TV/Film Production Assistant

A TV/film production assistant does the administrative, organisational and secretarial work involved in a production. They may work on all kinds of projects, such as news and current affairs, documentaries, reality TV shows, music, comedy and light entertainment, soap operas, dramas and feature films.

A production assistant's duties may include:

• attending production meetings
• managing budgets and expenses
• typing, editing, copying and distributing scripts
• making travel arrangements and booking hotels for cast and crew
• producing schedules, shot lists, logs and other paperwork for production.

Hours vary and depend on the type and size of the production and the location. They may involve early starts, late finishes, nights and some weekend work. Long hours may be necessary in the final week of pre-production for a project.

Production assistants are usually based in offices, but spend much of their time moving between production areas. Travel to other parts of the UK and overseas is possible and filming on location could involve working all over the world.

Salaries may range from around £16,000 to over £30,000 a year.

A production assistant needs:

• strong multitasking abilities and the ability to prioritise
• excellent communication and people skills
• to stay calm and focused under pressure and meet deadlines
• to be interested in the media and the way that TV and film productions are made.

Production assistants work for terrestrial, satellite, digital and cable broadcasters, as well as independent television and film production companies. Most are freelance. Many jobs are never advertised by conventional methods, so it is important to build a network of contacts.

There are no set educational requirements, but entry is fiercely competitive and many new entrants have higher qualifications. There is a range of courses in TV and film production available throughout the UK. New entrant schemes are also offered by organisations such as FT2, the BBC and Channel 4.

A typical way in is to enter the industry as a runner or junior secretary and, after gaining experience on the job, to apply for production assistant positions.

Production assistants usually train on the job and may also attend short courses on subjects such as gallery techniques, continuity, location filming or live studio skills.

Progression is usually to more senior roles or into related areas, such as research.

Further details