The production assistant is the office's second pair of hands.

The job

You support the coordinator and the APOC by handling the office's routine work: script and schedule distribution, crew lists, start paperwork, filing, phones, stationery and the office diary. In the UK, "PA" means production assistant, not personal assistant.

On the Bectu card the title often shares the runner's line, and the gap between the jobs varies by show. Some offices have a production secretary, the next grade up.

A typical day

• The office opens before unit call. Check overnight emails, log the post, chase start forms.
• Revised pages arrive in a new colour: print, collate, distribute, update the log.
• Take messages, book couriers, order supplies, keep the crew list current.
• Afternoon: help the APOC with travel and hotels.
• Evening: help check and send the call sheet.

Skills

• Accuracy with names, dates and versions. One wrong page colour causes chaos.
• Confident with email, spreadsheets and shared drives.
• A good phone manner with crew, cast agents and suppliers.
• Discretion about scripts, cast and crew details.
• Knowing what each department needs, and who to ask when you don't.

Who you report to

You report to the production coordinator, through the APOC on larger shows. Runners may take tasks from you, but you don't manage them.

How people get in

Most production assistants start as runners and step up after a few credits. Some come straight from an office job, with strong admin skills. Trainee schemes and crew-list sites carry entry-level office roles. Knowing how a call sheet works before you arrive puts you ahead.

Next step up

Production secretary, then assistant production coordinator (APOC), then production coordinator. Each step adds responsibility for a whole area, such as travel or kit orders, rather than single tasks.

Find out more

• ScreenSkills: production assistant/runner skills checklist
• Pay: Bectu scripted production card, 2026–27