THE
HOLLYWOOD
ASSISTANT
GUIDE
:
How to Roll Calls, Manage
Calendars, Write Script
Coverage, and Maintain
Organization on a Busy
Entertainment Desk
© 2022 Hollywood Resumes www.hollywood-resumes.com
A
E-BOOK
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION | 3
HOLLYWOOD HIERARCHY | 4
PHONES | 7
SCHEDULING | 13
SCRIPT COVERAGE | 22
RESOURCEFULNESS | 27
CONCLUSION | 29
ABOUT | 30
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2
INTRODUCTION
Being a Hollywood assistant is a strange paradox. On one hand, the job is simple, administrative work – answering phones, scheduling
meetings, and maintaining organization. On the other hand, there are very specific rules and systems that govern these tasks, and your
boss expects perfection. Add to that the pressure that comes with the competitiveness of the industry, and it’s no wonder you might be
feeling overwhelmed!
But we’ve got your back. We, Angela Silak and Cindy Kaplan, are the co-founders of Hollywood Resumes, a career services business
dedicated to the entertainment industry. Our goal is to help professionals looking to advance their careers in Hollywood by providing the
tools they need to succeed, including this book – a guide for those hoping to land and excel in Hollywood assistant positions. The
Hollywood Assistant Guide is based on our own experiences as assistants and executives in the entertainment industry. Earlier in our
careers, we held assistant positions supporting executives in representation, development, production, and more, and we cultivated the
skills that helped us shine on our desks and grow into executive roles quickly. As executives, we have hired, trained, and supervised
assistants and know what it takes to succeed in these roles. Now, we are excited to share our knowledge with you!
The tools in this book will help you become the go-getter, self-starter, rockstar assistant your boss sought in their initial job posting.
We’ll guide you through the basics of rolling calls, managing a calendar, and evaluating story, and we’ll offer insights into how you can
level-up those skills, so you can stand out (and eventually earn that promotion!). Keep in mind that this book is based on our personal
experiences and what has worked for us. Every desk is different, so if your boss has a specific system for how you should approach
tasks, do that! The number one rule of being an assistant: Make sure you’re catering to your boss’s specific needs.
We hope you find this information useful as you begin your Hollywood assistant journey. The road isn’t an easy one, but you’ve already
taken the first step by investing in yourself, and we’re sure the results will be worth it!
Good luck!
Angela & Cindy
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3
HOLLYWOOD HIERARCHY
Your role as an assistant will depend on where you work and what your boss does. Assistants at talent agencies have different
responsibilities than assistants at production companies and studios. These aren’t major differences, but understanding the nuances of
your role is critical to being an excellent assistant.
Let’s begin by breaking down the Hollywood hierarchy.
In Hollywood, there are buyers, and there are sellers. Sellers are the individuals and companies that own intellectual property that
they want to get made and distributed, and buyers are the companies that buy those properties and ultimately decide what content gets
distributed to audiences. As a result, buyers have more power than sellers – they are the ones who control the money.
There are many more sellers than there are buyers, and there are many more stages to the selling process than the buying process.
Some sellers are also buyers, so it can get a little complicated. See Fig. 1 for a visual breakdown of the process.
The first level of sellers are creatives – writers, directors, talent, and producers – who are represented by agents and managers. Agents
and managers sell their clients’ ideas to production companies, studios, streamers, and networks, either in the form of scripts or pitches.
Sometimes, production companies, studios, streamers, or networks have original ideas or intellectual property they’ve acquired that they
are developing internally, either to distribute on their own platform or to sell to the next buyer level.
In film, studios and streamers are the top-level buyers, as they have access to financing and distribution. There are also independent
financiers (either companies or individuals dedicated solely to financing, or production companies with access to funds) that can act as
buyers initially – acquiring content to produce – and then as sellers, when they seek distribution from major studios, streamers, or
independent distributors.
In TV, networks and streamers are the top-level buyers. There are also studios in TV, who act as both buyers and sellers, and many are
sister companies to networks and streamers. TV studios are often the first to greenlight projects and finance them, but they shop
projects around and license content to networks and streamers for distribution. Some networks and streamers develop “originals”
through their own in-house studios, and some only acquire projects.
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4
HOLLYWOOD POWER STRUCTURE
BUYERS
NETWORKS / STREAMERS
sell to
STUDIOS
sell to
PRODUCTION COMPANIES
*some production companies are repped by
agents
SELLERS
WRITERS / DIRECTORS /
TALENT / PRODUCERS
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Fig. 1
are repped by
sell to
AGENTS & MANAGERS
5
Understanding the Hollywood power structure will help you as an assistant in multiple ways. First, you should understand your boss’s job
and what their goals are. For example, if you’re on an agent or manager’s desk, your boss’s goals are: a) to have a strong roster of
clients, and b) to have strong relationships with buyers. We’ll cover this more in later sections, but as you triage phone calls and
meetings, you’ll want to prioritize the people who are most important to your boss – in this case, A-list clients and buyers. At the other
end of the spectrum, if you’re on the desk of a development executive who buys content, you’ll act more as a gatekeeper to make sure
your sought-after boss isn’t inundated with pitches from sellers who aren’t aligned with the buyer’s brand.
Secondly, you’ll want to ensure that you’re respectful of the people who have more power. For example, it might sound silly (because,
let’s face it, it is a little silly), but how you address an email matters in Hollywood. You want to cc all the parties involved in the correct
order, with the most important/powerful person listed first. Similarly, when scheduling meetings, you’ll defer to the schedule of the
person who is more powerful; sellers are usually “asking” for something of the buyer (money), so it’s courteous to let the buyer dictate
the time and place of the meeting.
You should also pay attention to the landscape and learn who’s who. Who are the top agents? The hot writers? The producers who
consistently roll out hits? Which buyers are on a spree, and who is conserving their dollars? The landscape is constantly changing and
varies depending on what side of the industry you work on, so stay tuned to the trades, and pay particular attention to announcements
of project sales in your line of work, noting the parties involved. The more knowledgeable you are, the better you’ll perform at your job.
© 2022 Hollywood Resumes www.hollywood-resumes.com
6
PHONES
On many desks, answering phones will be a huge part of your job. As an assistant, you’re the gatekeeper and first point of contact for
your boss, so how well you handle phones reflects on them. On their own, answering phones and rolling calls aren’t too difficult. But
you’ll often handle the phones while multitasking, so it’s important that your skills become reflexive.
There are two types of phone calls you’ll experience as an assistant. The first is familiar – a one-off incoming or outgoing call where you
either connect your boss or take/leave a message. The second is ”rolling calls,” which basically means you’ll be making multiple calls in a
row, often when your boss is out of the office. In the industry, there’s an accepted “language” assistants use. It can go something like
this:
Assistant 1: John Smith’s Office.
Assistant 2 (Caller): Hi, I have Jane Doe for John.
Assistant 1: Please hold while I try him. **HOLD**
Assistant 1: I don’t have John at the moment, can I take a message?
Assistant 2 (Caller): Please let him know Jane left word. We’re at 555-555-5555.
It’s not totally intuitive to say “Let me try him,” or “I don’t have him,” or “Left word,” but you’ll get used to it quickly, especially after
hearing others use the same language. As you get started, it’s helpful to have a script. The more you use the script, the more natural it
will become. You can even keep the script handy on your desk, so you won’t forget to get or give important information. Figs. 2-4 depict
flowcharts that outline how to use the script in different scenarios, depending on when your boss is in and out of the office and whether
it’s an incoming or outgoing call. We recommend practicing this script many times out loud to get comfortable! And don’t worry too
much about which buttons to press – every phone system is different, and you’ll get trained on your boss’s phones when you start.
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7
ANSWERING
AN
INCOMING
CALL
Assistant: BOSS’S NAME’s office.
Caller: Hi, may I speak to BOSS?
Assistant: May I ask who’s calling?
If your boss
is in the
office...
Caller: Yes, it’s CALLER.
Assistant: Please hold while I try him/her/them.
Place the caller on HOLD and DIAL your boss on the OTHER
LINE (or however your specific phone system works – sometimes
you might press CONFERENCE to dial your boss on another line).
Place the caller on HOLD.
Assistant: I have CALLER on the line, are you
available? [If your boss is on another call or in a
If boss picks up...
meeting, but they want to take incoming calls,
interrupt them politely with the person’s name
written on a post-it.]
If YES...
If NO...
Assistant: I’m sorry, I don’t
have him/her/them. May I take
a message?
Boss: Take a
message.
Assistant: Ok.
Assistant: One moment.
Get the caller’s FULL NAME
(with correct spelling),
return number, and any
pertinent message (name
of the company, time the
person will not be around
for a return call, etc.).
If call goes to
voicemail...
Assistant: Hi, I have CALLER calling.
Boss: Put me through.
TRANSFER to your
boss’s line.
If your boss is
NOT in the
office...
Use the CONFERENCE, MERGE, or JOIN button to
connect the calls (or whatever your phone system
requires)
Assistant: BOSS, you’re on with CALLER.
MUTE and listen in.
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Fig. 2
HANG UP on your boss.
Return to the original
caller’s line.
Assistant: I’m sorry, I don’t
have him/her/them right now,
may I take a message?
Get the caller’s FULL NAME
(with correct spelling),
return number, and any
pertinent message (name
of the company, time the
person will not be around
for a return call, etc.).
PLACING AN OUTGOING
CALL WHEN YOUR BOSS
IS IN THE OFFICE
Boss: Get me CONTACT.
DIAL contact’s number.
If call goes to
voicemail...
If someone
picks up...
Assistant: Hi, I have BOSS calling for CONTACT. We’re at xxx-xxxxxxx. Thank you!
Contact’s assistant: CONTACT’s office.
Hang up, note that you left word, and call out to your boss:
LEFT WORD!
Assistant: Hi, I have BOSS for CONTACT.
Contact’s assistant: Please hold while I try
him/her/them.
If the contact takes
the call...
If the contact is
unavailable...
Contact’s assistant: I’m sorry, I don’t have him/her/them. May I
take a message?
Assistant: Yes, please let him/her/them know BOSS called. We’re
at xxx-xxx-xxxx.
Contact’s assistant: I have CONTACT on the line.
Assistant: One moment for BOSS.
Contact’s assistant: Thank you!
TRANSFER to your boss’s line, or press MUTE/HOLD and let your
boss know to pick up.
Hang up, note that you left word, and call out to your boss:
LEFT WORD!
MUTE and listen in, or place the call on HOLD.
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Fig. 3
The phone rings, you answer.
PLACING AN OUTGOING CALL
WHEN YOUR BOSS IS OUT OF
THE OFFICE (ROLLING CALLS)
Boss: Hey ASSISTANT, who’s on the phone sheet?
Assistant: Contact 1.
Boss: Skip.
Assistant: Contact 2.
Contact’s assistant: CONTACT 2’s office.
If someone
picks up...
Boss: Try Contact 2.
Assistant: Hi, I have BOSS for CONTACT 2.
Contact’s assistant: Please hold while I try
Assistant: Please hold while I try him/her/them.
him/her/them.
Place your boss on HOLD. Dial CONTACT 2’s office on
another line.
If the contact takes
the call...
If the contact is
unavailable...
If call goes to voicemail...
Assistant: Hi, I have BOSS calling for
CONTACT 2. We’re at xxx-xxx-xxxx. Thank
you!
Hang up, make a note that you left
word, and return to your boss’s line.
Assistant: Left word.
Boss may ask you to continue down
the phone sheet or will hang up.
Contact’s assistant: I have CONTACT 2 on the
line.
Contact’s assistant: I’m sorry, I don’t have
him/her/them. May I take a message?
Assistant: One moment for BOSS.
Assistant: Yes, please let him/her/them
know BOSS called. We’re at xxx-xxx-xxxx.
CONNECT the two lines.
Assistant: BOSS, you’re on with CONTACT 2.
Hang up, make a note that you left
word, and return to your boss’s line.
Boss: Hey CONTACT 2!
MUTE and listen in, or place the call on HOLD.
Do NOT hang up, as this will DROP THE CALL!
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Fig. 4
Assistant: Left word.
Boss may ask you to continue down the
phone sheet or will hang up.
All calls – incoming and outgoing – should be logged in a phone sheet, which essentially serves as a to-do list for phones. The point of
the phone sheet is to track who your boss owes calls to, either because they missed an incoming call or because they have some new
business they want to discuss and have asked you to remind them to call that person later. We have included two phone sheet examples
in Fig. 5, but feel free to create your own.
Typically, a phone sheet will include the person’s name, phone number, any message or notes about the purpose of the call, and
whether your boss has left word for that person or if they still owe them a call. For example, when rolling calls, your boss will ask you
who is on the phone sheet, and you’ll read off the names in order. They’ll either tell you to skip or call the person. Once you place a call,
you’ll update the phone sheet. If your boss connected with the person, you’ll cross that person off the list. If you left a message, you’ll
need to write left word (or l/w). This way, you’ll have a record that you tried them and know that the other person owes your boss a
call, not the other way around.
The thing that will really make your phone sheet life easier (and is an indication of mastering phones on the desk) is understanding who
is calling and why. If you know your boss’s schedule and primary contacts, as well as what projects your boss is working on and with
whom, you’ll be able to handle phones more easily. Imagine someone calls and says, ”I’m calling from Ben’s office on the Judy film, and
he wanted to know if the notes on the cut came back yet.” It will be helpful for you to immediately know who Ben is, what film he is
talking about, whose notes you’ve been waiting on, and what the status of those notes is. Additionally, the longer you’re on a desk, the
more you’ll be expected to know regular contacts’ names. If your boss has a weekly call with Ben, for instance, you shouldn’t ask for
Ben’s last name when he calls in every Wednesday. Similarly, if your boss says, “Call Ben,” you should know which Ben they are
referring to without clarification.
Often, you’ll be listening in on calls and taking notes. You should follow up on any action items immediately. If your boss says, “I’ll have
my assistant send over the script,” consider yourself tasked with sending the script. If your boss says, “Let’s touch base again next
Thursday at 10am,” add the meeting to your boss’s calendar. If your boss says, “I’ll try you again tomorrow after I hear back from
Nancy,” add the person to the phone sheet with a note that says, “Follow up after convo with Nancy.”
As with any organizational system, the exact way you use a phone sheet or track follow ups is up to you. Choose something that’s easy
for you to maintain. Some bosses will have digital phone sheets, while others will let you use a scratch pad.
© 2022 Hollywood Resumes www.hollywood-resumes.com
11
Phone Sheet Samples
John Smith 555-555-5555 re: new client
Jane Doe 555-555-5555 lw 2/20 lw 2/25
lw 2/26
Jim Bob 555-555-5555 re: status of script
Sally Sue 555-555-5555 lw 2/26
Name
#
Message/
Notes
Date
Status
John
Smith
555-5555555
New
client
2/20
To call
Jane Doe
555-5555555
3rd
attempt
2/26
l/w
Jim Bob
555-5555555
Status of
script
2/26
Connected
Sally Sue
555-5555555
2/26
l/w
Joe Brown
555-5555555
Call cell
after 6:
444-4444444
2/26
To call
Jim Bob
555-5555555
f/u after
Nancy
reads
script
2/27
To call
Joe Brown 555-555-5555 /call cell after 6
444-444-4444
Jim Bob 555-555-5555 f/u after Nancy
reads script
Fig. 5
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12
SCHEDULING
Managing your boss’s calendar is not only one of your most important duties as an assistant, but it’s also a great way to make positive
impressions on external contacts and grow your own network and career. Of course, your main focus should be on your boss, but by
scheduling meetings correctly, you’re signaling to the outside world that you’re capable and smart.
Scheduling is more than just adding an event to an Outlook calendar. Your boss doesn’t have time to focus on time management, so it’s
your responsibility to craft a schedule for them that allows them to get their work done, connect with the people they need to connect
with, and stay sane. Additionally, how you handle scheduling is another way you represent your boss. This is where the Hollywood
hierarchy is super important. You don’t want to give your boss the reputation of blowing off important meetings or of having an inept
office that doesn’t respect others’ time and boundaries. Scheduling taps into communication and problem-solving skills.
Assistants typically schedule meetings for their bosses with other assistants. The person whose boss is more powerful will be the one
who sends their availability (aka “avails”), and the other assistants should do their best to accommodate those times. It’s best to offer
multiple avails (but not too many!) and include time zones if the other parties are in different locations. Pay close attention to when the
meeting needs to happen or if there are blackout dates. For example, if the meeting needs to happen before a pitch that’s already set,
don’t offer dates that happen later. Similarly, don’t offer dates that you know won’t work, e.g. if one attendee will be out of town. Also,
when scheduling with people across multiple time zones, be considerate of those in other locations – it’s not very courteous to offer
times that are outside of someone’s normal workday. Bottom line: Be detail-oriented!
Scheduling typically happens via email, which is to your benefit, as it creates a chain for you to easily reply to when it’s time to confirm
the meeting, and it also creates a paper trail that you can refer to if someone makes a mistake. In Figs. 6 and 7, we have created
scheduling email examples that you can imitate when setting meetings for your boss.
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13
Sample Scheduling Email Chain – Two Parties
Hi Jane,
Per their call today, Catherine would like to set a time to meet with Joe. Catherine will be out of
town all next week, but looking ahead, here are her avails:
Monday 3/20: 12pm, 4pm
Tuesday 3/21: 3pm
Friday 3/24: 9am
Please let me know if any of those times work for Joe to meet at our office in Burbank.
Thanks!
Nathan
Hi Nathan,
Thanks for sending Catherine’s avails over! Unfortunately, Joe is OOT the week of 3/20. Is
Catherine available the following week? Joe’s avails are:
Note that Jane offers
more times. This is to
try to accommodate
Catherine, who is higher
on the Hollywood
hierarchy than Joe.
Another option would be
to wait for Nathan to
send additional times.
Mon 3/27: 10am - 2pm
Tues 3/28: 4pm
Wed 3/29: 11am, 3pm
Thurs 3/30: 9am, 2-5pm
Fri 3/31: 10am - 6pm
Thanks!
Jane
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Fig. 6
14
Sample Scheduling Email Chain – Multiple Parties
Hi all,
Per the earlier call, Molly would like to meet with Raul, Peter, and Priya via Zoom about next steps on the HAUNTED
PARTY pitch. Here are Molly’s avails:
Monday 3/20: 11am, 12pm PT
Tuesday 3/21: 2pm PT
Monday 3/27: 10am, 11am, 12pm PT
Thanks!
Nathan
Off of Molly, Raul is available:
3/20: 12pm PT
3/21: 2pm PT
3/27: 10am, 12pm PT
Thanks!
Jane
Hi Jane and Nathan,
Peter and Priya are both available on 3/20 at 12pm PT! Let’s lock it in. Thank you!
Best,
Richard
We’re confirmed for 3/20 at 12pm PT. Please use the following Zoom link:
zoom.com/meeting/id/123456789
Passcode: Mtg101
Thanks!
Nathan
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Fig. 7
15
Once you’ve settled on a time, you’re ready to send the calendar invite. Some companies only send out invites internally, and some
bosses have very specific protocols for how their calendar should look, so you need to be adaptable here. Always track all meetings on
your own in case you don’t get a formal invite, and if your boss is a stickler for format, accept the other person’s invite, hide it, and then
copy all the information into a separate calendar invite for your boss.
In Fig. 8, we have created a sample meeting invite for you. In general, calendar invites should include the following information:
•
The meeting type (pitch, general, coffee, lunch, video conference, in-person, etc. – your boss/company will likely have a standard
way they like meetings labeled)
•
Who the meeting is with (list first and last names of ALL parties who are joining, as well as their company names and titles, if the
call is with multiple teams)
•
The date, time, and location (or conference call number / video conference link)
•
What the meeting is about (we recommend a copy/paste of the email thread suggesting the meeting)
•
Any attachments or materials that need to be reviewed prior to the meeting
•
Parking instructions, and any other instructions, like drive-ons, maps, or security information
You can also color code meetings in your own calendar, so you can refer to them quickly by type. For example, you could use green to
indicate an internal meeting, purple a pitch meeting, yellow a general, and blue a call.
It’s also a good idea to set reminders for your boss and for yourself, so you know when meetings are happening. You might opt to set
your reminder for 30 minutes before a meeting, so you’re pinged to remind your boss, and then 15 minutes prior to make sure your boss
is ready, and then 5 minutes prior, so you can prepare a conference room (if the meeting is in person) or get your boss out the door.
This may seem excessive, but you don’t want your boss to feel unprepared. For meetings outside the office, make sure you set
reminders for when your boss needs to head out, not for the meeting itself.
Additionally, you should confirm all meetings in advance (usually the day before) and double check to make sure the other assistants
sent all the necessary information and registered parking passes/drive-ons if needed (not everyone is reading this book!).
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16
Sample Meeting Invite
Title that indicates type of meeting
*if it was set up by a 3rd party, it’s
good to identify where it came from
(e.g. the agency that reps the writer)
Location
10/29/2022
10/29/2022
Big Musical one sheet
Attachments of any
materials sent in
advance of meeting
(treatment, writing
sample, etc.)
Logline: Scripted series about a kid that sings.
*set by Jill Jones at QRSTUV Agency
Relevant information -- logline, how
it was set up, etc.
*can be helpful to copy-paste the
full email chain into invite
*add parking information if offsite
Attendees:
John Smith – IJK Network, VP Development
Jane Doe – IJK Network, Creative Exec
Jim Bob – Writer
Sally Sue – VP, XYZ Production Company
Attendees
Fig. 8
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It’s important to understand the different types of meetings you’ll be setting, as this will help you know what you can and can’t push.
There are four major types of meetings:
Internal meetings: If you work for a big corporation, you’ll see a lot of internal meetings pop up on the calendar, often involving
multiple departments. The person with the highest title gets to dictate when a meeting will happen. If your boss’s boss calls a meeting at
3pm, and you have something scheduled in that time slot, you’ll probably have to move the existing meeting. Internal meetings often
require coordination with a lot of different assistants. Make sure you schedule a conference room early when you are coordinating an inperson internal meeting (or even a meeting at your office with someone external) – you’d be surprised how often these get snatched up.
General meetings: A general meeting is sort of like an informational interview – it’s a casual meeting where people get to know each
other and figure out ways to do business together. For example, if a writer goes to a network for a general meeting with an executive,
they’ll talk about what their skills are, and the network exec will share info about the types of projects they’re looking for. General
meetings are the most flexible, though you don’t want to reschedule too many times with the same contact, and if your boss is lower in
the hierarchy than the person they are meeting, try to avoid rescheduling if possible.
Pitch meetings: Pitches are much more formal than general meetings. A writer or producer will come into the network, streamer,
studio, or production company with an idea and pitch to executives in hopes of selling a project. If you work on the buyer side, you can
reschedule pitches (unless the talent is very sought after). If you’re on the seller side, these are more high stakes and immovable.
Meals: A lot of work in Hollywood happens over meals or drinks. It’s helpful to have a handy list of locations you can pick from for your
boss (unless, of course, they tell you to consult with them each time). When you first start on your boss’s desk, ask about their meal
preferences – favorite restaurants/favorite cuisines and locations/foods they’d like to avoid. Create a chart for yourself with their
preferred restaurants (see Fig. 9 on the next page for an example). You should also know when meal times are. Breakfast is typically 710am, coffee is any time between meals, lunch is 1-2pm, and dinner and drinks are usually after 6pm. As you balance your boss’s
schedule, know what part of town they are coming from and heading to next, and allot extra time for traffic and for these more social
meetings to run long. It’s also helpful to know if your boss is the type of person who loves having meetings over meals or if they prefer
to limit the amount they do per week. Do they have standing evening commitments that preclude them from getting dinner? Are they
really grouchy in the mornings? A great assistant understands their boss’s moods and habits.
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18
Sample Meals Chart
BREAKFAST/COFFEE
Part of Town
Restaurant
Ambiance/Food Type
West Hollywood
Salt’s Cure
Casual
Burbank
The Ugly Mug
Coffee/pastries
Part of Town
Restaurant
Ambiance/Food Type
Beverly Hills
La Scala
Power lunch, Italian
Culver City
Akasha
Casual, New American
Part of Town
Restaurant
Ambiance/Food Type
Century City
Hinoki and the Bird
Upscale, Japanese
West Hollywood
Craig’s
New American
Part of Town
Restaurant
Ambiance/Food Type
Culver City
Margot
Upscale, rooftop
Mid-City
All Seasons Brewing
Casual, brewery
LUNCH
DINNER
DRINKS
Fig. 9
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19
Perhaps the toughest part of scheduling is constructing a schedule that makes your boss’s life easier and allows them to get their work
done, meet the people they need to meet, and have time for their personal lives. When you’re asked to get a meeting on the books, you
should go beyond looking at empty time slots and consider all the other variables in your boss’s day. Contemplate whether your boss has
enough time to complete their daily tasks and that you’ve given them time to take short breaks. In Fig. 10 on the following page, we
have created a sample executive calendar to give you an idea of just how busy these schedules can get. As you look at it, think about
what meetings you might be able to move in a pinch, and notice how the assistant who has scheduled the meetings has left time for
driving, emails, and getting script notes or projects done.
If you’re asked to set new meetings during an already-busy week, you might consider pushing a few less important meetings to the
following week. For instance, informational interviews and some general meetings could likely be pushed. Additionally, some bosses
prefer to have time for work or reading emails blocked into their calendars, but be careful with this – you may have to adjust this work
time when their boss requires a meeting or an A-lister wants a meeting during the one week they’re in town. This is why it’s good for
you to be aware of what is going on with your boss’s projects – if you know a big deadline is coming up, you will want to limit meetings
to make time for the project. It’s also good to communicate with your boss about the following week’s schedule every Friday to make
sure they can handle the number of meetings planned and find out if there’s anything you need to move. That said, you also want to be
able to manage their calendar independently – it’s literally your job to determine when your boss is free, so you should avoid asking your
boss for input about every meeting. Try to limit your scheduling check-ins with them to once or twice a week, but be sure you are ready
with answers if they ask about the status of a specific meeting.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of scheduling, rest assured that it will become second nature as you get comfortable with
your boss and their personality/preferences. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to expand your own network. As you email other assistants to
schedule meetings for your bosses, start a separate thread to arrange a time to meet up yourselves! Make sure you put your best foot
forward when scheduling – it’s a key way to show others in the industry that you’re professional, reliable, and smart, and that will help
you down the line as you apply for higher-level roles. You want to be the person with a reputation for responding to scheduling emails
immediately and in a friendly and courteous manner!
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Sample Calendar
8 AM
BREAKFAST: Agent
8:30am – 9:30am
9 AM
BREAKFAST: Manager
9am – 10am
10 AM
11 AM
12 PM
NOTES & READING
INTERNAL: Weekend
Read Discussion
10am – 11am
IN PERSON PITCH:
Writer
11am – 12pm
INTERNAL: Weekly Legal
Mtg.
12pm – 1pm
1 PM
2 PM
INTERNAL: Mtg. w/ EVP,
Talent
11am – 12pm
LUNCH: Manager
1pm – 2:30pm
WORK ON
PRESENTATION
VC GENERAL: Writer
10:30am – 11:30am
INTERNAL: Weekly
Production Mtg.
11am – 12pm
INTERNAL: Weekly
Marketing Mtg.
12pm – 1pm
IN PERSON PITCH:
Production Company
12pm – 1pm
LUNCH: Coworker
1pm – 2:30pm
Weekly Development
Lunch
1pm – 2:30pm
3 PM
NOTES & READING
VC GENERAL: Writer
3pm – 4pm
Notes Call
3pm – 4pm
INTERNAL: Weekly mtg.
w/ Boss
4pm – 5pm
VC INFORMATIONAL:
UCLA grad
4pm – 5pm
4 PM
5 PM
IN PERSON PITCH:
Production Company
12pm – 1pm
IN PERSON GENERAL:
Director
4pm – 5pm
6 PM
Fig. 10
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Weekly Series Production
Call
3pm – 4pm
Casting Session
4pm – 6pm
SCRIPT COVERAGE
In many assistant roles, you’ll be tasked with reading scripts and writing script coverage. In fact, most assistant roles require an
understanding of story and/or scripts. Everyone in the industry touches story in one way or another: Writers and directors create the
story; agents and managers determine what scripts are sellable and what scripts will help propel their talent’s careers; development
executives have to decide on what stories to buy and shape them to meet audience demand; marketing executives evaluate where and
how to position the story; crew members figure out how to bring the story to life through their crafts; editors fix the story holes in post,
and so on. It’s critical to get a solid foundation in story evaluation, so you can develop your taste, learn what sorts of projects you enjoy
working on, and build your career.
However, evaluating story is 100% subjective, and what’s ”good” for one audience won’t work for another. At this stage in your career,
you’re beholden to your boss’s vision (this is true at many stages of your career, until you are the boss). When you evaluate story, you
can consider what you like, but you must consider whether the story aligns with the overall goals of your boss and other key
stakeholders. Buyers think about whether a story works for their brand. Sellers, on the other hand, have to think about what is
marketable and to whom. To an extent, they also have to consider if they are equipped to sell a project (meaning, they are connected to
the right buyer(s) and have expertise/credibility working on that type of content).
What many buyers and sellers have in common is that they ask for interns, assistants, and readers to complete script coverage. Script
coverage is like a book report – it’s essentially a summary and analysis of a script that is designed to save executives’ time. Higher-ups
don’t have time to read every script that comes along, and your script coverage helps whittle down the pile of submissions. It’s also a
way for your boss to get a CliffsNotes version of the script before a call or meeting. Script coverage helps your boss in a pinch. At some
companies, like talent agencies, assistants often do script coverage as part of a larger reader pool, and their coverage is kept in a
database for agents to access when they’re looking for specific types of projects.
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Most companies have their own specific format/template for script coverage, but they’re all very similar, and you can create your own if
needed. Script coverage begins with the project details: title, writer name(s), name of the person who the project was submitted to
(i.e. your boss), name of the agent/producer/writer that submitted the script, the company name where the submitter works, the format
(TV pilot, feature, mini-series, book), the number of pages, the draft date, your name, the date you submitted the coverage, the location
where the story takes place, the year it takes place (”circa”), the genre, and a logline (a one sentence recap of the script).
Next, you’ll make your recommendation on the script. There are three primary recommendations: pass (the script isn’t worth a
second look), consider (the script has potential but isn’t perfect), and recommend (the script is a must-read). You can add qualifiers
to “consider” to indicate whether it’s a “strong consider” (almost recommend, save for a few fixable issues) or “weak consider” (almost
pass, but something about it has potential). Most scripts will get a pass rating, many will get a consider, and few get recommended. You
should be very confident in the script’s viability if you recommend it. Sometimes, the script might be great but not right for your boss’s
purposes, in which case you can recommend the writer but not the script. This can happen when the genre isn’t aligned with the
company’s brand, when the talent on the agent’s roster isn’t a fit for the roles, or when the production value doesn’t meet the
company’s budget parameters, etc. Writing script coverage is about more than just evaluating whether the story is good: It’s about
whether the story is good for your purposes.
After the project details and recommendation, you’ll include a 2-3 sentence comments summary explaining the primary reasons you
rated the script the way you did. You’ll back these sentiments up in a more detailed comments section later on, but this summary will
help your boss see the main points at a glance. For example, “SCRIPT NAME is a multi-generational dramedy with good intentions, but
ultimately falls flat due to inconsistent characters, stilted dialogue, and slow pacing. While the prospect of attracting a diverse cast is
appealing, the story didn’t deliver on its premise, resulting in a pass.”
Next, you may have a rating scale, where you’ll rank the premise, story, structure, characters, dialogue, marketability, and production
value on a numeric scale or as excellent, good, fair, or poor. However, not all coverage templates ask you to rate all elements.
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The next section is a synopsis of the script. This is a full, basic summary – you don’t want to leave any cliffhangers, and it’s not your
job to serve up dramatic tension. The synopsis can be boring! It should include the main arc and emotional beats, all the primary
characters, and any relevant B-plots. If the story made no sense, you can note this in the synopsis, but save your detailed commentary
for later. Here are some rules to follow for the synopsis:
•
Keep it short – half a page to a page, depending on the length and type of script.
•
Write in third person.
•
Use present tense.
•
Introduce characters in all caps, followed by their age in parentheses: SALLY (25). You can also include any necessary descriptors.
Subsequent references can just include the character’s name with first letter capitalized.
•
Only introduce relevant characters that contribute to the action of the story and wait until they are relevant to introduce them.
•
Use the same name for characters throughout the synopsis, even if they go by multiple names in the script.
•
Break the synopsis up into paragraphs to make it readable.
•
Save your comments for later; this is an objective recap.
The most important section of script coverage is the comments section. This is where you’ll analyze key storytelling components and
back up your earlier recommendation. This section draws on knowledge you may have learned in your high school English class – plot,
characters, dialogue, etc., and you’ll get better at assessing strong writing the more you read scripts and prose. We’ve found that a
simple approach to evaluating story is to consider if the script made you bored at any point. If the script was a breeze to read, that’s
great news for the writer! But if you found yourself distracted and going off to check your phone, that’s a sign something is wrong with
the storytelling, and it’s up to you to figure out why. That “why” is exactly what will go in the comments section of your script coverage.
Additionally, the comments section is the place for you to remark on what is or isn’t working for your boss’s business purposes. If you
work on the buying side, you’re probably looking for something very specific that aligns with your brand and should comment
accordingly. If you’re a seller, you’re thinking more about where you might have potential to sell this project and may want to evaluate
the project in broader terms. If you’re reading for talent, you’ll have to consider if there’s a role for them to play.
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The following questions will help you assess what went right or wrong with each script, and important considerations you may want to
flag for your boss. An analysis of these elements will make up the comments section of your script coverage.
CONCEPT: Is the story high concept, meaning there’s an easy premise that anyone can latch on to? For example, a person who doesn’t
believe in magic gets magical powers. Or is it low concept, meaning that it’s more grounded and dependent on the uniqueness of the
characters and situations? For example, two girls from a small town head out on a road trip the summer before college. Does the
concept seem original or offer a new take on the familiar? For TV, can you see how the concept could work for multiple seasons?
EFFECTIVENESS: Does the script achieve what it’s trying to do? If it’s a comedy, is it funny? If it’s horror, is it scary? A suspenseful
thriller? A sad tearjerker? Does it elevate its genre? What does it add to the existing canon of pop culture? Is it memorable?
PLOT/STRUCTURE: Does the story have a clear beginning, middle, and end? Does it follow a traditional 3-act structure? Does it make
sense? Are there too many or too few details? Does every scene drive the story forward? Is it paced well, or do you find yourself unable
to keep up or too bored to try? What are the stakes? The dramatic tension? What are the conflicts, and how are they resolved?
CHARACTERS: Are they compelling and complex or cliché and dull? Does the protagonist have a clear arc? Do the characters’
relationships make sense? Are they fully realized or caricatures? Do we care about their goals? Do we want to invest in them? Does the
story have a believable antagonist? Are these characters actors would be excited to play?
DIALOGUE: Do the main characters have their own voices? Is the dialogue flat or punchy? Is there too much dialogue? Too little? In a
comedy, are the characters funny? Does it sound realistic?
MARKETABILITY: Is the logline clear and interesting? Does it align with the company’s or client’s goals and target audience? Are there
trailer moments? Who would watch this movie/series, and why? Does it cater to a mass audience or a niche audience? Which of the four
quadrants (male/female/adult/kid) does it hit? Is it safe for advertisers?
PRODUCTION VALUE: How visually stimulating is the script? What’s the project’s scale? Is it a big budget project with multiple action
set pieces and VFX, or is it doable on a lower budget? Can it be filmed within the confines of a sound stage or studio, or is it set heavily
on location (and how many locations)? How big will the cast need to be? How difficult will it be to shoot?
These categories are important when evaluating any type of story, even informally. But in a formal document like script coverage, you’ll
definitely want to include them!
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Here are a few additional guidelines to keep in mind as you craft your comments section:
•
Keep it short, but not too short. Three-quarters of a page to a page is a good bet, and some companies will ask for two pages, but
rarely more!
•
Open with a thesis statement explaining your main issue or selling point, and close with a conclusion that reiterates it. Address why
the script does or doesn’t work for your boss’s specific purpose.
•
It can be helpful to break down your coverage by story evaluation criteria (plot, characters, etc.). This can be done with headers or
with separate paragraphs. However, you may choose to group similar criteria together to keep the writing concise.
•
Use examples, even referencing script pages or quoting dialogue, to back up your claims.
•
Be honest and clear about what worked and what didn’t. Don’t worry about hurting someone’s feelings. By the same token, don’t be
unnecessarily rude or personal. Keep your comments to the content, not the writer, and be careful not to allow implicit or explicit
bias to affect your assessment, particularly if the script features or was written by someone from a marginalized group (even more
so if it is a group of which you are not a part!). That said, you can infuse your own voice to make the coverage more enjoyable to
read, especially if you’re more established on your team.
•
Avoid making specific suggestions for fixes, though a general suggestion is fine. (Bad example: “When Sally goes to the
supermarket, she should say, ‘Cowabunga Coyotes!’” Good example: “The script would be worthy of a recommend if the stakes of
Sally’s conflict with Joe were higher.”).
•
Spelling and grammar count! This is a professional document, so proofread, proofread, proofread!
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RESOURCEFULNESS
It’s true that rolling calls, scheduling meetings, and evaluating story seem like the meat of your role as an assistant. But your real
responsibility is leveraging your organizational skills to anticipate your boss’s needs and be resourceful. This is how you will go from
being a good Hollywood assistant to being a great Hollywood assistant.
Great Hollywood assistants provide solutions to problems before they arise. They find ways to satisfy their boss’s requests. (Note: You
should only take on non-abusive requests; if your boss asks you do something unethical, violating, or illegal, you don’t have to do it. If
they ask you for something that seems outrageous but isn’t inherently a violation of your rights – like finding a way to ship their favorite
Chicago pizza to set in Vancouver – try to do it.).
What does anticipating your boss’s needs look like? Ask yourself:
•
What does my boss need to be prepared for their day/week/month?
•
What is everyone else around me working on, and how might it affect our office?
•
What are my boss’s preferences and pet peeves for basic, everyday things?
•
What information can I find to share with my boss that might impact our projects and/or their relationships?
•
Bonus: What things can I do that my boss doesn’t necessarily need, but would love?
Beyond anticipating your boss’s needs in specific circumstances, you should generally be resourceful. This means you can figure out
most things on your own, without pestering your boss with too many questions. Of course, you should ask questions when you need
clarification, but once you receive information, you shouldn’t ask for it again, and you shouldn’t ask about things you can easily find out
yourself. For example, if your boss asks you to call an agent at CAA, you don’t need to ask for the number. It’s likely already on their
phone sheet or in their contact list, and if it isn’t, you can Google the main line and have reception patch you through.
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Additionally, it’s important to have a network of other assistants and peers you can ask for help from as needed. Maybe your boss wants
to reach out to a PR rep but doesn’t have their contact information. Do you have a friend in PR who might have that contact info? It’s
expected that you’ll tap into your network for help, so long as you don’t compromise confidentiality. For instance, it’s okay to ask your
friend for the PR rep’s contact info. It’s not okay to share the details of the project you want the PR rep’s help with.
The quickest way to be resourceful is to stay organized. Keep regular phone numbers handy. Create task lists for yourself, so you can
track your projects each day, week, and month. We really like using post-it notes (digital or otherwise) to list daily and ongoing tasks
(color coding can also be helpful). Have a notebook nearby at all times and bring it with you each time your boss calls you into their
office, so you can jot down notes and to-dos. Make sure your personal calendar includes reminders for when you need to remind your
boss of something, as well as project deadlines for yourself.
The best organizational system is the one that works FOR YOU. Your boss might require a certain system, and if so, use it – but if it
doesn’t work for you, you can have a secret backup system.
Once you’re comfortable on your desk, you can step up your resourcefulness game. You’ll want to show your boss that you can do more
than the basic assistant tasks and that you’re ready to move up the ladder. A great way to do this is by competitive tracking – meaning,
reading the major trade publications and talking to peers to get a sense of what other projects are in the content landscape. When you
see information that’s useful to your boss, share it. You can also track your boss’s contacts in the trades. If someone they know was
recently promoted, got a new job, or sold a project, ping your boss and ask if they’d like to reach out to send a congratulatory note.
You should also consistently watch content and read scripts that are in development. Spend time cultivating your taste, and when
appropriate, weigh in with your perspective on story. We can’t stress this enough: You should only do this once you’ve mastered the
basics, like phones and scheduling. But once you do, show your boss you can do more. That’s how you’ll ultimately move beyond the
assistant track.
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CONCLUSION
Being a great Hollywood assistant isn’t rocket science, but it’s not as simple as it may seem, either. To recap, here’s what you should
focus on to be the best at covering a desk:
•
Anticipate your boss’s needs and solve problems before they arise.
•
Stay organized and keep important information handy at all times.
•
Master phones by maintaining an organized phone sheet, knowing your boss’s contacts, and sticking to a script.
•
Consider the overall picture of your boss’s calendar and needs when scheduling meetings.
•
Represent your boss, your company, and yourself well in all external communications, especially scheduling conversations.
•
Understand what makes a great story in general, and what makes a great story for your boss, company, or clients.
•
Write script coverage that is honest, clear, and effective. Always remember to proofread!
•
Be resourceful. Think outside the box to accomplish tasks, know where to find information, and stay on top of industry trends.
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ABOUT HOLLYWOOD RESUMES
Founded in 2016 by Angela Silak and Cindy Kaplan, Hollywood Resumes is a resume writing and career services business
dedicated to entertainment industry professionals. Since launch, Hollywood Resumes has helped hundreds of job seekers
from across the industry write their resumes, cover letters, and other application materials, and the company also provides
career coaching services, online courses, and live workshops. Angela and Cindy have led presentations for numerous
corporations, professional organizations, and universities, including Warner Bros. Discovery, The Producers Guild of
America, JHRTS, HRTS, NAMIC Texas, Duke University, Brandeis University, NYU, and others.
For more information, visit www.hollywood-resumes.com.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Angela Silak is a film and TV development executive specializing in children's media. In her roles as a creative executive at
a major streaming platform and leading children’s TV network, she has supervised development and production of
numerous live-action and animated series and movies for preschool and 6-11 audiences. Previously, she worked in
unscripted TV development and in events for an entertainment news website. Angela graduated from Duke University with a
Bachelor of Arts in History, and she also holds a Master of Communication Management degree from University of Southern
California and a Master of Arts in Educational Studies from Loyola Marymount University.
Cindy Kaplan is a writer whose work includes the award-winning web series ADULTING WITH JANE and cover stories for
Food Equality Initiative's Free-From Magazine about life with food allergies. She has directed multiple short documentaries
for NewGround: A Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change, including TWO FAITHS ONE PRAYER, for which she earned the
organization’s Change-Maker Award. She also spent eight years at Endeavor-owned agency Signal Entertainment Marketing,
where she managed the product placement account for leading advertiser P&G and executed deals with Disney, Paramount,
and other major production partners. Previously, she worked at Kids at Play, where she wrote and produced content for
Disney Jr., Yahoo!, VEVO, and Electus and managed a development slate of reality series. Originally from Brooklyn, she
graduated from Brandeis University with a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies, Creative Writing, and Journalism.
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