Hiring the Right Production Assistants: What Production Managers Should Look For and Ask

Posted on: Apr 17, 2024

Photo Credit: Grusho Anna // Shutterstock

By Steffanie Bradley

One of the key responsibilities of production managers is ensuring they crew an efficient production team, starting with production assistants. Hiring the right production assistants is critical to the success of a project. Here’s what production managers should look for and ask during the hiring process.

Understanding the Role of a Production Assistant

A production assistant is the backbone of the production team and a jack-of-all-trades. They provide support and assistance to ensure the production runs smoothly. A production assistant should have multitasking abilities, work well under pressure and be adaptable. They must be able to juggle various responsibilities during long hours while maintaining a positive attitude. As a production manager, it is crucial to understand the role of a production assistant and the value they bring to the production team.

Essential Skills and Qualities

Effective communication, teamwork and adaptability are some attributes to look for when interviewing candidates. A production assistant must have a strong attention to detail, as it is essential to notice any issues that may arise during production and alert pther crew members accordingly. The candidate should have strong problem-solving abilities to handle any unexpected circumstances that may require immediate action. 

Knowledge of the Production Process

The production assistant must have a broad knowledge of the production process, including the terminology used and the overall workflow. This includes knowing how to read a call sheet, understanding production setups and blocking, terminology for headsets and the responsibilities of each department. They must understand their role within the team and the team’s mission, as they could be in any department throughout the shoot and need to be ready to go at a moment’s notice. Basic knowledge of the equipment used, set etiquette and safety protocols are crucial. As a production manager, ensure that the candidate has the necessary foundation to take on the job.

Interviewing Techniques for Hiring Production Assistants

You must ask questions that will reveal the candidate’s experience, skills and attitude. While it may be tempting to overlook someone with little to no set experience, attitude and eagerness can be a vital aspect of a candidates potential. When setting up an interview, start with either a phone or video call. If the candidate presents well and shows enthusiasm for the role, keep them in consideration. During this process, find out more about their experience and work history to ensure they have the necessary foundation for the job. Remember, someone whose passionate and driven can easily be taught how to do a job. Someone who has a bad attitude but a lot of experience is often not the best choice. When working long hours on set, personality and attitude are vital.

Key Questions to Ask

During the interview process, ask questions that will prove which candidates are the best fit for the role. Ask about their previous experience working as a production assistant, how they handle tight deadlines and how they prioritize tasks during a production. Ask about their communication and collaboration skills and how they work under pressure. If they do have prior production experience, consider asking some of the following:

  • How long was the shoot?
  • How many days were they on it?
  • Was there travel involved (including on-location shoots vs soundstage shoots)?
  • What duties did they carry out?
  • What was the genre and format (single-cam, multi-cam, animation) of the production?
  • Can they provide any references from prior productions?

Evaluating and Selecting the Right Candidates

It is vital to verify their work history with previous employers. Consider qualifications, skills, experience and potential when making the final decision. During the reference check process, ask previous employers about their performance, reliability, punctuality and overall work ethic. A background check may be necessary to ensure that the candidate is trustworthy. In cases of uncertainty, hire a few production assistants as day players and see how they do before making a long-term decision.

Hiring the right production assistant is vital to the success of a production project. Production managers should assess each candidate in terms of skills set, qualities, knowledge of the production process and situational knowledge. Interviewing techniques such as verifying references, performing background checks and asking targeted questions are essential when selecting the candidate. A reliable and skilled production assistant team contributes to a better production workflow, ultimately leading to a successful project.

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