Whether it’s the iPhone, Droid, Palm Pre or Blackberry, smart phones have changed the game for PA’s and all entry level entertainment folk alike. You definitely do not need one to make it in Hollywood, but like my girlfriend’s father says: “If you’ve got it, flaunt it!”

Family Plan Side Bar: Staying on your family plan can be a smart money saver. An iPhone for example will only add on an extra $30 to the family plan (total cost of $40 to you if you’re nice and are paying your parents back) a far cry from the $100+ you’d have to pay on your own. But be careful, after two years of being out here AT&T figured out I wasn’t living in NY anymore and forced me off my parents family plan. I’ve only heard that happen to two other people I know, but keep in mind it can happen and you could be stuck with a huge bill.

10) Flashlight
Yup, that’s right this super simple app made this list. It doesn’t come with your phone and it may be one of the most useful things you can have on it. Most of the time you’ll find yourself standing around while someone else is trying to fix a problem. If they need some light, you’ve got it no need to go searching around for the real thing.

9) Bump
I thought that everyone had this app by now, but apparently that’s not the case. Bump can transfer you name, e-mail and photo and all with the correct spelling! It currently only works with the iPhone and the Droid, but none the less it’s the best way to instantly share info and a great fun way to share you contact info and network.

8 ) Kayak
In my opinion one of the best online travel resources out there…and now in your phone. I love the way this app is put together, I’d use it over heading to my computer. It’s got all the functionality of the site and it’s super fast. Flights, hotels and rental cars all instantly at your fingertips for free.

7) Sunrise & Sunset Lite
I know it sounds stupid, but it’s on every call sheet and the number one question that comes up at the end of the day is always how much sun do we have left. No one has their call sheet at that point, so with the click of a button you can say confidently when the sun is going down. It can be helpful in the office too if you ever get asked to help put together the call sheets.

6) Units
There are a number of free unit conversion apps out there, I like Units. Get one, it’s amazing how often you need to convert information back and forth. Its also a great help when comparison shopping.

5) Variety (& Your Other Favorite Entertainment News Sources)
Whichever source you like they’ve probably got a free app. There is generally lots of downtime on the job, now I’m not saying you should do it in front of your boss, but if you’re alone, waiting on something you’re picking up or just plain bored, pop open one of these and stay updated on what’s going on in this town. One of the best things you can do is stay informed. Not only does it make for good small talk, but it shows that you’re passionate about where you are and what you’re doing.

4) Parkometer
Silly name, great free app. This one will save you $$ and prevent you from getting tickets or worse towed. I’ve heard countless stories of PA’s and assistant’s cars getting towed or ticketed simply because they lost track of time. This guy also lets you take a photo and leave notes to help you remember where you parked in some of those underground labyrinths. I remember my first time picking up permits at LA Center Studios, it took me forever to find my car again.

3) Evernote
This app may seem completely unrelated, but it is in my opinion the best application for storing notes. You setup an account and boom, anything you need to remember you can access anywhere. Say you leave your phone at home or heaven forbid it gets broken. That extra long list of things you needed to do for you boss is easily accessible online. It’ll also store photos and let you record voice memos. Brilliant!

2) IMDb
Yup, there’s a free app for that. If you’re an assistant this is a must have. You literally have the industry at your fingertips and being able to pull up info anywhere on just about anyone in the industry is priceless. Move this guy to the front of the bus.

1) Yelp
No matter what role you play in the industry, if you’re at the bottom on the food chain you’re getting the grub. With two clicks of your phone you have a list of all the top rated nearby restaurants. You can filter by price, distance, if they’re open and even specific neighborhood. Not only is Yelp great with food, it’s a resource for reviews on just about anything. Odds are you probably already have this app on your phone. If you don’t, get it and if you do move it to the front page. I use it almost daily.

Definitely comment below with other great smart phone apps.

Michael DeHart.

Michael DeHart is one of the founders of KeyPA.net and this was originally posted here.

Yesterday morning someone sent over a job opportunity for a Production / Administrative Assistant at a prominent Adult Entertainment company. Before passing it on to people, it got me thinking: do I potentially want to be responsible for launching someones career in Porn?

Two years ago I spent a few days in the field as a sound mixer with a documentary crew while we did interviews with Vivid (both on set and in their offices). Granted, everyone acts differently when cameras are around, even if you aren’t recording, but all in all their offices were pretty awesome and everyone we met seemed to be very happy and friendly. I remember being slightly surprised to see so many family pictures on people’s desks.

Before stepping onto their set I definitely had expectations (Boogie Nights, Weed’s, Family Guy) and with the location for that day being in a dingy warehouse basement in downtown LA, I thought they were going to come true. By the time we wrapped, it felt like your standard indie movie set. The most interesting part was meeting the crew. Everyone was in good spirits and happy to be working. The make up artist said that it was good work, but she would use a fake name for the credits and left those types of jobs off her resume.

I have a slew of friends who have dabbled behind the scenes in the world of erotica and everyone always says its not as sexy as you’d think, but it pays well. Imagine editing teaser trailers for something like the Playboy channel, your day is spent scanning through movies for sexy facial expressions and unique positions. As much as everyone needs to pay the bills, you should always be working towards your goals.

When all is said and done if you don’t have any personal objections to working on porn, the biggest downside (generally) is the work you’re doing doesn’t hold as much credibility in other areas of the entertainment industry. What’s the point of doing all that work and not getting any credit? Money will only get you so far. If you’re not comfortable putting it on your resume, it shouldn’t be your full time job. No matter what industry it is.

Regardless of if you end up on a porno set or not, odds are you won’t get a chance to rub noses with the stars. However, if that was all you were looking for you should just head over to Sardo’s in Burbank on Tuesday Nights for Porn Star Karaoke. No joke, it’s an adult industry event that’s been going on since 2003 and everyone’s welcome.

What do you think, would you work on set or in the office for an Adult Entertainment company?

Michael DeHart.

Michael DeHart is one of the founders of KeyPA.net and this was originally posted here.

I showed up at a studio in Hollywood dressed in comfortable clothes: sneakers, jeans and a tee-shirt, as I’d been instructed. I was met by my friend, who handed a walkie-talkie and showed me how to key the various channels. So far so good. He then took me around and introduced me to his boss, along with some of the other production assistants I’d be working with. More importantly, he taught me some of the valuable lexicon I would need while working on set: “what’s your 20?” (where are you?)… and “ten one hundred” (I’m in the bathroom). Personally, I didn’t think I’d ever feel comfortable letting thirty or so people know I was in the can, so I figured I’d just skip over that part. But I got a kick out of saying “what’s your 20?”, and used it often that first day. I think I even started throwing in things like “ETA five minutes”.

Anyway, only once I was on set was I told what they’d be shooting: turns out Bob Dylan was filming a video of his original song from Curtis Hanson’s film “Wonder Boys”. Everyone was instructed in no uncertain terms that, once Mr. Dylan was on set, we were all to maintain our distance, avoid prolonged eye contact, and lastly, under no circumstances, were we to talk to him. Ever. I nodded, figuring it was cool enough that I’d get to see Bob Dylan in person. And sure enough, when he walked on set, it was a bit of a thrill that he was standing only five feet away.

I didn’t expect what came next, however: in between shots, to help pass the time, Dylan decided to practice. He started strumming his guitar, and singing songs like “Hurricane” under his breath. I looked at the other production assistants around me, and could see the same barely-suppressed excitement on their faces: we were basically being treated to a private concert by the man himself. I didn’t think the day could get better from there, but it did.

Because of my limited experience, I was plucked from the set and sent to work the monitors in the video village, the area where the director (Hanson), the producers, and the talent all gathered to watch the various takes; in this case, the talent included Dylan, as well as Michael Douglas, who was there to reprise his role in the film for some scenes with Dylan. My job was simple: press play and rewind. I took drink orders, handed out coffee and pastries, and then settled in a chair next to Michael Douglas for the next couple of hours. The highlight came when everyone wandered away except for myself and Bob Dylan; figuring it would be rude not to talk to him, I struck up a conversation and we chatted for about five minutes. At that point, I couldn’t believe they were actually paying me to be there! When the day finally ended, I walked away whistling, having had one of my best days in this city. This is showbiz, I thought to myself; I now have a PRODUCTION ASSISTANT job, and I love it!

Two weeks later, I PA’d a music video in downtown Long Beach, for some crappy boy band that no one had ever heard of. It rained… I was stuck outside, hauling cables and lights, from 10p.m. to 9a.m…. I made $75… I got yelled at twice by the psychotic 2^nd Assistant Director… and I broke my walkie-talkie (and nearly my hand) when some idiot slammed a metal pipe into it. As the rain poured down, I marveled at just how much I had been misled.

This is showbiz, I thought to myself the next morning as I trudged home; and I now have a production assistant job. Yay.

1. Get a Production Assistant Job
Working as a production assistant, or a PA, on a film or TV show is a beneficial way to learn about the production process and to get familiar with the folks making the decisions. The day-to-day duties can vary greatly depending on the production and budget, but the elbow-rubbing time can not be underestimated. Some will tell you assistants exist to feed the egos of their self-important bosses, but others know it’s a rite of passage to the Hollywood fraternity (or sorority). While much of the job consists of pouring coffee and answering phones, occasionally there can be some free time to read scripts and write coverage too. Also, production companies fill most new positions from within. When there’s a new position to fill, most managers would rather promote a qualified production assistant to the position, rather than hiring a stranger, even if some outside applicant had better work on his reel. In many studios, you find top people who initially started as PA’s. The key is getting in the gate in the first place.

Check out Media-Match to search for production assistant jobs and apply for as many as seem appropriate. For a small fee Media-Match will post your resume and try to match you with a job opening in the television and film industries. Also, it has a forum and a social network that allows you to interact with other people working as production assistants and job seekers looking for production assistant jobs.

2. Educate Yourself
Do you know what the terms “call sheet,” “sides,” “honey wagon,” and “call time” mean? If you don’t, you need to learn the terminology, “the lingo” that’s used in the industry. Or else, you can’t do your job properly as a production assistant.

Do you know the difference between a Director of Photography and an Assistant Director? Do you know what the Production Designer does? Learn more about the various production job roles found on television and film sets.

Next, familiarize yourself with the “trades.” These are magazines and newspapers geared towards entertainment industry professionals. The main ones are “The Hollywood Reporter,” “Variety,” “Film & Video,” and “Backstage West/East”. “Film & Video” is specifically for those who work behind the camera. Get “The Hollywood Reporter” on Tuesdays and “Variety” on Fridays. Those are the two days when the Production Charts are listed.

Learn as much as you can about the workings of film and TV production before you arrive on set for your first day of work.

3. Network, Network, Network
In Hollywood it’s not so much what you know as who you know in the entertainment industry. As many Tinseltown residents will tell you, this city is built on connections.
Take advantage and leverage your connections as a production assistant. Network, network, network. Talk to the people you work with and get to know them. The film or television industry is all about who you know and the people you are working with are a great place to start. Make those connections. You can meet people this way and begin to build up a network and beef up your Rolodex.

4. Be Persistent
Being a production assistant is not glamorous, but it is an important role. While you are on a set, be a sponge and soak up everything you can. When one show ends, be on the lookout for another one. Don’t ever stop working or looking for work because the next <a href=”http://www.media-match.com/jobsboard.php” title=”Production Assistant Job”>production assistant job</a> you take could be the one that takes you to the next level in your career.

5. Figure Out Your Ultimate Goal
Think about what your eventual career goal is. When you’re working as a production assistant, knowing what you want to do and knowing what you must accomplish before you get there is an effective way to move up. You have to put yourself on the proper path to where you want to be in the film or television industry.

If you’re currently a production assistant or are pursuing to be one, we’d like to hear your tips and suggestions.