Production Assistants work with, and support, Production Co-ordinators or Production Managers. Their role varies depending on the size of the production. On larger productions, they work more closely with the Co-ordinator than with the manager. There may be a Co-ordinator for each department, e.g. Design & Storyboard, Editing, Layout, Rigging, Animation, Lighting, Compositing, Post Production, etc., who reports to the Production Manager. In this case, Production Assistants acquire a great deal of knowledge in very specific areas. On smaller productions, they are likely to work across all departments, thus gaining wider experience.
Regardless of the size of the project, Production Assistants help to take care of the crew, making sure that work is ready and available for them to begin, ensuring that the delivery schedule is met, and checking that the necessary materials, equipment and references are available. They assist in keeping progress reports up to date and distributing them to the relevant people. Production Assistants may progress to become Production Co-ordinators, or into technical roles if that is more appropriate to their talents and skills. This can be an entry-level role in the production department.
Responsibilities
Production Assistants are responsible for assisting in the smooth running of the production. Their precise responsibilities vary depending on the studio, the Animation technique and the size of the production, and may include: taking notes in production meetings and distributing reports to the appropriate people; operating equipment for viewing tests and dailies; co-ordinating and logging incoming and outgoing materials; and maintaining a database for tracking work progress. If a production is animated overseas, they may be responsible for assembling, photocopying and packing the storyboards and any associated documentation, for shipping. In general, Production Assistants help to facilitate the work of the production, liaising between members of the crew and the various departments.
Skills
Production Assistants must be bright, responsive communicators and good organisers. They should be able to prioritise, multi-task, use their own initiative and have a good memory. They must be numerate, literate and capable of taking accurate notes. It is a role in which specific skills have to be learned quickly, on the job. Good typing and IT skills are essential; some progress management work utilising spreadsheets and databases is usually required. Production Assistants must be able to take direction and to work as part of a team. In all techniques of Animation, attention to detail and diligent follow up are vital.
Qualifications/Experience
No degree qualifications are required, although it is very useful for Production Assistants to have some knowledge of Animation, or of how studios operate. This can be a good hands-on entry-level job for recent graduates of Animation, Computer, Film or Media courses, who want to gain experience in production; some Runners are also promoted to this role. Good IT skills are essential and a knowledge of Photoshop can be an asset.