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News Archives

"Made in NY" Welcomes Newly Certified PAs


Cycle 9 of the "Made in NY" Production Assistant Training Program
celebrates graduation day. Photo courtesy of BWI.

March 3, 2008 - Just in time for the increasingly busy production schedule, the entertainment industry acquired fifteen newly trained employees. These hard-working production assistants became the ninth graduating class of the “Made in NY” Production Assistant Training Program, now entering its third year. These PAs are now part of the “Made in New York” family that includes The Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting, Brooklyn Workforce Innovations, and over a hundred other training program graduates. 

Created as a partnership between Brooklyn Workforce Innovations and the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting, the “Made in New York” PA Training Program is designed to provide individuals with hands-on training for entry-level positions in film and television production, access to employers in New York City's film industry, and to teach production assistants how to work collaboratively with local communities when they shoot on location throughout the five boroughs.

Lead instructor of the program, Katy Finch, beamed as the graduates came forward to talk about their experiences. Banya Kim, a recent graduate stated, “We are just trying to find our dreams and I thank you all for being there for me.” Finch congratulated the graduates and reminisced about the transformation everyone had made throughout the intensive course.

The production assistants go through four weeks of full-time prep work and are trained in numerous areas that prepare them for jobs as PAs. “It was intense, it was hard, but we made it,” a proud Joseph Washington boasted as he made remarks during the ceremony. Graduates from the program have gone on to become 2nd Second Assistant Directors, Assistant Locations Managers, and Wardrobe Supervisors, to name a few.

Before certification, trainees prove themselves by working on actual productions. Every “Made in NY” PA is a licensed driver trained for both set and office PA work. Recent productions that have hired “Made in NY” Production Assistants include Baby Mama, Sex and the City: The Movie, “30 Rock,” “Gossip Girl,” and “Project Runway.”

Prior to presenting the graduates with their certificates, MOFTB Commissioner Katherine Oliver congratulated them and proudly told them, “You are the face of the productions. You are certified and should be proud of your accomplishments and career paths.”

New graduate Coleridge Mitchell is grateful to BWI and the program for assisting him on a career path and getting his life back on track. One common thread these fifteen individuals had was not only a goal of working in the entertainment industry, but to grow in the industry. Venus Anderson wanted more than a job. “I wanted a career,” she said. “I found that here.” Just like the entertainment industry, the training program classes become family. They inspire each other to keep their drive and to never lose sight of the goals they have set forth.

BWI program staff will match your productions’ needs with candidates from its pool of trained and certified production assistants. This service is free to employers and program participants. BWI can arrange placements or interviews at any time, from months in advance to the day of a shoot. To learn more, please contact Katy Finch at Brooklyn Workforce Innovations: 718-237-2017 x172 or call the 24 hour production cell at 718-757-5816.
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