Anything Goes : What does it take to be a great Production Assistant today? by George Odell

So a client calls me from another state and says "We need a crew for next Monday. DP, audio, make up and a PA". "OK, ya, no problem" is my reply "Email me the details" I add. So the first three I can get easy. They're all folks I use all the time and they know their stuff. It's that last one, the production assistant that will give me fits. Where to find a good PA who knows THEIR stuff? You say "PA?" "What's the big deal. My nephew can do that" Really? Are you sure? Can he use a time code slate? Can she transfer P2 cards and erase them for reuse? Can he access the hotel's internet and upload files to DropBox and make sure they got there? Can she get model releases? Can he get coffee? These are the duties of a PA today at least on the shoots I'm working on.