Welcome

Production Assistant (PA) Training

Break Into the Film Industry

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$30.00 for members / $40.00 for non-members

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Speakers

Krystle Grandy

is an Assistant Production Office Coordinator, Production Manager and Business owner with over 10 years of experience in the entertainment industry. She’s worked on every type of show from reality to feature films and has worked in many different roles within the entertainment industry. Krystle has worked on such shows as: “American Horror Story”, “The Voice”, “127 Hours” and more. She has done commercials for some of our city’s and Country’s largest brands including: the NFL, UPMC, Dick’s Sporting Goods. Krystle is proud to have started her career during the last of the golden age of music videos working on projects for artists from Paul McCartney to the Beastie Boys and Kanye West at Capitol Records and DNA Productions. She is well-versed in hiring crew, managing budgets, finding employment in the film industry and mentoring young talent.

Brianna Charney

got her foot in the door of the film world on accident. In 2011, she was a background extra on Perks of Being a Wallflower. After noticing a bounce fall and being more concerned with it getting fixed than acting, she realized behind the scenes was where she was meant to be. She discovered the position of Production Assistant when volunteering to help out on a short film titled “Franksgiving.”

Her first paid job in the industry was a reality TV show and her first paid additional PA day on a film was on “Concussion.” She also worked additional days on “Outsiders” and “Fences,” where her skills working with background were noticed. She was offered her first staff position on ABC’s “Downward Dog” where she ran basecamp.

Ciara D’Altorio Barth

graduated Youngstown State University in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies with an emphasis in Media while receiving a minor in Theater Studies.

Ciara landed her first film job in the summer of 2010 on an independent film called “FREERUNNER” in Cleveland, Ohio as an unpaid Art Department intern. After a week of shooting, she was promoted to Props Assistant and received her first film paycheck.

After learning about the different positions on a film set, Ciara found herself interested in the Assistant Director department. Her first additional Set Production Assistant job was in Weirton, WV working on J.J. Abram’s film “SUPER 8” in the fall of 2010.

Since then, Ciara has spent her career working on feature films. Some of her roles include the Key PA on “LAST FLAG FLYING” (2016); First Team PA on “CONCUSSION” (2015); Basecamp PA on films such as “SOUTHPAW” (2013), and “FATHERS & DAUGHTERS” (2014); Background PA on “PROMISED LAND” (2012).

In 2015, Ciara started her transition from Set PA to 2nd Assistant Director on non-union commercials where she has continues to work today. “

Lauren Zito

Lauren is a graduate with a BFA 1992 from the University of Southern Maine with a Bachelors of Fine Arts and holds an MFA in fine arts from the University of Pennsylvania and settled in Pittsburgh 20 years ago. Upon touching down in the steel city, she immediately went to work at the Carnegie Museum of Art, planning, coordinating, and assisting with the development of nationally recognized exhibitions, art installations, and art handling. For the past 20 years Lauren has taught Fine Arts, Graphic Design and Multi-Media at several local universities. She is currently a Multi-Media Video Production faculty member at Pittsburgh Technical College. Lauren is also the owner and founder of Francis Rocks Productions, LLC which specializes in commercial, event, and dramatic video production in western Pennsylvania.

Our Activities

We serve our community by facilitating their access to opportunities in industry. In addition, we lend our services to non-profit organizations helping women and children. Our programs and events include workforce skills development through mentoring and training workshops; production of public service announcements for non-profits dedicated to women and children; and industry partnerships that further our mission. WIFM is a chapter of Women In Film & Television International (WIFTI), a global network comprising over 40 chapters worldwide with more than 10,000 members, dedicated to advancing professional development and achievement for women in industry.

Thanks to Kevin Douglas our web designer for all of his hard work!