How to Get Started as a Production Assistant in Film and Television

This 2-day class covers everything that new and aspiring Production Assistants (PA's) need to know to function productively on a film or commercial set.
The Class Schedule is:
9AM -5PM Saturday August 17th, 2019
9AM-5PM Sunday August 18th, 2019
Cost is $200 for both days

Both days there is an hour break for lunch from 12:30-1:30...we can supply you with a list of local restaurants or you can bring your lunch.

Topics include:
-What the role of a PA involves
-Skills and characteristics required to excel as a PA
-How to break into the industry
-How to craft a professional-looking Production Assistant resume
-How to conduct yourself on set -In-depth descriptions of the most common tasks performed by PA's & how to do them well
-The roles of other crew members, agency and client you will encounter on set -Important industry terminology
-Hands-on tutorials explaining how to use relevant gear like walkie talkies -Tutorials on vehicles you may be asked to drive
-Tutorials and take-home samples of paperwork like TIMECARDS and INVOICES you will encounter on set
-Working for free and what you can expect to earn when you're getting paid
-Moving up into a department
-Discussing what it is you want to do in the film business....WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THIS CLASS AND WHAT IS YOU PASSION ?!?

You will get from this class a Workbook to take home and you will be put on the coveted Nuge PA Class Graduate List that will get sent out to local Coordinators, Production Managers and Producers....HOWEVER THIS WILL NOT GUARANTEE GETTING HIRED ON PRODUCTIONS IN THE FILM BUSINESS.

MOST IMPORTANTLY YOU WILL GET NUGE AS YOUR PERSONAL ADVOCATE AS WELL AS A COMMUNITY OF OTHER PA GRADUATES THAT YOU CAN COMMUNICATE WITH EASILY.

Instructor Dave Nugent, or Nuge as most call him, has 14 years of experience in various aspects of film production. He got his start as PA at age 42. He quickly advanced as a production assistant and within 1.5 years was coordinating while also being invited into several departments such as art, locations, transportation and craft service. Somewhere along the line Nuge saw the need in the community for a production motorhome and production supply rentals and soon opened Go-4 Nuge Production Rentals in 2006. He now has grown that business to where most film shoots have his brand Nuge on set in walkies, chairs, tables, heaters, etc along with his vehicle rentals like box trucks, passenger vans, and 4 production motorhomes. He actively works on set driving a production motor home, working in the transportation department and along with his co-business owner/wife Bobbi Gerlick, providing craft service.

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I signed up for Dave Nugent's PA class in June of 2015. At that time I had a single connection to the local film industry, and zero experience on set. By the following Monday, I was working full time as a freelance PA, and 3 years later, I've worked up to production coordinator. Whenever someone asks how to get started in this field, I give them the same advice: talk to Dave Nugent. I jumpstarted my career by joining Dave for one weekend that gave me the tools I needed. If you're trying to work in film in Seattle, there's no better gateway than this. No matter what department you're interested in, no matter your background, this class provides the skill set to make you a top candidate for these entry level positions.

Peter M.