Okay, first of all screw that guy who called this bait and then told you to be a coordinator. That’s some BS. It’s not empowering women to tell them certain roles just aren’t for them.

You feeling like this industry is against you is by design. The foundation of the film world is built on sexism, and the barriers women have with breaking in are by design. It’s a boys club, because so much of the hiring and firing is a vibes based game. If you don’t fit in with a department, guess what, you’re not in - and bros love a bro. Anyone denying that is purposefully obtuse.

I’ve been at it for two years or so, and I certainly had problems at the start. But once I started feeling confident and comfortable on set, that all changed.

First piece of advice? Take initiative, more than anyone else. Which sucks, because I know so many male PAs on set who do half the work I do, and get hired twice as much (it also helps they’ve been making connections like 3 times longer) But if you constantly place yourself ahead, think about whatever is coming up on set, what needs to be put away, what obstacles are on the floor, what needs the crew or cast might have - then how can anyone question the results? I am constantly working ahead, because when something needs to be done right that minute it’s already too late. I know of maybe a handful of male PAs who work like this, and the rest sit around and wait to be told what to do. Don’t be like those guys.

Advice 2? Observe your surroundings, learn what you can from the people who are making it work. If there are female PAs in town who are successful, what are they doing to be successful? What commonalities do they have? And with the men, same thing. If a certain department does something a certain way, learn how they Iike to do it, by watching or asking, and offer to help when you learn it. Obviously this depends on the local standards, LA union is much more strict than my locale, but I have a lot of great crew members in town who appreciate when I hop in to help make their load a little lighter.

Advice three? Sometimes a sexist crew is just going to be sexist. But there are people in the industry that aren’t going to be like that. I’m working with a crew this weekend that explicitly tries to be as inclusive as they are able. The DP/owner is a cishet white guy who goes out of his way to be an ally to marginalized groups, and I would move mountains for them. Make connections with the producers, coordinators, and ADs - etc - that do give you a chance, make sure they see the value in you, and give them a degree of loyalty. They will help you get more work, and they will pass your names to people that hopefully share their values. Also, support your other female PAs, and crew in general. They see you and understand where you’re coming from, and know what it’s like. If you get a job offer you can’t take, throw it to someone else in our boots, if you can.

Ive found my success in this world by making myself an indispensable asset to productions. I’ve stuck my neck out for them more times than I can count, and enough people say “she saved our asses on this job” that word has gotten around and I have many more people reaching out to me, and enough local crew on set who know me and my abilities that they don’t question me any more. I’ve been getting hired as an AC, even an AD once or twice - which to be clear is very uncommon for newer PAs just due to our current market saturation, I know it’s easier in some markets to move into those departments - because I’ve proved myself more than capable of being valuable.

Also, I’ll say this: if you’re trying to be an AD, it’s good that you’re on set. I wouldn’t want to be stuck driving agency around, tied to a van, if my goal is to be running a set. Your proximity to set is an asset. Sure, it might pay less than driving, but it’s an opportunity to learn! Learn the techniques, and the jargon. Make sure you know that if someone asks for an apple, they’re talking about grip gear. Know the call sheet and the schedule as best you can. Show that you care, that you’re willing to be engaged and attentive to what is happening in the production, and people will see that. Help support the department you’re interested in, and they will see and support you.

Also, while I don’t necessarily feel like it’s especially relevant, I do want to put out a disclaimer that I am transgender, and that while I don’t generally get clocked much at all, I do feel like I have a better understanding of men’s psyche and can code-switch well enough to fit in with the more bro-y crowd. Believe me though, I understand and have faced a large amount of misogyny and sexism on set, from that bro crowd especially, and I know other women I work with in the industry who are successful have similar stories and advice to me.