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Television production assistant: Job description and activities

Job description

A television production assistant (PA) may also be known as a script supervisor, or production secretary as titles vary between companies. Duties have been split in recent years between the production assistant and production coordinator (PC). Both act as a vital link in the production team assisting the director or producer and are involved in all stages of the production process (from pre-production to post-production and transmission) to ensure production runs smoothly.The production coordinator works on location filming and doing the actual videoing of the programme whilst the production assistant works on the finished product in the studio or gallery. The role of the production assistant is more technical, often involving timing and stopwatch work.

The roles are technical, creative and administrative and involve supervising setup and operation of production equipment, programme format planning and research of scripts. They will also maintain production records and hire equipment. PAs and PCs have responsibility for a wide variety of tasks, which may be both menial and complex.

Typical work activities

Typical work activities include some or all of the following tasks:

Production Assistant

• attending and timing rehearsals, overseeing timings during a shoot or show, and cueing pre-recorded material;
• organising the production and distribution of scripts as well as typing up camera scripts and shot cards;
• producing timing schedules, shot lists and logs for post-production;
• liaising with the camera and sound crew during studio recordings.

Production Coordinator

• liaising with writers, artists' agents, members of the public and publicity staff and managing contracts with external organisations;
• coordinating and communicating production resources and facility arrangements in tandem with production managers (e.g. producing budgets, monitoring costs and controlling expenses);
• booking artists and performers, catering, accommodation, equipment and flights for performers and crew.

Production Assistant and Production Coordinator - shared duties

• working closely with the producer, director and production team by attending and coordinating planning meetings;
• checking copyright and permission issues and ensuring royalties are paid for additional images, music or footage;
• dealing with artists' payments and expenses;
• ensuring continuity, both on location and in the studio and keeping accurate shot lists;
• dealing with production enquiries from members of the public;
• conducting research and completing all necessary paperwork in relation to the above tasks.

AGCAS

Written by Viki Chinn, London School of Economics and Political Science

Last updated:

November 2008

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