Kincade Productions Blogs

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Karen's Story - From Actress to PA - My first PA gig! Part II

After I finished the Production Assistant course, I knew one thing: eventually I had to jump.

That part was scary. Really scary.

Following the strategy I learned in the course, I built a list of production companies and started sending emails with my resume and cover letter. I carefully wrote everything, attached the documents, and prepared myself to reach out to people in the industry. But when it came time to hit “send,” I felt terrified.

Karen’s Story - From an Actress to Crew Member. New life, New career. Part I

From a very young age, I was drawn to the arts. I dreamed of being an actress, but honestly, I loved everything about creative work. Acting, writing, designing, building—it all fascinated me. I didn’t just want to perform. I wanted to make things happen.

Years later, my life brought me to the United States. My husband and I moved to Atlanta, and like many people starting over in a new country, I found myself searching for my place again. I continued studying acting and doing creative work at home, but I felt disconnected from the industry. I wasn’t sure how to enter the professional world here.

Then something unexpected happened. For the first time, I understood that becoming a Production Assistant could be my pathway.

The Art of the Assist. Part III - A willingness to assist

Over the past few months, we’ve heard from Rachel and Josh at Plumbago Productions — two pros who’ve built their careers by mastering the chaos of live events and never losing sight of what makes a great team tick.

Now, in our final chapter, we’re bringing their wisdom together to talk about the long game — how small assists become big opportunities, and why helping others is still the fastest way to move up in this business.

The Art of the Assist. Part II - How to stand out as a PA

If Part 1 was about what makes a great Production Assistant, this one’s about where they shine — in the adrenaline-fueled, caffeine-powered world of live shows.

We’re talking massive LED walls, countdown clocks, headset chatter, and someone yelling “FIVE MINUTES TO SHOW!” like it’s the apocalypse.

This is where Josh from Plumbago Productions comes in — a producer who lives and breathes the big moments most people never even know happened. He’s the guy who sees chaos as choreography. And for him, PAs aren’t background players — they’re the ones keeping the whole production from unraveling.

The Art of the Assist. Part I - Live Events hire PAs all the time!

At Kincade Productions, we believe your first job on set as a Production Assistant is the most important one you’ll ever have. It’s where habits form, reputations start, and careers quietly take shape — often between coffee runs and cable coils.

That’s why we launched The Art of the Assist — a three-part blog series celebrating the unsung heroes of production and the professionals who teach them how to thrive in the chaos. Live events are constantly looking for PAs, and the corporate side is one of the best places to get your feet wet and start carving out your path in the media world.

AI has arrived Part III - The Future of Creativity and the Next Generation

Matt Silverman has spent his career building stories frame by frame. As Executive Creative Director at Swordfish, he’s worked with companies like Adobe, Apple, Google and Sony to shape the look and feel of digital media. But ask him what excites him most right now, and he won’t talk about the past. He’ll talk about the future — and the students who will inherit it.

“This AI revolution could be the biggest revolution in human history,” Matt says. “Bigger than the Industrial Revolution. And it’s all happening in a five to ten year period.”

AI Has Arrived. Part II - How Generative AI is Reshaping Storytelling

When Matt Silverman talks about storytelling in the age of AI, you can hear both the excitement and the urgency in his voice. As Executive Creative Director at iBelieveInSwordfish, he’s spent decades translating sparks of imagination into visual stories for some of Silicon Valley’s most innovative companies. But today, he says, the creative toolbox looks nothing like it did even three years ago.

AI Has Arrived. Part I - Generative AI – The Biggest Shift in Creative History

When Matt Silverman, Executive Creative Director at iBeleiveInSwordfish, talks about the future of creativity, his eyes light up. For decades, his San Francisco Bay Area studio has partnered with Silicon Valley giants like Meta and Amazon to create stunning motion design. But according to Matt, everything is changing — faster than ever before.

A Day In The Life of a Production Assistant - Avalon’s Story

Let’s be real. If you’re teaching film in a California high school, you’ve likely been asked more than once, “How do I get a job in the film industry?”

Enter Avalon Glenn—Production Assistant extraordinaire, Bay Area native, and living proof that the dream is real, but the grind is even more real. Spoiler: There’s coffee, there’s chaos, and there’s a lot of walkie-talkie drama!

So, you want to work in film?

Admit it. As a movie fan, you want to be in the movies!  If you’re like me, you can’t get enough of the behind the scenes interviews or documentaries.  You might ask yourself, “How did Quentin Tarantino do that?” or “Did you see Keira Knightley in that scene?”  Have you ever thought, “I want to work on a film set!” I’m here to tell you that you can!

Careers In Film | Production Assistant— No Experience Necessary. Part II

The following is Part II of an interview (edited for understanding) with Jonathan Christopher Snyder, Key Set PA on Euphoria in Los Angeles talking to Robin Kincade, Owner, Kincade Productions, LLC.

I met Jon back in 2020. Like a lot of people trying to get started, he didn’t come from money or connections. He was in San Francisco, working social media jobs in music and tech, cooking part-time, and trying to figure things out.

Then he did something simple—and honestly, kind of accidental. He picked up film work for extra cash.

Four years later?

From Looking For A Few Extra Bucks To Key Set PA for Euphoria —In Just Four Years! Part I

Work In Films | It’s All About Attitude!

The following is Part I of a two-part interview (edited for understanding) with Film and Video Director Christopher Knox talking to Robin Kincade, Owner, Kincade Productions, LLC.

I first met Chris Knox in 2011 on a series called I (Almost) Got Away with It, produced by Indigo Films out of San Rafael, California. I was working as a Location Scout and he was the Production Manager. Right away Knox (as he prefers to be called) struck me as someone who was up and coming if not already “there” in the bay area film community.

Did You Know That Production Assistants are important Members of a Digital Advertising Crew?

Did you know that producing commercial video ads is really BIG business. But just how big a business are these video ads in the U.S.?  According to Ross Benes with eMarketing, “Connected TV and social video are two growing areas within digital video advertising.  US marketers will increase their 2020 connected TV ad budgets 28.0% to $8.88 billion. Social network video ad spending by US marketers will grow 23.2% in 2020 to $13.44 billion.” If combined, over $22 billion dollars could be spent on digital video ads this year alone! 

Daniel Scarpati Went From Production Assistant To Owning His Own Production Company and He Wrote a Book about All of it!

Full Of Passion For Film And Video, Mr. Scarpati Has Worked In “The Biz” Since Middle School.

I first met Daniel when he contacted me a few years ago as we launched our course on how to be a successful Production Assistant. He had written a book on his adventures in the film industry called "Gofers" about when he was a PA (Production Assistant) in New York City.

I've read the book, and it's full of real stories about real film projects. I was immediately impressed with his writing skills and his people skills. Check out our interview with this go getter!

More Students Are Now Considering A College Gap Year Because Of COVID-19

According to ABC News, “More Students Are Now Considering A College Gap Year Because Of COVID-19 (April 24, 2020).

What Is A Gap Year?

So, before telling you why being a film production assistant is a great job for your Gap year, let’s first make sure we are all on the same playing field in terms of how we define a Gap Year. Wikipedia has a great explanation of what a gap year is: check it out!

The Best Kept Secret in Film and Video is that many success stories started By working as a PA on film and Video sets

Where do you want to be next year or the year after? On a film set? Would you love to be working on shooting commercials, videos, films, or sporting events? 

There are a ton of people currently working on film or video crews that got their start as Production Assistants. There are Directors, Assistant Directors, Art Directors, Producers, Cameramen, Lighting Professionals, Actors, and many more who got their start as Production Assistants.

Thinking About a New Career? Or Just Ready for a Reset?

Let’s be honest—most people don’t actually change direction until they’re forced to.

If you’re even thinking about it right now, you’re already ahead of the pack.

Whether you’re re-tooling, pivoting, or just tired of doing the same thing on repeat, this is the window. And no—waiting for “things to pick back up” is not a strategy.

So what should you actually be doing?

Here are three moves you can make right now that will separate you from everyone else when work starts flowing again.

Floating Genies, Sunset Windows, and Organized Chaos

A few years back I got a call from a local production company—One Twenty Nine Films. They were prepping a Toyota commercial here in the Bay Area and needed a very specific location. Of course they did.

The ask: a hilltop overlooking the ocean. Flat. Private. Big enough for a car, a rig suspending talent (yes…floating genie-style), and a crew of about 50.

Simple, right? Yeah…no.

Chinese Mining Camp Needed…