Production Assistant Training Success Story!

​​Goodwill is offering a FREE Production Assistant Training Program. After attending this training program, the chances of success increase for finding a job in New Mexican film production. One graduate, Roman R., agreed to share his recent experience with the program. 

Roman attended the November class in 2021. He liked the training because his class learned from three Assistant Directors (AD) who shared their unique experiences and provided an abundance of information. He said the most significant help was practicing walkie-talkies and learning set etiquette. Before the class began, Roman prepared by researching what a PA does, basic film terms, and what skills constitute a good PA.  He also believes that showing an active interest in the job search process is beneficial.  Roman had his first PA job within a week of the training as an additional PA or what the industry calls a "day player."  "The training definitely prepared me for the work. PAs are a crucial extension of the AD department for communication and efficiency on set. We are extra eyes, ears, and hands." says Roman.

When asked for tips to share, Roman suggests familiarizing yourself with the environments and crew. Roman comments. "it is best to introduce yourself to the Assistant Directors and make sure you know your primary role for the day. You need to know where the Crew Parking, Base Camp, and Set are in relation to each other. The most typical job for a new PA is lockup. Lockup means keeping everything that shouldn't be heard or seen out of the shot.”  Another recommendation for those interested in pursuing PA jobs is to focus on communication skills and be as helpful and knowledgeable as possible while always minding your assigned tasks. 

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