At one of our resume editing webinars recently, an aspiring writer asked: Is there any resume-related use of having pitched shows at Networks but never sold anything? Obviously, no one is pitching or writing anything to the networks right now, but I still thought it’d be worth answering for anyone looking for other kinds of work. I’m going to answer in reverse order of Rev. Lovejoy, though. No, with a But… At it’s core, pitching a script to a development executive is the same thing as applying for a job. You wouldn’t put “I applied to a job at [company], but they rejected me” on your resume ..read more

Recently, we posted a job notice from Air Bud Entertainment. Yeah, it turns out there is an entire company devoted to Air Bud spin offs. Remember Air Bud? How is that even a business model? Strange Things are Happening to Me This isn’t my first experience with the dogs-doing-things-dogs-don’t-normally-do genre. Back when I was a producer’s assistant at a very low-rent production company, it was my job to read all the unsolicited scripts that arrived in our inbox. One week, we received one script about dogs in a surfing competition, and another about a dog who became president. (The First Pet w ..read more

Most people are aware that we’re several weeks into a strike by the Writers Guild of America. It could be a while longer before the studios and the writers come to an agreement on a large number of complex issues. Besides the usual demands for increased pay and residuals, the writers want to address abuses of mini-rooms, regulate the use of AI in writing, and more. It’s a lot to keep track of, so here’s a rundown of some of the lesser-known Writers Guild demands: 1) More co-writing options. “And” and “&” aren’t enough; the writers want to add “with,” “or,” and “despite,” among others. 2 ..read more

For those of you who weren’t around during the last strike, this is going to be like an extended December. Everyone’s going to be holding their breath (and job offers) until they know production can pick up again. It’s looking like it’s gonna be a while. Keep Working Obviously, if you’re a WGA writer, pencils down. But if you’re not in the union and you have a job right now, don’t quit out of solidarity. No one likes to state the obvious, but a union’s job is to take care of its members. If you’re not a member, despite all the propaganda you hear, they’re not looking out for you.1 Sometimes yo ..read more

Networking is a vital part of making it in Hollywood. As you establish yourself, you’re likely to get invited to a lot of events and happenings. Many of these will be worth your time, but a lot of them you may not want or be able to go to. So, how do you politely turn these down? Why Don’t You Want to Go? First, be honest with yourself. Do you want to go, but can’t? Or do you just not want to go? There’s nothing wrong with having personal preferences; your time is your own, after all. But in order to maintain relationships, you’ll want to approach these situations differently. If it’s the for ..read more

Lana writes in: Back in July I got extremely lucky. I was hired as a PA on a feature film and within a week found myself acting as the second assistant director (a combination of the production not having a lot of money and the 1st not being available until the third day of shooting and therefore the 2nd and myself [key PA at that point] moving up to cover). Then someone I met on that project offered me another 2nd AD job, and then another after that. Ever since that third project (which happened in November) I’ve been having extreme difficulty finding a job. Any job. I’ve applied for PA posi ..read more

Henry writes in: First off, thanks for existing. I just found your blog, and I love it (and bookmarked your Amazon link for the next time I buy something, in return for all that good advice)! My question for you: In a stroke of luck, a friend of a friend is interested in hiring me as an office PA at a large TV network. We’re going to meet and discuss the position over lunch next week. I have some questions in mind to ask, but the only industry experience I have is a brief internship at a small production company. My limited background makes me worry that I might come off as ignorant or miss a ..read more

As you know, we here at TAPA love visiting prop houses. That’s why we’re excited about today’s guest on The Call Sheet. Dean Goodine is a Canadian prop master with decades of experience, including films such as Unforgiven, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and series like A Series of Unfortunate Events. He’s worked with some of the greatest directors in the world, as well as some of the best art department crews, including his own Oscar-nominated wife, Janice Blackie-Goodine. He’s also the author of They Don’t Pay Me to Say No, a memoir/manual that’s invaluable for an ..read more

Reader Hanh and his girlfriend are soon moving to the US. He’s got a job lined up, but she doesn’t: As a condition of her visa to move with me to the US, my girlfriend has to go a few months without taking a paying job, so she’s totally up for unpaid PA gigs during that period. Unpaid internships are basically illegal in Canada, but it’s part of the game in the US, we get it. She has no preference and is flexible in terms of TV, film, or production company work, in the office or on the set. Her major drawback: She doesn’t have a university degree. Is that really a drawback? Not a Big Deal Th ..read more

Maybe it’s just because it’s January, or maybe it’s because things are finally starting to feel “normal,” but several people have asked me in the last few weeks how they need to prepare to move to LA.1 So, here’s a few tips for anyone who wants to prepare for the big move: Save Up I know you’re super excited to begin your career, but it’s not like the old days, where you could just show up with grit and gumption, and someone would offer you a job. You’re going to struggle for a while, trying to find work, a place to stay, friends. All of these are going to be necessary, and they all take time ..read more