The PA Academy

What do you do when you need something new in your career? The path you’re on is acceptable but not…enough. You enjoy the essence of what you do but the smoldering embers have a damp blanket on them. Do you look around for an analogous career, at people in other industries that you admire? Maybe you inquire about grad school. Start to find more professionals in the industry, listen to their experiences via podcasts, and dream. One day a workshop comes into your awareness, presenting a good way to learn about an industry where you know next to nothing. That’s how I found The PA Academy.

The PA Academy is a two-day intensive workshop designed for those interested in starting their career or enhancing their skills in the film industry. Production assistants are employed in many departments and the information shared in The PA Academy related to protocol and terminology are applicable to all departments. The PA Academy is held quarterly and presented by the Atlanta Film Society and Georgia Production Partnership. 

The formidable instructor for the course is producer Linda Burns. She reminds me of every female teacher and woman in authority I’ve ever admired, they take no mess, have high expectations, and scare those who lack common sense and decency. The Sunday before the workshop, we received materials to read in preparation. They were full of valuable information and made for a great primer. The materials and the email containing them reinforced the age-old adage of reading is fundamental.

I completed part of the reading during the week but left a few materials for Friday night. I can’t lie, the directives in the emails and the advanced materials had me terrified. Reading about life on a production sounded like a high likelihood of newbies fumbling about followed by a lot of shouting. This could have been a combination of my overthinking and extreme examples in the material. Avoiding fumbling newbie syndrome is The PA Academy’s purpose. I just had to breathe, give it over to my Skyteam, and go to sleep.

For the next two days, 12 hours each day (majority spent standing), myself and about 50 other people learned about terminology, protocol, and how to network. We were introduced to the PA positions in various departments and their responsibilities. Absorbed common sense advice, what constitutes a proper kit across departments, and the importance of good shoes, insoles, and high-quality rain gear. Learned how to create a resume appropriate for the feature film, TV, and commercial industry. Completed a humbling test that got the best of me with a few trick questions, keep studying friends. We heard from industry veterans about their experiences, departments, and what they look for in PAs.

My favorite speaker was 1^st Assistant Director Veronica A. Hodge-Hampton. She is amazing. Kind, open, thoughtful, and caring. In possession of all the qualities of women I admire as well, it’s clear why so many people love her. I decided to be brave and ask about the coffee talks she’s open to having with people. To my delight she agreed to meet with me the following morning. I am extremely appreciative of her talking with me and putting me in contact with costume designers. It means so much to be able to speak to people who are at the place you aspire to be.

Speaking with those costume designers afforded me the opportunity to ask a lot of questions, confirm how my career translates, learn the best career trajectory for me, and shadow for a day on a production. The chance to watch a project in motion, the glimpse into how the costume department functions, and being a wide-eyed fly on the wall are invaluable. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity and look forward to doing it again.

The PA Academy gave me a whole lot. Found my way to base camp for shadowing after learning how to read the Locations department signs. I appreciate the experience and the wonderful people I met, fellow students and industry professionals. I have a resume to put together and people I can reach out to with more questions. Moving toward a career shift is exhilarating and terrifying. This feels like a new branch on my timeline.