It's imperative to find out who you'll be working from right from the start of the job. Make sure you're very clear on this. Although the Producer may hire you, he or she may not be the person you'll be working for. The Producer may hire you to work directly under the Production Manager. In this case, you'll be taking orders directly from the Production Manager instead of the Producer. But keep in mind that the Producer is the one who writes the Cheques. If the Producer needs something done, you better do it. Let the Production Manager know that you have to something to do for the Producer. He or she should understand.

One thing you want to be careful of is being taken advantage of on the set. Crew members sometimes have a habit of asking the PA to do favours for them. This can get out hand very fast. Once you start doing favours for one person, then everyone will want the same treatment. It's impossible for you to do any favours for a crew of 20, 30 or more. The best way to handle the situation is to tell the crew member asking you for the favour that you must clear it with the Producer. You'll see how fast the crew member will change his/her mind about asking you for that favour. On most jobs, everyone knows their position and will not bother the PA for extra favours. Therefore, you don't need to worry about this too much.

The most important thing you can do is be on time everyday and never rush off at the end of the day. Finish your work even if you have to stay late. The Producer will appreciate this and consider you for future jobs. Now, let's move on to the next section, called HOW TO GET THAT FIRST PRODUCTION ASSISTANT JOB ?