| Camper Commentary |
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We believe in "Train 'em, don't blame 'em".
We hope to see YOU at camp! Begin forwarded message: Hi P.A. Bootcamp Staff Just wanted to thank you for the fabulous PAs you sent my way for this job I just finished. We worked with Ian, Wilson, April, and Kevin. I ended up paying them $50 a day since they worked so hard. They were truly all so hard working and on it! I will definitely be hiring them again on my next job and will contact you for more names in the future! Thanks again for such great people! Karen Gainer Producer
To a most extraordinary troupe of PA Bootcamp
During a 2 day intensive, the team handled a group of 65 would-be production assistants covering the real life experience of what a fledgling can expect. With Definitions, Terms, Practical In a weird way: it is a generous portion of fun, but don’t be fooled. It is a very thorough and The SC Film Commission and the University of South Carolina sponsored the workshop and felt it was one of the most valuable we had seen at the university. The training was purely professional and not a moment was wasted nor did they use fillers. Susan Hogue Executive Producer, SC Film Commission, Columbia, SC Senior Instructor of Media, USC Art Dept, Columbia, SC PA Bootcamp,
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I had heard about your program through a 2nd AD on the last feature I worked on. We were in need of some Set PA's and he suggested to call this camp. To my surprise, calling down the list of recent grads, so many of them were already booked on shows and were thus unavailable for work (This is what peaked my interest). The graduates that I was able to hire really stood out on set. They were professional and militant. Prepared. So I was curious. I examined the website carefully and thought it would be a good idea to take a refresher course and learn correct set protocol away from my Low budget/Non budget world. To my delight, not only was I excited, but have now complete and utter confidence in the program. My only regret is that I hadn't heard about this when I was first starting out. While eating lunch, I started thinking back to all my undergrad work, film school, simulation workshops, and on the job training... We covered nearly everything that I had learned in 6 years...in TWO DAYS. And I realized at camp, I was previously taught to do certain things wrong and here I was able to learn them correctly and was given a reason to why. I was a little envious of the younger campers finding this gem so early in their careers--had this been available when I was a freshman in college, I would have leaped at the opportunity. As great as learning on the job is thought of to be, having a heads up beforehand saves painstakingly awkward situations and invaluable lost time of the trouble of someone having to stop their job to teach you yours. PA Bootcamp prepares you to avoid such situations. There's nothing like experiencing training through someone who is living and breathing the real thing everyday--who has taken time out of their busy schedules to teach the future of Hollywood how to better prepare themselves for the real world. The classes are small--so there is no place to hide from the Drill Instructors LOL! Each camper is given individual and much needed attention. This way, instructors make sure that everyone "copies". They provide DETAILED and THOROUGH guidance for every aspect of training down to teaching you how to fill out your I-9's and start paperwork. (NOT even non-entertainment companies teach this--NOR any school. You end up asking accounting, like I did! Boo! :( ) And as an added bonus, they send you home with prep lists, real documents to study (EVERY piece of paper coming out of the production office), different forms of callsheets to learn, not to mention field training with walkies. I wish EVERYONE in the industry went through a training course like this--it would provide a much more productive environment. Instructors want you to succeed. This is why camp provides you a place to safely mess up. To learn. To do correctly. And to practice these lessons with GUIDANCE. The real world is not as nice or understanding. I was also happy to see guest speakers, including a D.G.A. 2nd AD and an I.A.T.S.E. Production Coordinator. This provided even coverage over both set and office perspectives, allowing room for specific questions pertaining to each. Camp also goes over the guilds, producing information about the "how to's" and charted maps of how to get to your position of choice all stemming from Office/Set PA. And most importantly, had I not gone, I'm sure no one else would have told me that I qualify for I.A.T.S.E...someone in the past had told me POC's were non-union. So THANK YOU for bringing this to my attention. This is a GREAT camp, not only for people trying to break into the business, but also for those who are already in it and need a re-charge. I will surely utilize it in the future and share it with everyone. Again. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Christina Asuncion Production Coordinator Experienced P.A.'s speak out: Thank you so much for accommodating me last weekend! I know it is easier on your end to train multiple P.A.s at once, but I really appreciated your willingness to let me go through the program on my own. After working on a pilot over the summer, it was so helpful to refresh on many of the do's and dont's for the production office, as well as to go over all the paperwork line by line. I'm so grateful to have spent two days preparing with you and your staff as I get ready to start my own P.A. job in San Diego. Thanks to your program, I know I will be more capable and confident... and that really is priceless! -Annika S. P.A. Bootcamp provided an intense training experience. I highly recommend that anyone who want to do this kind of work go to P.A. Bootcamp first. Not only do you learn industry terminology and etiquette, but you are provided with simulated training under simulated pressure. I saw examples of so many things such as call sheets and shooting schedules and learned how to read them. I feel very confident that I can go onto a working set and do the job well! Plus, I was just offered a job from someone who had heard about me from P.A. Bootcamp. Sadly, I have 3 more weeks of school left before I can work. However, in 3 weeks I will have a college degree and be even more desirable as a working P.A., so hopefully, this is just the beginning of a long career working in the industry for me! -Rene S. "There is much more to being a P.A. than getting coffee. MUCH MORE. P.A. Bootcamp is where you get your initial entertainment industry bruising. They help you get through the production trenches." "Yes, you can learn on your own, but if you want to work and not look like an idiot, then come to camp." "Sure, you can do this on your own, but why be risky when you can be trained and ready." "ADs dont want to have to train them. It would take weeks to learn what camp teaches, but without it potential p.a.'s won't get day two (even if they got day one!)" - Franklyn Gottbetter; UPM/1st A.D.
Hello: A couple of months ago, I contacted you to ask about a list of PAs that graduated from your program. You responded immediately and sent me a list of all your recent graduates. I contacted some and finally selected Phil G. as one of the PAs on my production. I am happy to report that the entire crew is an awe of Phil. I've never worked with a PA who was so dedicated, prompt, quick and courteous. One quality that Phil has that I have yet to see in any PA (even in many other crew members amongst the other departments actually) is the ability to anticipate. He anticipated things that would be needed before I said a word. He never complained even when we worked long hours and had him running around all over town. He did things without being asked. He was extremely reliable to the point where I trusted him with a production credit card. Phil impressed me so much the first couple of hours on set that I just gave him my keys and had to ask for his permission to get them when I needed them. That's how reliable he was. He listens and executes with military precision. I cannot sing his praises enough. I have already forwarded his contact information to friends and colleagues who are producers for their future projects. I just wanted to thank you for your good work and for giving me this young man's contact information. Phil was an invaluable member of the production team. The director of this project is very hard to please, but on our last day of shoot he could not stop praising Phil and even gave him a little more than we'd promised him. Thank you so much!!! Producer - Martine Jean Hello staff
I had a great time at the PA Bootcamp. I learned so much in the course of one Saturday. The entire staff was very friendly, informative, and motivating. They are all industry professionals with Hollywood resumes who know their stuff. The material that was covered was extremely helpful, ranging from terms, the do's and don'ts, and work resources. The staff went into so much detail and answered all my questions. They also had two guest speakers that were awesome. The speaker shared personal experiences and paths that got them to where they are now... I was amazed at how much I learned from our radio practice. Overall the P.A. Bootcamp has been one of my best investments. I highly recommend this course for anyone with a film or television passion. Thank you staff and keep doing a kick ass job!!!! Jed Hernandez I almost don't want to share PA Bootcamp with anyone else because its been so valuable I want to keep it to myself~~~! I'm coming from a different industry - journalism, news. I minored in film in college, and this was always my dream -- like "if i could do anything in the world". I knew what I wanted to do and decided that I had nothing to lose by coming here to find out more information. I was wrong though -- because I had a lot to lose out on by NOT coming here... Here's the thing about PA Bootcamp, it's awesome ...for a couple of reasons: 1) THE MOST VALUABLE THING OF ALL!!- It teaches you how to walk onto set and be a production assistant INSTEAD of a production ASS. The instructors walk you through, or rather throw you into the world of production (the lingo, the behaviours, the paperwork, and the set). I truly do not understand how anyone makes it onto a set without coming here to learn this information, and I feel sorry for anyone who has to go through that! 2) The instructors are real people who have gone through this. They know. They are cool. They want to help you. They encourage you to pump good energy in the industry by not being an ASS to other people, by working hard and loving what you do. 3) They give you real resources with up-to-date production lists and information about where to get your job immediately. They help with your resume. They enter you into a database you otherwise would not be apart of. 4) They give you interview guidelines, a check list for your first day, a whole notebook-type reference handbook, samples of the forms you will be expected to fill out. 5) It's in LA, which is, you know, like heaven. 6) They recommend a good hotel, Best Western Mikado. Stay here. If you are from out of town, its a cheap place, free breakfast, there are shops and grocery stores within a block or so, and the Scrubs building is across the street which makes for good entertainment. Thanks Guys! -Sarah Barnes Hello Everyone at P.A. Bootcamp!!
I just wanted to take the time to thank each and everyone of you. First of all, it has always been a dream of mine to work in the entertainment industry and as some of you may know my experience comes from the radio side of it. Although it is an entirely different beast all together it has it's similarities. What I really want to do is thank you all.
* Drill Instructor #1-Thank you for starting a wonderful outlet on where and how to begin in the business of film making. There really is no right or wrong way to getting started, but you definitely have a Great starting process along with the comfort zone of getting the ball rolling!! * Drill Instructor #2-Thank you, you definitely have taught me a lot. The Knowledge that you have relayed in 2 days was Enormous. You drilled and drilled and drilled until there was no more oil. Lucky for me I hit the jackpot of wealth of information that you have taught. I really didn't know what to expect going in but you managed to exceed the expectations and then some. You truly are a leader!! *Drill Instructor #3- Your knowledge was just as helpful as I know you drilled us pretty good on the walkies. Thanks for being so helpful and informative. I appreciate the help and insight you know as you are all working people in the industry. You guys are really a great group and I am very grateful and appreciative that I came across and went thru the camp. In this day and age no one wants to take the time to teach others what they know let alone the security that they feel by knowing more than others. You don't have to take the time out of your busy life's to do any of this so kudos to you for making time and giving people like myself a better chance on getting into the business. Good Luck to all of you and I look forward to working with each and everyone of you. Thanks again and definitely keep in touch. -Frankie H. I loved the bootcamp! I learned more in my two day session than in my five years of school. My two insructors were very helpful in creating an actual enviornment that we might come across in the business. I especially loved all the paperwork. Having it all down and in my hands is great for freshing up on the job. The Drill Instructors in P.a. Bootcamp "suffer no fools" and do what they can to help people like me get into the entertainment industry. I was really nervous about signing up but i'm really glad i did. I think I should have paid more money for camp, I feel i have a better understanding of what i'm getting myself into and where to find an actual paying job as a PA. i also feel i can present myself better in interviews with the knowledge that was provided.
Thanks for the weekend, -Stephanie B. Dear P.A. Boot Camp, I just wanted to let you know that my experience was amazing! I am so grateful for how thorough the training was. I feel like, with the tools that were given to me, I could start working tomorrow and actually know what I was doing! I was impressed from the get go and I definitely got my money's worth in the first day. The second day at camp was just icing on the cake. Thank you for the knowledge and the resources. I look forward to hopefully working with you guys one day! And for any potential camper reading this...DON'T HESITATE! SIGN UP NOW! You won't regret it. I promise. Thanks again for everything! -Nicole Rivera |
