Overview of the role
A post-production assistant (PPA) works within the post-production team, providing administrative support to the post-production coordinator (PPC). They support the PPC by collating and distributing information, checking availability of rooms and studio space, and day-to-day housekeeping within the post-production (post) team and offline edit.
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, genre of the production and whether the project is a series or a feature documentary.
- Assist the PPC to keep a post calendar up to date
- Assist the PPC in managing diaries and calendars
- Take and distribute notes of meetings
- Create distribution lists
- Assist the PPC when required by sending key documents and schedule updates (with the approval of the post-production supervisor (PPS)
- Prepare and manage the following documents for post prior to the offline edit: rushes transcript tracker; post contacts lists including post vendors and motion graphics (GFX)
- Check availability of studio space for editorial, voiceover and offices
- Book couriers and track parcels, both logistically and financially
- Assist with issuing and logging of purchase orders (POs)
- Troubleshoot and fulfill day-to-day needs, such as stationery and edit meals (if applicable), flagging any issues to PPC or PPS
- Track footage, back-ups, and their associated drives
- Tracking assets for motion graphics, ensuring any graphics requiring a textless version is logged
- Assist in maintaining the rushes log for what footage is being stored on which drive or linear tape-open (LTO) tapes, and where everything is
- Work with the various post, edit, GFX and archive teams to coordinate the movement of media on drives
- Keep accurate logs of all drives and their location, fulfilling any logistical requirements.
- Assist the PPC and archive producer to manage a tracking document for all archival material (stock footage, audio and stills) being used by a project
- Collate shoot paperwork into a cloud-based, industry standard software and upload: camera reports, sound reports, digital imaging technician (DIT) reports, LTO manifests
- Comply with current legislation and regulations covering data protection
- Assist the PPC to manage the creation of final delivery paperwork
- Assist the PPC to coordinate the logistical delivery of all assets to their required destinations
- Assist the PPC in the delivery of paperwork, such as billing block information and credits
Skills
Check out role specific skills, transferable skills and attributes for the role of post-production assistant (unscripted TV).
- Organise and control post-production logistics and supplies
- Liaise with other departments, acting as a contact point for post-production
- Provide PPC and post personnel with up-to-date information on post-production activities, paying attention to detail
- Communication: interpreting other’s requirements and communicating requirements to departments and colleagues
- Teamworking: collaboration within own and with other departments, liaising with data wranglers, GFX, archive, post facility, editorial and production
- Networking: investing time in networking activities, building a network of business contacts and establishing rapport with others quickly and effectively
- Planning: planning practical requirements for transport and resources to meet post production needs
- Resilience and enthusiasm: adapts 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 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