What Do You Get For An Aspiring Filmmaker?
It can be hard to know what to get for someone who is trying to break into Hollywood. Here are some gift ideas to help you out!
Note: some links below are affiliate links.
Books About Working in Hollywood
Production Assistant (or PA) is the first job many people have in Hollywood. They are also called “gofers” because they spend most of their day being told to “go for” stuff needed by whichever department they’re assigned to.
Daniel Scarpati has been a PA for years on shows like Marvel’s Luke Cage and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Read this book if you want to hear firsthand stories about starting out on the bottom rung of the Hollywood ladder.
Hollywood Cameraman Brian Dzyak (We Are Marshall, Evan Almighty) is a great overview of common jobs on set and what it takes to get hired for them. If you’re wondering which job might be for you, this book is a great place to start looking for the answer.
Carole M. Kirschner has worked as an executive in film and television for many years including at CBS and Amblin Television. She has helped develop training programs including the WGA Showrunner Training Program and the Hollywood Assistant Training Program. This book contains great advice for getting started in a Hollywood career.
Jessica Dean Rose has worked her way up from PA to Second Assistant Director. She has both done the job of PA and had to hire and manage teams of PA’s. This book is a great handbook for what you should expect as a PA and what is expected of you.
Joshua Friedman is a Production Assistant working in New York. He has worked on shows like Fringe, Gossip Girl, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. He gives a very practical look at what being a PA is like and what you should do to succeed.
The First Assistant Director (First AD) is responsible for keeping the set running on time. It’s the First AD’s job to work out a schedule with the director and producers and then make sure that schedule is met. It’s important that the First AD understands what each department needs to do their job and how long it will take everyone to prepare and execute a shot.
Liz Gill has worked with directors like Martin Scorsese, Barry Levinson, and Todd Haynes. This book is an excellent overview of how a set should be run.
When most people think of film and television production, they picture a busy set with lights, cameras, and celebrities. However, the command center for this operation is the production office. Working in the production office can be a great way to see all of the logistics that go into mounting a production. This book gives a roadmap for launching a career as a producer, production manager, or anyone who really wants to understand where the rubber meets the road in physical production.
This is the handbook for camera assistants. It walks you through what to do on prep days, how to set up the camera, ins and outs of focus and exposure. This book is an education in cinematography and a reference that should never be too far away on set. Highly recommended for anyone in the camera department.