Working My Way to the Top

WHAT I DO

For those of you who don't know, I am an Assistant at a Literary Agency in Beverly Hills. Many of you wonder what all that means and why I am doing that instead of writing/producing million dollar movies on the Warner Brothers lot.

Well, first off - it is extremely difficult to do that. Even if you have every opportunity and all the resources in the world. But I'll be there soon. Just need a little time - and to pay my dues. Gotta pay the dues.

So as of right now, I am an assistant. I am learning the ropes of the industry and becoming more and more familiar with who everyone in the industry is and what they do.

So here's what I do on a typical day.

8:45am
Arrive at the office. After a 45 min commute through the canyon. Oh the traffic...

9:00am
After staring at my computer trying to rub the sleep out of my eyes, I head to the kitchen to grab whatever snacks I can before the crazy begins. Tuesday is bagel day. It is a very fine day.

9:15am
The crazy starts. The phone begins ringing, sometimes it's my boss needing me to call someone for them and "roll" the call. Voicemails that were left last night need to be answered. Emails need to be paid attention to, mostly about meetings to set or tasks to perform.

9:30am
Bosses arrive. I have two - one in TV, one in Film. They usually have a ton of people to call when they get in. I check the phone book and "try" each one, "leaving word" with assistants or voicemails. The fun thing about calls is that I get to listen in on the conversation. A lot of the time I get to hear some sweet insider info, or just some interesting facts about the business. Many times I bust out laughing at something they say (which startles my fellow assistant co-workers).

10:30am
It gets a bit slow, I try and catch up on any unfinished business - i.e. getting emails written, submissions to network or studio executives, and any other things.

11:00am
Confirm any later meetings, confirm lunch, set lunch, call restaurant for lunch (not my lunch, my bosses lunch).

11:02am
It gets crazy again. Calls come in, I make calls.

12:35pm
Slows down a bit. I try and get stuff done for my boss before ushering them out the door for their lunch appointment.

1:00pm
If I'm lucky, I get to go to lunch. If I'm not lucky, I have to finish things I didn't get done before or roll calls with my boss.

1:00pm - 2:00pm
Talk about movies, TV, news, and everything else with the other assistants or with agents (if they didn't have a lunch meeting).
Sometimes we all go out to eat together for fun. Our favorite spot right now is either Chipotle or Vendome Liquor (they have amazing sandwiches!)

2:01pm
Things go crazy again. Rolling calls, making submissions (a letter with scripts attached), scheduling meetings and lunches, generally getting things done.

3:00pm
If we have a meeting at our office, I go up to the front to say "hi" to the person (good to get a little face time), let them know it will be a few minutes, make sure they have water/soda/whatever, then I let my boss know they are here. They have their meeting.

4:30pm
Things get slow again. Sometimes there are calls or emails, but mostly I try and read a script or two. Either something my bosses want me to read, some of our clients' material, or the hot new specs/pilots out there.

5:30pm
People must get out of meetings around this time, because it gets really crazy with the phones. I do my best to handle it.
I've never had more than three lines ringing at once, but I dread the day that 4th line lights up.
Sometimes my bosses have to take off. They have appointments or dinner meetings or whatever. If they do take off, I roll calls if any come in.
This is my preperation time. I prepare for the next day. I make sure I get any unfinished business done and also remind my bosses of any unreturned calls.
I also try and make sure I know what's going on the next day. Be prepared for any unexpected craziness.

6:55pm
If my bosses haven't left yet, they usually get ready about now. They let me know if they're available by cell.

7:00pm
Bosses leave. I talk with assistants or clean up my desk/computer.

7:10pm
Ten minutes after my last boss leaves, I "night" the phones and get the hell out of dodge.

7:50pm
On most good days, I can get home in like 35 minutes. Bad days take longer.

So that's pretty much it. That's my day. That's the type of stuff I do.

If I work hard enough and keep my ear to the ground, I can transition in a few years to a job at a production company.
From there I will try to become an executive at either a production company or at a studio.
From that, I may go into forming my own production company. But that's a long, long way off.

Or, I just might sell a spec and become fabulously rich and famous all in one fell swoop. If anyone out there wants to give me that opportunity, I'm available.