzPA
e “other” actors on-set are called background actors or extras. These are the people who are in the background o the scene and make everything look real. They are the Background PA’s responsibility. e Background PA has one o the ew PA jobs on-set that not only involves logistics, but a little creativity as well. She is responsible or the background paperwork, preparing them, and sometimes setting them within a scene. THE MORNING CHECK-IN
When background actors (background or short) arrive on-set they report to holding. is is a large room with some orm o seating, a working bathroom, and plenty o water. Holding is the home base or the Background PA. When background comes to set they are given a orm called a voucher which ensures that they get paid or the work they’ve done. Casting assigns each background actor a check-in number and the PA is given a set o “skins,” which list each background actor’s name, assigned number, the part they will be playing (e.g., police ocer, jogger, student, etc.), and the scenes that they will play in. ere are ve main types o background actors. TYPES OF BACKGROUND y
Stand-Ins (SI): Stand in the place o the principal actors while
the shot is being set up and lit. Special Ability/Photo Double (SA/PD): Any special ability that is being used in the scene such as playing a sport, riding a bike, or a special talent (pole dancing or instance) can be considered SA. Photo Doubles stand in or insert shots. For example, when you see MacGyver pick a lock on screen, the hands that are used in the close-up may not be his. Doubles may also be used to cheat the shape o an actor rom an angle where they will not be readily identied. SAG Actors (SAG): Union talent who get all o the privileges and protection that the Screen Actors Guild provides. y
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Non-SAG Actors (Non-SAG): Any actor who is non-union and
thereore not entitled to the provisions o a SAG contract. AFTRA Actors: Union talent belonging to the American Federation o Television and Radio Artists. y
GOING THROUGH THE WORKS
Once the background actors have checked in with the PA in Holding, they need to have their outts approved by the Wardrobe Department and their looks approved by the Hair and Makeup departments. Some actors will need to be dressed by Wardrobe. I this is the case, contact your Wardrobe Representative and nd out how they would like to dress the background. Sometimes they will come to Holding; sometimes the background will go to the truck. In any case, i Wardrobe gives the background any items, they will need to hold onto a background voucher as collateral. As a PA it is your job to make sure that the background brings their vouchers to the truck. Some actors will have to sit in the Hair and Makeup chairs. In this case you will most likely need a helper or assistant to manage the multiple tasks at hand. PROPPING UP
Ater the background is approved, they will need to go to the Prop Department to get their props (any items they will handle or carry in a scene). is is known as getting the background “propped up.” Follow the same protocol as with Wardrobe. Contact your Prop Representative and ask whether they would like to prop the background on-set, or at the truck. Once you have an answer, inorm all the background that they must bring either their SAG cards or an ID with them. Again, this will be used as collateral or the props that they are given. GOING TO SET
At this point your background is dressed, approved, and propped up. Now we just have to wait to be called to set! is part gets tricky. Background actors are not to be let to their own devices. ey, like most actors, tend to get lost easily and it takes time to get
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them rom point A to point B. Be prepared. Give the background their warning so they are ready to go when you actually call or them. (Be sure to check the bathroom or the stragglers.) NON-DEDUCTIBLE BREAKFAST AND MEAL PENALTIES
One o the biggest parts o the Background PA’s job involves keeping track o in-times and scheduling. I a background actor must travel to a location outside o the designated “zone,” that actor’s in-time will reect the travel time it takes to get to location. is means that the actors in-time will be earlier than the crew call and these actors will have to be broken (given a break) beore the crew. To avoid this and balance the actors’ break times to match the crews’ break times, you can give the actors an NDB (Non-deductible breakast; also used as a verb). An NDB is a 15-minute break in which actors must be given ood. Production may NDB the background anytime within two hours o their call. NDBs are typically used 15 minutes prior to the crew call so that all breaks in the uture are together. For example: I the crew call is 8:00 a.m. and your location is a hal hour away, the background at the van will be on the clock at 7:15 a.m.. e actors arrive on-set and get checked in. ey are then NDB’d rom 7:45 a.m. until 8 a.m. so that they are now breaking on time with the crew. e purpose o an NDB is to avoid meal penalties. Every six hours the background actors must get a meal break rom work. is is either a thirty-minute catered meal or a one-hour walk away lunch. I the background is not broken at the six-hour mark, they will receive a meal penalty (additional money paid or working past break time). It may be a penalty or production, but or background actors it is a nice bonus or a hard day’s work. Each penalty increases in cost as time goes on, so the producer want as little o these as possible. Because background actors come to set at diferent times throughout the day, their break times may be staggered. Some will have diferent lunches, etc. Background Penalties: e break times are the same as with the cast; the diference is the penalty rates.
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(Te current value of background meal penalties as of the printing of this book.)
Penalty 1: $7.50 Penalty 2: $10.00 Penalty 3+: $12.50 Crew Penalties: Again, break times are the same. Penalty 1: $15.00 Penalty 2: $17.50 Penalty 3: $20.00 Penalty 4+: Prevailing rate (hourly pay every thirty minutes) As the Background PA, it is your responsibility to keep track o all these breaks and times and to inorm the 2nd 2nd AD thirty minutes prior to the background actors going into a penalty situation. ADJUSTMENTS
Background actors are paid or the prop items they bring. e rst items a PA will see are wardrobe changes and some props (including moving vehicles). Actors get additional money (called a night premium — 10% o the base rate) or working past 8 p.m. ey receive a double night premium (20% o the base rate) or working between the hours o 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. I they work in a wet scene or a smoky scene they get additional money, as well as bumps or going through special efects, Hair, and Makeup. One note about bumps: They are like getting a bonus. The amount is in addition to the base rate. An adjustment is an amount that is calculated into the base rate and changes the hourly pay. THE BACKGROUND BREAKDOWN
All o the above inormation regarding penalties, adjustments, and scheduling will be used to ll out the background vouchers as the workday progresses. At the end o the night you will need to organize these vouchers and complete a background breakdown orm (the ollowing example uses an alternate term: extras breakdown). e breakdown is simple. It lists the number o background actors act ors in each group; their rate, in-time, out-time, any overtime incurred, any meal penalties, and adjustments. e groups are organized by
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