Keys to the Production Office

Unlocking Success as an Office Production Assistant in Film & Television

Jennifer A. Haire, Gilana M. Lobel

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2022
• ISBN:
  9781000553000
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Medios de comunicación y artes escénicas
• Subtopic: Películas y vídeos

Opening a door to the real behind-the-scenes of a film or television show, this book explores the reality of working in the Production Office as an Office Production Assistant. Drawing on over 40 years' combined experience, authors Jennifer A. Haire and Gilana M. Lobel map out a career path into the industry by providing comprehensive practical information designed specifically for individuals pursuing the entry level role of the Office PA.

An invaluable tool for both breaking into the industry and on the job, the book is full of detailed "how to" information that not only provides an overview of the full scope of the industry, but also functions as a user's manual for Production Office operations. Haire and Lobel outline variations of the job of an Office PA nationwide, for both big- and small-budget feature films and television shows, and how you are a vital component of the Production team which can open the door to your future career. With coverage on how the Office PA supports the process of creating a show, the Production staff and crew, the practical day-to-day of the office, and developing your career, this is an essential resource for anyone wishing to take their first steps into the film and television industry. Featuring charts, graphics, diagrams, sample documents, templates, supplemental materials, and lighthearted cartoons throughout the book, the reader is immersed in real-world scenarios which create a solid foundation for how to be a professional in the workplace.

This is an inspiring and practical manual that reveals what is beyond the behind-the-scenes of film and television production. It's ideal for aspiring film and TV professionals with little to no experience working in Physical Production as well as readers studying film and television production courses and industry training programs.

1YOU ARE HERE

DOI: 10.4324/9781003252825-1

The film and television universe is vast. In order to find your place, it helps to have a basic understanding of the process of how a project comes together, where a majority of shows film and why, where your work will actually take place, and how your role fits in the whole of the system. This section will help you gain a frame of reference for how these puzzle pieces come together, from a wide view of the production process, narrowed all the way down to where your office might be!

PHASES OF A SHOW

The phases of a show consist of six main steps, as outlined in Diagram 1.1. For all intents and purposes, throughout this book, we will refer to the types of content production – TV series, feature films, new media – as “shows,” “productions,” or “projects.” These phases apply to all of them in varying degrees. The Production Office PA, i.e., YOU, will work in phase 2, Pre-Production, and phase 3, Principal Photography, which includes wrap.

Diagram 1.1 The phases of production in which an Office PA works.

Table 1.2 Phases of a Show – Descriptions and Translations

1. Development and Financing
Formally: The first stages of a new project, asks: What is the product being made? This is the “business” of show business.	Translation: What story do I want to tell? How will I pay for it?
Includes: Finding and securing the rights to a story	Has this story ever been told? I need to get permission to tell a true story.
Hiring the screenwriter/writing the script	I need a script to film. Who will write it?
Attaching elements	Who is going to star in it? Can I get my favorite celebrity to act in it and the director of my favorite movie to direct?
Securing pre-sales and financing	Maybe some foreign country will give me money in advance if I can get Tom Cruise to star. Can I get an advance on my inheritance?
2. Pre-Production
Formally: The process of formulating the plan for how the project will be created.	Translation: How are we going to film this thing? Plan your work, work your plan.
Includes: Building a schedule and budget	How much does this cost to make and how long will it take to film?
Casting	Who's playing the role of the taxi driver?
Hiring crew	Who is going to help bring this project to life?
Creating the look of the show	How are we going to make Brooklyn look like the 1940s?
Finding filming locations	Where will the project be filmed?
Setting up the Production Office	We'll need desks, phones, Internet, coffee…
Renting equipment	Cameras, lights, lighting support, trailers, etc.
Creating the production plan to complete principal photography	What is the most efficient way to capture this story while maintaining creative integrity? How do we film this with the team we have on this budget?
3. Principal Photography
Formally: The process of filming the script.	Translation: “Roll camera… Action!”
Includes: Ongoing prep, support of principal photography, and wrap	Facilitating the needs of the set, continual advance work for the upcoming days/weeks of filming, and, when finished, closing down anything that has been completed.
Navigating challenges	Putting out fires, managing egos, making sure the camera can keep rolling
4. Post Production
Formally: The processes of finishing a film. Telling the final story.	Translation: Piecing together everything that was filmed, creating anything that wasn't, removing anything that isn't needed or wasn't supposed to be filmed and adding color, sound, and music.
Includes: Picture Editing	Piecing the story together scene by scene.
Sound Design and Sound Editing	Fixing any sound problems, adding “real life” sounds, creating the complete audio/listening experience.
Music score and rights	Creating emotion through music. Cue the orchestra! Can we get permission to use that hit song?
Visual Effects	Wow! Did they really film this in outer space? No, we didn't actually film on Mars, it's computer-generated.
Color Correction	Adding atmosphere and emotion to shots through color. Fixing the color of the images to match or look more stylistic.
Final delivery	Ok, we're done. It's a masterpiece. “I'd like to thank the …”
5. Marketing and Distribution
Formally: Determining the best marketing campaign to advertise the project to audiences. AND Selling or licensing the film to worldwide release or distribution platforms (theater chain owners, streaming services, television broadcast networks).	Translation: “That Instagram ad for a free slushie totally made me want to see that movie, you know, the one with the snow … and cold.” Or, “Gosh, every city bus seems to have that Big Actor's face all over it. Maybe I should go see their movie.” Where the film can be seen. Who is buying the show?
6. Exhibition
Formally: The show is available to viewers on a specific date, platform, and for a duration of time.	Translation: Meet me at Big Movie Complex at 7 p.m. to see the movie! Or let's stay in and binge Hit TV Drama when it drops on Sunday.

Explore what interests you within each aspect of the industry. Learn as much as you can. There are many exhaustive books, videos, classes, etc. that go in depth on each of these phases. You don't have to decide your path right now. This book is focused on training you for the Production Office, and thus a basic understanding of each phase is acceptable. What is essential is that you understand where you fit in the grand scheme of the industry when starting out.

WHERE ARE YOU?

Production Hubs

Content is produced globally, and over the past two decades, states and countries alike have created film and television tax incentives designed to lure productions to them. More and more shows now opt to film nationwide and internationally rather than solely in Hollywood, California, the home of the US film industry. Studios want more bang for their buck and states want the influx of revenue (not to mention prestige) that is generated by the productions spending money in their state. This has led to a growth of production hubs, all with varying degrees of support infrastructure to make filming in that state as user-friendly as possible. Demand for local skilled crew labor has increased, including the need for you when a show comes to your town. This is where being a knowledgeable Office PA is crucial. You can be an invaluable asset to out-of-state crews, because you are familiar with the city and have personal connections. Graphic 1.3 reveals the largest current production centers where the most filmmaking is currently taking place in the US. While movies would lead us to believe that the show was filmed on the moon, you don't have to live there to find work.

Graphic 1.3 Globe from moon to world to USA to Production City.

As of this publication, the leading domestic production centers are:

• Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Chicago, Illinois
• Los Angeles, California
• New Orleans, Louisiana
• New York, New York

There is some sort of content creation happening wherever you live. Whether it's the local news, commercials, industrial corporate videos, etc., finding con...