Overview of the role
Production assistants (PA) work within the production team. They are also known as production runners. They copy the call sheets, sides, scripts, health and safety notices and other paperwork and distribute it to the crew. They carry out office tasks, such as answering the phone, filing paperwork and entering data. They need to be able to take instruction, work without supervision, be organised, and effectively prioritise when asked to do different things by different people at the same time.
Download the PDF version of this skills checklist here: Production Assistant/Runner Skills Checklist.
Core responsibilities
These core responsibilities are provided as a guide and are not exhaustive. The exact responsibilities in a particular job will vary depending on the scale / budget band / genre of the production.
- Assess the cost and quality of estimates from potential suppliers against production requirements and budget
- Agree and confirm in writing details of price and any other relevant terms and conditions of supply
- Clarify and agree with all relevant parties the roles and responsibilities for moving and storing materials, equipment and supplies
- Maintain an up-to-date equipment list
- Implement procedures to ensure that equipment and materials on hire or loan are returned in an acceptable condition after use
- Organise shipping or delivery of content to post-production facilities at the end of each day’s shooting
- Keep passport details of all cast, crew members and auxiliary people in a secure location for travelling and insurance purposes
- Maintain constant communication links with the production office
- Liaise with the production office at appropriate times to issue call sheets
- Give colleagues clear and accurate information about what is required of them by providing information for schedules and call sheets
- Confirm that call sheets and other paperwork for crew have been distributed when required
- Ensure that signs and notices explaining and specifying access requirements and restrictions are clear and visible
- Give relevant departments advance warning of the final set so they can prepare for wrap
- Use vehicle to run errands, transport people and equipment when required
- Communicate with all relevant departments on a regular basis
- Ensure that health and safety regulations are adhered to
- Deal with urgent matters when they occur and in collaboration with appropriate production personnel
- Notify crew and cast of any last-minute changes to call sheets after wrap without delay
- Use reliable and consistent methods of monitoring expenditure against agreed budgets
- Set up and use effective systems for managing budgets and other paperwork
- Monitor supplies against orders and purchases
- Identify potential shortfalls, delays in delivery, or discrepancies in stock levels, and take prompt remedial action
- Identify the assets, data and information you are responsible for and when they will be required
- Identify which systems are in place, and where and how you will store the assets, data and information for which you are responsible to ensure their safety and security
- Where there are no systems in place, establish a system that ensures you can easily and quickly retrieve relevant assets, data and information
- Organise and maintain accurate up-to-date records to show what assets, data and information have been stored and where
- Retrieve assets, data and information from storage and return them promptly to meet production demands and ensure digital material is backed up
- Report any problems with the system or opportunities to improve it
- Treat confidential information and data in line with organisational and data protection requirements
Skills
Check out role specific skills, transferable skills and attributes for the role of production assistant/runner.
- Organise and control production materials, equipment and supplies
- Compile resourcing and progress reports, drawing on information from all relevant departments in line with production requirements
- Liaise with other departments, acting as first point of contact on the production
- Provide production personnel with up-to-date information on production activities
- Communication: interpreting other’s requirements and communicating requirements to departments and colleagues
- Team-working: collaboration within own and with other departments
- Set etiquette: the roles and responsibilities within production teams and the etiquette to follow
- Problem-solving: contingency planning and resolving issues with locations so that productions remain on schedule
- Planning: assisting with planning practical requirements for transport, catering, cast and crew to meet production needs
- Financial skills: budget monitoring
- Resilience and enthusiasm: adapt positively to changing work priorities and patterns, ensuring deadlines continue to be met. Proactive and explores new ideas and non-standard ways of working which will enhance and deliver the best results for the production
- Productivity: organises work effectively and achieves required results within deadlines. Demonstrates the drive and energy to get things done in pressurised situations and escalates appropriately when necessary
- Ethics and integrity: honest and principled in all of their actions and interactions. Respectful and inclusive of others, and meets the ethical requirements of their profession
- Flexibility: willing to both listen and learn and to accept changing priorities and working requirements and has the flexibility to maintain high standards in a changing production environment
- Professional development: develop an ethos to learn and seek out learning and networking opportunities, identifying those that will be most beneficial