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Being a production assistant is not a glamorous career, but can often be a stepping stone into a more lucrative and rewarding position. Learn what being a production assistant entails with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video series on careers.
There are 20 videos in this series:
Production assistants are asked to do a number of job duties like operate a camera. Their attire requires a short or long sleeve shirt and no open-toe shoes. Learn about what PAs do and proper dress attire with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video on television careers.
Tearing down a set as a production assistant involves turning the teleprompter off, moving cameras and wrapping cords up. See how a production assistant tears down a set with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video on television careers.
Production assistants set up the color chart which is used to focus and white balance a camera. Learn to use a color chart with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video on television careers.
A production assistant needs to white balance the camera by setting up the color chart in between two marks that instruct the talent where they need to be. White balance a camera with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video on television careers.
A production assistant should know the parts of a television camera like the teleprompter, tally light, view-finder and zoom controls. Operate a television camera with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video on television careers.
Production assistants understand how a camera moves and knows how to move it with the control wheel. Move a camera with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video on television careers.
A production assistant focuses a camera by zooming in on the talent all the way, focusing to get the clearest shot and zooming back out. Learn how to zoom and focus on a camera with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video on television careers.
Production assistants pan a camera by moving it with the handles side-to-side and tilt it by moving it with the handles up and down. Pan and tilt a camera with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video on television careers.
A production assistant pedestals a camera by moving it up and down while the camera is stationary. Pedestal a camera with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video on television careers.
Production assistants may need to dolly and truck a camera which means moving it from side-to-side or forward and backward. Dolly and truck a camera with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video on television careers.
A production assistant arcs a camera which is a combination of dollying and panning. Arc a camera with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video on television careers.
Production assistants should know what studio lights, how they are handled and the safety rules behind them. Learn about studio lights with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video on television careers.
Production assistants need to know how to carry studio lights by the proper handles and set them up and take them down from a light grid. Handle studio lights with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video on television careers.
A production assistant sometimes operates the light board which has a master control and operates all studio lights. Learn how to use the light board with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video on television careers.
A production assistant prepares a news segment by placing cameras in the correct spots, white balancing cameras and plugging in microphones. Set up a news cast with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video on television careers.
A production assistant knows how to set up an intercom which allows everyone in the studio to communicate with each other. Set up an intercom with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video on television careers.
Production assistants frequently operate an audio board which controls all the microphones and sound during a newscast or production. Learn the audio board with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video on television careers.
A part of a production assistant's duties is to operate the teleprompter which scrolls the script for the talent to read on-air. Work the teleprompter with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video on television careers.
Frequently a production assistant is called upon to perform less glamorous work like being a coffee gopher. Fetch coffee for the staff with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video on television careers.
Production assistants are required to know how to wrap an XLR cable into a normal loop and store it in the proper place. Coil an XLR cable with tips from an experienced production assistant in this free video on television careers.
Being a production assistant is not just about working long hours and getting coffee and snacks for the on-air talent and staff. A production assistant is the right arm for the producer, director and whoever else requires help before, during and after a broadcast or movie. Many productions assistants are required to know how a camera works, how to operate a sound board and deal with an ever-changing environment. In this free video series, learn about the exciting career of a production assistant (PA). An experienced PA explains all the job qualifications and duties. First, learn proper attire and overall job duties, how to tear down a set, white balance cameras and how a camera moves. Next, learn how studio lights work and how they should be held and set up, how to operate the light board and how to prep a news cast. Finally, learn to use the audio board, teleprompter, wrap an XLR cable and get coffee for coworkers.
Brett Pulte Brett Pulte attended Howard Specs School of Broadcasting in Detroit, Mich. He currently works at ABC 53 in Lansing, Mich. Pulte has been a PA for two years. He's run the teleprompter, directs the floor and currently runs the audio board for the news.dkdk
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