If you have a desire to work in television or film production and an affinity for being flexible in a fast-paced environment, then you’re well suited to being a production assistant. Representing the entry level position for the industry, production assistants will work directly with production crews to ensure they have everything they need for the show to go on.
Effective production assistants are able to anticipate the needs of the crew, meaning it helps to have good communication skills and critical thinking. While you’ll want to emphasize hard skills in your resume, hiring managers will be looking for evidence of the scope and capacity of your accomplishments, along with your ability to be detail-oriented.
In this guide, we’ll look at two examples of resumes for production assistants to help base your resume on. From there, you can refine your background by selecting the best skills to highlight. Lastly, incorporate hard-hitting action verbs to make the best impression on hiring managers.
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As a production assistant, you're the backbone of any film, TV, or commercial production set. You'll be handling a wide range of tasks, from running errands to assisting with equipment setup and breakdown. The industry is always evolving, and these days, experience with social media and digital platforms is a must. When crafting your resume, it's important to showcase your adaptability and willingness to take on a variety of tasks, while also highlighting your relevant experience and skills.
A well-crafted resume for a production assistant role should demonstrate your ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. Producers and directors value team players who can anticipate needs and take initiative, so don't be shy about showcasing instances where you've gone above and beyond in previous roles. Your resume should also reflect any technical skills you possess that can contribute to a smooth production process.
As a production assistant, you'll often be managing multiple tasks at once. In your resume, describe instances where you've successfully balanced various responsibilities, showcasing your organizational and time-management skills.
Your resume should showcase any technical skills you possess, such as proficiency in video editing software, camera operation, or knowledge of lighting techniques. These specifics can set you apart from other candidates and demonstrate your direct value to a production.
Aim to be succinct and precise in your resume to demonstrate that you are respectful of the hiring manager’s time and understand the efficiency expected from production assistants. One way to do this is to use quantitative values to specify how many projects you’ve completed, or how many people you’ve worked with at different tasks.
By making sure to use number values for every one of your accomplishments, you can relay to hiring managers exactly what your background is. It helps hiring managers understand the breadth of your capabilities when you say you’ve worked on over 25 shows, with more than 55 editors, directors, or producers, and completed 75 feature videos, as examples.
If you’ve worked successfully with past employers to the point of being promoted to a position with greater responsibility in the production assistant field, you should include those promotions on your resume. Showing that you’ve impressed your past bosses will go a long way with imparting your willingness to work hard for your new one.
In the film industry, the role of a Production Assistant can be a fantastic stepping stone towards higher roles. It's a role that involves wearing different hats, from coordinating communication between departments to managing logistical details. Recently, there's been a shift in the industry, favoring people with experience in digital media and technology, as more productions move towards digital platforms. When writing your resume, it's important to demonstrate your hands-on experience in film production, your ability to adapt to sudden changes, and your knowledge of digital media.
As a hiring manager in the film industry, I'd want to see the kind of projects you've helped bring to life. Have you worked on student films, commercials, or music videos? Include specific examples of what you did during those projects, as this gives me a sense of your practical experience.
The film industry is increasingly leveraging digital platforms. When I'm looking at your resume, I'd want to see your familiarity with such platforms. Your proficiency with editing software like Adobe Premiere or Avid Media Composer can be a significant advantage. If you've used any project management or collaboration tools, include those too.
Rather than incorporating television production, film production assistants are focused on movies. Movie production is generally more linear, with one portion happening at a time, while the tasks of television production are all at once (leading to a more hectic environment). Film production assistants should aim to incorporate a variety of skills in their list of bullet-pointed accomplishments, as well as a skill bank.
Since production assistants are expected to perform a variety of tasks, it is helpful to include a wide selection of skills in your accomplishments. Along with the basics, such as "assisted in production" for however many projects, be sure to include accomplishments related to reviewing copyright permissions, overseeing makeup, or working with composers to develop scores, for instance.
Whether you’re aiming for television or movie production, having a list of the skills, toolkits, and software you have expertise in will enable hiring managers to gain a robust impression of your background. Adding in any certifications or accredited workshops will further cement your presentation as an experienced production assistant.
A production assistant performs a variety of tasks on the set of a film or TV show. Taking a role as an entry level production assistant is a great way to get experience in the film industry. A day in the life of an entry level production assistant may include tasks like copying scripts, making coffee for staff, transporting crew and equipment, and responding to production requests.
To get hired as an entry level production assistant it will help to have a relevant degree in film, art, communications, or another related field. It will also help to have internship experience on a set. Knowledge of operating film equipment will be attractive to hiring managers, as well as soft skills like effective multi-tasking and time management.
Given that this is an entry-level position, it will garner a lot of applications from job hunters. You need to make sure your resume stands out. Hiring managers are more likely to choose someone for an entry level production assistant role if they have relevant internship experience. This could mean interning on a film set, or having experience in photography or theater production while in college.
A high-value candidate for an entry level production assistant role will be able to do more than take coffee orders and answer phones. A hiring manager for this role may look for someone with technical skills that could be put to use on a set. Demonstrating your experience operating cameras, or using video editing software like Adobe on your resume will make you stand out.
A freelance production assistant is someone who works on a contracted basis with film sets and production studios. Freelance production assistants may perform a variety of tasks, including assisting crew members, video and image editing, answering phones and emails, and more.
Freelance production assistants are able to choose what jobs they take and which they pass up on. Still, hiring managers will have high expectations for freelance production assistants. They should have a degree in a related field, relevant experience in the film and production industry, and a track record of successful contracts with previous clients.
Many freelancers may choose a specialty that they are particularly skilled in to show their value to potential employers. It’s wise to choose one or two areas you are especially skilled in and highlight these on your resume. For example, if you’re skilled in video editing, you should make note of all the successful editing projects you’ve completed and any relevant software competencies on your resume.
We spoke with hiring managers and recruiters from top production companies like Warner Bros., Netflix, and HBO to gather their best tips for creating a standout Production Assistant resume. The following tips will help you showcase your skills and experience in a way that will catch the attention of hiring managers in the entertainment industry.
Production Assistants are often required to wear many hats and handle a wide range of tasks. Highlight your versatility and adaptability by showcasing the various roles and responsibilities you've taken on in previous productions.
Instead, be specific about the different areas you've worked in and the skills you've developed:
A resume summary, also known as a professional summary or summary statement, is a brief introduction at the top of your resume. It's an optional section that can be used to provide additional context about your career goals, highlight your most relevant qualifications, and explain your interest in the position you're applying for.
While a summary can be beneficial for experienced professionals or those making a career change, it's not always necessary. Your resume should already be a concise summary of your qualifications, so a summary statement may be redundant. Additionally, you should never use an objective statement, which focuses on your goals rather than how you can benefit the employer.
If you do choose to include a summary on your production assistant resume, make sure it's tailored to the specific position and company. Avoid repeating information that's already covered in other sections of your resume, and keep it concise - no more than a short paragraph.
The work experience section is the most important part of your resume as a production assistant. It's where you show hiring managers how you've applied your skills and made an impact in previous roles. Use this section to highlight your most relevant and impressive experiences, and make a strong case for why you're the best candidate for the job.
The education section of your production assistant resume should be concise yet informative. It's an opportunity to showcase your relevant academic background and any specialized training that sets you apart from other candidates. Follow these tips to create a compelling education section that supports your career goals.
Hiring managers often have a number of resumes to scan, and not much time to do it. While some of your accomplishments as a production assistant should begin with “Assisted”, others should incorporate as many of the above action verbs as are appropriate to your experience. These strong action verbs will solidify your credibility to hiring managers, especially when placed at the beginning of the bullet point.
For a full list of effective resume action verbs, visit Resume Action Verbs.
As a production assistant, your skills will be primarily related to your past work with assistant production crews in a multitude of areas. While knowing what to include can be difficult, we’ve narrowed down the most commonly used skills that hiring managers will be looking for in their production assistant applicants. Using these skills throughout your resume will help you clear applicant screening systems.
When relevant for your personal background, you should aim to use these skills for each of your bullet points. Since being a production assistant means you’ve done a lot of different tasks for a variety of crews, you should include as many appropriate skills as possible. Avoid overusing the same skills as it can make your resume run together.
You can include the above skills in a dedicated Skills section on your resume, or weave them in your experience. Here's how you might create your dedicated skills section:
This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Production Assistant job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more 'important' it is.
Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.
