'[The director] told me to get off his set and don’t come back': Filmshoot PA tries to interfere on film set

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Apr 28, 2023 3:00 PM EDT

A film production assistant has told an absolutely hilarious story about their first days on the job — and they really think they can direct this short film better than the actual director. 

Having worked as a film production PA as an intern numerous times, let me tell you, that job is not for the faint of heart. It's incredibly unglamorous and looks nothing like how Hollywood movies depict the task. 

You work very long hours — be on set at 4AM, leave at 10PM. You might not get anywhere near the actors or director, especially if they're famous. You might not even get to be on the actual set at all! Instead, you may be responsible for keeping an eye on the craft table in another room, or going to get coffee for the production crew, or pushing around heavy props. Other duties include handing out $20 bills to each person so they can get their lunch, or working on a call sheet for the next day, or scheduling expenses in an Excel spreadsheet. Decidedly not glam. You're at the bottom of the totem pole, and there's no guarantee you'll ever climb upwards… but you have to start somewhere, network, get on people's good sides, and be in the right place at the wrong time. 

Basically, it's gonna suck while you're a PA, no one wants to do it, but if you're ambitious, you need the experience. It's super humbling! But apparently not for this entitled and aspiring film maker. If the things this OP did ever happened on a professional set, I think most directors/producers would immediately show the PA the door. If you move the cameras without permission? I have a chill running down my spine. Bless your heart, you'll never work in the industry again. 

Next up, find out why this person called the labor department on her workplace! 

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  • 01
    Motor vehicle - CLEAR N.6 'His indie film is... nonsense. I gave him some advice on Friday and he was so rude.' DIWEDDạ B6 MONA antonauer HE DIONIC With Realtime i
    via Chris Murray on Unsplash
  • 02
    Font - r/AmItheA A Posted by u/NicoDeeMaus AITA for telling my producer/boss the way he's filming a commercial/Indy film I'm working on is not going to appeal to young people? I will make this very short because my mom says I need to apologize I say I was doing to my job. She says since she got me the job her is on the line too. a
    via u/NicoDeeMaus
  • 03
    Font - I'm working as a PA for director who is shooting a national commercial that will appear on YouTube. He has permission from his agency to shoot b-roll for an independent film he's working on while we are in prep for the main shoot. The trouble is he's like 60 and the commercial is for late teens early 20 and his Indy movie is about tiktoker who is starting a band.
    via u/NicoDeeMaus
  • 04
    Font - The way he's shooting it SUCKS and no one is going to watch his ad and his Indy film is so nonsense. I gave him some advice on Friday and he was so rude he told me he didn't want to hear it. I repositioned some cameras yesterday and he said I "f ed everything up" and then yesterday I told the actor that maybe if they slowed down a bit it would have more impact. The director said either I stop meddling and apologize or don't come back tomorrow (today) I said he needed to apologize for swea
    via u/NicoDeeMaus
  • 05
    Font - This is when I went and told my mom and she said I was way overstepping and I needed to apologize and if I want to stay working in entertainment I need to realize I'm not an expert yet. I was trying to do my job so I'm having a hard time understanding what I did wrong. AITA?
    via u/NicoDeeMaus
  • 06
    Font - DwayneBaroqueJohnson Aficionado [17] As Yeah YTA. If you're a PA, your job is answering emails and organising his calendar, not weighing in on his creative decisions, moving equipment from where he wants it or telling the actors how to perform
    via u/DwayneBaroqueJohnson
  • 07
    Font - Neda07 YTA. I'm in the industry and people like you are truly insufferable, you slow down the shoot and make it miserable. 7.8k edmondsio Reply Share Big time! Working on set you should do your job and shut up until you have the on the job experience. The worst are film school students that constantly tell you that that's not the way to do/setup things because they learned to do it another way at school. They can f off, I think I'll do it the way the guy with 20+ years experience said.
    via u/Neda07
  • 08
    Font - hijadelviento9 Exactly LMAO, I laughed out loud when I read he repositioned the cameras... So now you a DOP too? Like da 1.
    via u/hijadelviento9
  • 09
    Font - No_Hospital7649 Gentle now. It's a fairly well documented life stage that most of us go through at some point in our early 20s, where we think we're way cooler and smarter than we actually are. Doesn't make it any less insufferable to those of us who have put in the time, but I'd argue that all of us would be better off if we kindly reminded the young-uns that we've got years of experience and carry the responsibility for the project, so their input may not be accepted.
    via u/No_Hospital7649
  • 10
    Font - Altruistic_Fun3091 I said he needed to apologize for swearing at me and making me feel unsafe YTA In real life you have to put in the time and effort to earn respect. You have been handed a great opportunity to learn... take it. Apologize, shut up, grow up
    via u/Altruistic_Fun3091
  • 11
    Font - Big_Solution 1065 Parta pant [1] OP sounds immature. Apologize! BEG for forgiveness! Be quiet, observe, and learn! Ask questions but don't impose your opinion. If someone wants it they will ask.
    via u/Big_Solution_1065
  • 12
    Font - ToothbrushGames Parta pant [2] I said he needed to apologize for swearing at me and making me feel unsafe. Gonna last real long in that industry lol.
    via u/ToothbrushGames
  • 13
    Cheezburger Image 9758028544
    via u/redcore4
  • 14
    Font - Loki--Laufeyson My dad was literally a script writer and would get upset when the director/producer would mess up his lines or the background blocking info. But he had to deal with it because that's what he was hired for. Funnily enough, the only works that got any recognition were ones where they actually followed his script, but some of those guys don't care and think they know best. (I'm talking they cut out whole scenes chunks that caused continuity errors, not individual lines.)
    via u/Loki--Laufeyson
  • 15
    Font - rayeis PA is production assistant in this case, not personal assistant, so the tasks are more like getting crew lunch from the restaurant, standing on an x for someone to focus a camera, and powdering actors' noses but the point still stands. PA means you're the shoot b basically. You do what they tell you and that's about it.
    via u/rayeis
  • 16
    Font - sintinii_7 YTA for sure. My first job in the industry was as a PA, I weighed in on a discussion regarding character choices in a scene and got absolutely flamed. Learned pretty quickly that you need to stick to your department.
    via u/sintini_7
  • 17
    Font - TaterAppeal Yeah bro at the end of the day he's the director and you're expendable. One word from him and you won't have a fun time trying to get another job in this industry. People talk and you don't want to be known as that awful guy to work with.
    via u/TaterAppeal
  • 18
    Font - babcock27 The only one who can give an actor direction is the director. This is true for theater as well. They don't need 20 people telling them different things when only the director knows what he wants. You also should not move the cameras! He knows the shot he wants and it's not your place. You walked in, crapped all over everything, tried to pretend you knew better, and got all piy that you weren't hailed a genius. You'd better learn your place in the hierarchy or this won't be the l
    via u/babcock27

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commercial director actor film Short Film indie funny
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