The production assistant cover letter is a chance to lift the lid on your unique contribution to the productions that you have worked on by sharing some insights that may not have made it onto your more factual resume and showing the hiring team just what it is like to have you around on the set.
Production assistants are experts in multitasking, so what do you include? Do you understand exactly which of your skills will be most in demand in the role in question? How relevant are your best career stories and how do you tell them in prose? We will answer all these production assistant cover letter questions and more, including:
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In a role that has dozens of competing priorities at any one time, sometimes with hundreds of people relying on you, the ability to communicate concisely and clearly is critical. In much the same way, the format of the production assistant cover letter should be just as clear. Here is what you need to include:
When you have an insanely complicated job that is different for every day of every production that you have ever worked on, the overload of career stories is real. Deciding which stories to include and where to include them in your cover letter will go a long way to creating the desired impression. Share enough of your career highlights, but not too many that you risk omitting essential details.
This cover letter guide has been crafted for production assistants in film, television or theater, but our comprehensive cover letter example might offer some other job search pearls of wisdom. Doing your research is essential for any production assistant and writing a cover letter is no different. Work out exactly what you want to talk about before you write.
This production assistant cover letter example may offer some inspiration:
Dear Ms. Hatherwick,
Having worked as a global Production Assistant for three natural history documentary series, my work has taken me to twenty different countries and presented many challenges. I believe my personal and professional experience in South Africa would make me a valuable member of the Eye on Africa team.
Growing up in South Africa has provided a unique understanding of the wildlife and culture. As a production assistant, my understanding of local customs has allowed me to secure governmental filming permissions up to six months faster than other international crews. This two-year position will be an ambitious project, but I am uniquely placed to put you in touch with the best local partners to ensure success.
Supporting the directors, producers, location scouts and logistics teams in difficult environments requires a special kind of production assistant. I know the best brands of mosquito nets, I can keep any camera from overheating on a scorching hot day and my relationships with the local guides are unsurpassed. Patience and preparation are key to filming award-worthy material.
Organizationally, my production calendars have saved up to 15% on filming time, my on-site production techniques have saved 22% on U.S. production budgets and my local connections have ensured the lowest possible production costs.
I am passionate about African wildlife and would relish the opportunity to discuss in an interview how I might be able to make a difference to Eye on Africa.
Best regards,
Gina Reyes
The cover letter header should include your full name, contact details and email address. Don’t assume that because they are on your resume you don’t need to include them here. It won’t ruin the aesthetic of the letter – it is simply a practical requirement to ensure that you can be easily contacted if your letter is compelling enough.
You might decide to include your social media details if you tend to share aspects of your work. You will likely be checked out on social media anyway, so being active in the months leading up to a job search is important.
Lastly, the header section offers a mental “pause” for the reader before they get into the details of your career story. It will help them get into the zone and into a place where they can really take in those first few crucial words of your introduction.
Goal of the cover letter header: Communicate your name and contact information while adding a touch of attractive formatting.
Getting the production assistant cover letter greeting right is along the same lines. Find out who is interviewing for the role, and make sure that you have checked the spelling of the name. In the first instance, have a look at the job description, but if it is not there it could be worth an email or a call to check. This also offers an opportunity to ask any other brief questions that you may have, so it may be worthwhile. In a bigger organization it will normally be the HR team that is conducting the first interviews.
If you do not know to whom the letter should be addressed, avoid the cold “To Whom It May Concern” at all costs. A more friendly “Dear (Production Name) Team” would be much more suited to such a people-facing role.
Goal of letter greeting: Double check to whom it should be addressed and get the spelling right. Don’t make a mistake with something this basic – it can affect perceptions.
Dear Ms. Hatherwick,
The introduction of the production assistant cover letter is where you are finally free to go into the impact you’ve had on your previous productions.
Focus on those activities that are likely to form the basis of your future role – this might mean leaving out some more impressive (but less relevant) achievements, but it is the relevant stuff that will get you hired. Those are the stories that you should be aiming to tell, so start them in your cover letter and you will be asked to continue during an interview.
Make sure that you include enough context for that first story you tell. Every filming situation is different, so using a couple of words to set the scene will tell your future boss just how impressive it was. Try to use an achievement with a quantifiable result – saved time, money or resources. Films are commercial ventures, after all. See our cover letter sample below.
Goal of the cover letter intro: Sharing a compelling and relevant first example has to be your best shot at getting a production director’s attention. What does your best look like?
Having worked as a global Production Assistant for three natural history documentary series, my work has taken me to twenty different countries and presented many challenges. I believe my personal and professional experience in South Africa would make me a valuable member of the Eye on Africa team.
One you have whetted the appetite with the introduction, the middle part of your cover letter should cover two or three examples of your most impactful production assistant skills. If you have a technically-oriented role you might want to make use of bullet points to include more information, but the majority of the cover letter should be written as a free-flowing story of how you made your personal difference.
Give a sense of what you are like to work with, why people come to you to get things done and how you find motivation in demanding times. Your production assistant cover letter should address the subject of pressure as when the film deadlines are pressing there are few more stressful jobs. When everyone needs something from you, how do you cope?
The middle part of a cover letter is also an opportunity to expand on what you might be looking for in your next role. Not every production assistant role will be the same as the last, so let the production team know what you are passionate about, what you want to learn and how you are keen to grow in the role. When people learn on the job they are at their most engaged and most productive. What are your development goals?
Do not forget to include a link to your production portfolio and credits. Offer a couple of hints at what might be particularly relevant to consider – film industry experts will appreciate the production work that went into making anything, so although your work might not be seen, it will still be appreciated. See our cover letter sample for the middle part below.
Goal of the body of your cover letter: The middle part needs to focus on 2-3 achievements, your future career goals and include a link to your list of production successes.
Growing up in South Africa has provided a unique understanding of the wildlife and culture. As a production assistant, my understanding of local customs has allowed me to secure governmental filming permissions up to six months faster than other international crews. This two-year position will be an ambitious project, but I am uniquely placed to put you in touch with the best local partners to ensure success.
Supporting the directors, producers, location scouts and logistics teams in difficult environments requires a special kind of production assistant. I know the best brands of mosquito nets, I can keep any camera from overheating on a scorching hot day and my relationships with the local guides are unsurpassed. Patience and preparation are key to filming award-worthy material.
Organizationally, my production calendars have saved up to 15% on filming time, my on-site production techniques have saved 22% on U.S. production budgets and my local connections have ensured the lowest possible production costs.
The close of the production assistant cover letter is like the clapperboard slamming shut at the end of a scene. You have put forward your best arguments, but there is still time for one final moment and then it is decision time.
The clapperboard moment at the end of the production assistant cover letter is having the confidence to ask for the interview. This call to action is a feature of any sales communication and there is nothing arrogant in wanting to find out more about the role and your potential fit. Hopefully the hiring manager will feel the same way.
Goal of the ending: Slam the clapperboard down with one last example and say that you are looking forward to a potential interview to find out more.
I am passionate about African wildlife and would relish the opportunity to discuss in an interview how I might be able to make a difference to Eye on Africa.
Best regards,
Gina Reyes
Some of our other entertainment cover letter examples may be of interest: