Film crew hire/Brighton/Production assistant
Hire a production assistant in Brighton. A production assistant takes the small jobs off your producer, so the day stays on time.
People book a production assistant in Brighton for offices at New England House, conferences at the Brighton Centre and shoots on the seafront. A PA meets your contributors at reception, deals with security and the passes, gets the releases signed and minds the kit, working to your producer or director. Our production assistant day rate is £400, and the PA gets all of it.
- 54 five-star Google reviews
- 2 hrs for our team to read your brief, in working hours
- £10m employers’ liability on every crew member we book
- 2,800+ freelance crew on our books, across the UK
Photos: Here Now Films, Erwi, dix sept and Maciek Wróblewski
The role
What a production assistant does on your shoot
A production assistant (PA) works to the producer or director and takes the small jobs off them, so they can concentrate on the shoot. A PA meets contributors at reception, gets release forms signed, runs to the shop, minds the kit, keeps the room tidy and keeps the call sheet up to date.
On a busy interview day, a good PA is the difference between a producer who watches the interviews and one who spends them in the corridor, or at the security desk explaining who the sound recordist is. We book a PA who lives in Brighton or Hove first. If nobody local is free, or the shoot needs more people, we bring crew down from London. We add the travel to the quote before anything is booked.
- The PA looks after your contributors. They meet them at reception, brief them, give them a drink and have them ready when the producer calls.
- Every release gets signed. The PA gets one from every person on camera before they leave the building.
- The PA minds the kit. Nothing is left in a corridor, a lift lobby or an open van at the kerb.
- The producer can get on with the shoot. The PA does the small jobs without being asked twice.
What’s included
What the day rate covers
In the day rate
- An 11-hour day, including an hour for lunch
- Contributors met, briefed and looked after
- Release forms signed and filed
- Runs to the shop, for lunch or for a forgotten cable
- Help loading in and out
- The call sheet and contact list kept current
On top, each on its own line
- Our 10% booking fee and 2% insurance, on the whole quote
- Mileage, if they drive their own car for the shoot
- Parking and suspended bays, at cost
- Travel from London or outside Brighton, at cost
Read how our rates work and the two ways to book in crew rates in Brighton.
Two ways to book
Crew hire or full production
The price depends on who is the producer of record. That’s the company responsible for the shoot. You can book a PA for your own shoot, or ask us to run the whole production.
Crew hire
You run the shoot.
10% + 2% booking fee and insurance on everything we book for you, including crew, kit and travel.
We do
- Find, book and brief the crew, and pay them
- Book kit, travel and hotels too, if you want them
- Send the full price before anything is booked
- One person to call all day
- Employers’ liability for the crew we book, and insurance on kit we hire in
You do
- Run the shoot, or your producer does
- The plan, the schedule and the call sheet
- The location, its permission and its public liability
- You’re the producer of record, so the production is your responsibility
The 2% covers employers’ liability for every crew member we book and the kit we hire in for you. It doesn’t cover anything else on the shoot. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, which goes on the quote as its own line.
Full production
We’re the producer of record.
15% + 5% production fee, plus insurance and contingency, on the whole production budget. We quote it as a production.
We do
- Our producer plans it with you and runs the day
- Locations, permits, kit, studio, travel and hotels, booked and paid in our name
- Insurance for the whole shoot, public liability included, plus the risk assessment and the call sheet
- One contract and one invoice, so overseas teams need no UK company
You do
- The creative calls
- Signing off the plan and the budget
The 5% pays for our production insurance across the whole shoot, including £10m public liability, and the contingency.
If your own producer or director will run the day, book crew hire. If you want us to run the production, ask for a full production quote.
On the day
An example day with a production assistant
A conference at the Brighton Centre, with vox pops in the foyer between sessions, then four sit-down interviews with speakers. The times are an example. The call sheet sets the real ones.
- 07:45 Arrive The PA signs in with the event team, collects the passes and checks the van’s unloading slot.
- 08:00 Load in The kit comes in through the service entrance. The PA sets up the green room with water and a list of who’s coming.
- 09:30 Vox pops The PA brings delegates to the camera between sessions and tells them what it’s for. Each one signs a release before they say a word.
- 11:00 A run The PA walks up to Brighton station to meet the afternoon’s second camera operator off the London train, and is back before the next session ends.
- 13:00 Lunch The PA ordered lunch at eleven so it arrives on time, and clears it away after.
- 14:00 Interviews Four speakers come in, one late and one early. The PA keeps the order straight and walks each speaker over to the interview chair.
- 18:30 Wrap The PA checks the releases against the list, puts the room back and hands in the passes. The kit goes down to the van.
Types
PAs, runners and other production roles
The junior production jobs overlap. Each type below says what the job is and which briefs it suits.
Production assistant Contributors, releases and runs £400 a day
A production assistant works to the producer on people, paperwork and the jobs nobody else has time for.
Good for interview days, events and anything with contributors.
Runner Errands, kit and the unit base £245 a day
A runner does the entry-level job of fetching, carrying, making tea and minding the parking. See runners in Brighton.
Good as an extra pair of hands on a bigger crew.
Production coordinator The office and the bookings Quoted on the brief
A production coordinator works to the production manager on bookings, travel, passes and call sheets. See production managers in Brighton.
Good for long shoots and series, where the bookings never stop.
Driver People and kit, on time Quoted on the brief
A driver drives the crew van or the talent, with the right licence. See parking and logistics in Brighton.
Good when the crew and kit move between locations.
Producer Runs the day From £450 a day
If the day needs someone to make decisions, book a producer in Brighton.
Good when there’s a client or contributors to manage.
What it’s for
What people book a production assistant for in Brighton
Founder and customer films
Many of the city’s tech and games companies work at New England House and round the station. On their interview days, the PA meets each contributor, settles them and gets the release signed.
Conferences at the Brighton Centre
Crews film the keynotes and record interviews between the sessions. The PA brings delegates to the camera for vox pops, with a release for every face.
University and research films
Students and staff at the University of Sussex in Falmer and the University of Brighton each sign a release before they’re filmed.
Adverts and fashion on the seafront
Adverts and fashion shoots use the beach, Hove Lawns and the piers, and the PA looks after the talent between takes. The Sussex Film Office handles the beach, and the pier’s owner handles the pier.
The Downs and the coast
Brand films go out to Devil’s Dyke, Ditchling Beacon and Seven Sisters. Drones need permission from Shoreham’s air traffic control, and from Seven Sisters Country Park over the park.
Recent work
PAs on our jobs, and how we crew a Brighton conference day
Production service company · Portsmouth, London and Oxford · November 2023
Three cities in three days for Swanson Studios
Swanson Studios flew in from Oregon. They photographed and interviewed surgeons and the people around them for a surgical robotics client, at a hospital in Portsmouth, a hospital in London and then the client’s office in Oxford, one city a day. They brought the cameras. We brought everything else, including a production assistant and driver, two vans, the hotels and the pick-ups from Heathrow. On days like those the PA’s job is the contributors. They were senior clinicians in slots of ten to twenty minutes, back to back, met at the front desk and walked to the room.
How we crew it · Brighton
Vox pops at the Brighton Centre, or on the seafront
On a conference day the PA brings people to the camera, explains what’s happening and gets the release signed. That way the operator can keep rolling, and nobody ends up in the film without saying yes. Indoors, at the Brighton Centre or a hotel, the PA works to the venue’s rules, agreed before the day. Out on the street or the seafront, filming on council land needs the Sussex Film Office’s permission. We book PAs who live in Brighton or Hove first, and bring others down from London when the day needs more people.
Before you book
Things to know
The day
- The day is 11 hours, including an hour for lunch.
- Overtime is paid at card rates, and we agree it with you before it happens.
Getting around Brighton
- Tell us if the PA needs to drive. Mileage and parking go on the quote.
- Brighton’s low emission zone is a bus scheme, so there’s no charge for a PA’s car or a crew van.
- The fastest trains from London take about an hour. Direct trains run from Victoria, London Bridge and St Pancras. We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with Brighton and Hove City Council and National Rail.
Paying and changes
- You pay nothing until you confirm the PA.
- We take 50% by card when you book and 50% when you receive the final rushes.
- The quote shows every line, including the day rate, booking fee, kit and travel.
- Cancellation terms are on every quote.
What our insurance covers
- Our insurance covers employers’ liability for the PA we book, up to £10m.
- Kit we hire in for you is insured. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, as its own line on the quote.
- On a crew hire, it doesn’t cover anything else. Public liability, the location and your own kit stay with you, and your venue will want to see your certificate. When we’re the producer of record, our policy covers the shoot.
£400 a day
APA/Bectu card: £350–441 a day for a production assistant.
| Day rate, 11 hours | £400 |
| Booking fee, 10% | £40 |
| Insurance, 2% | £8 |
| One day, before travel | £448 + VAT |
The 2% covers employers’ liability for the PA we book and the kit we hire in. What it covers
You won’t pay anything until you confirm the PA.
- 50% by card at booking, 50% on the final rushes
- Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours
- Every line on the quote before anything is booked
Or call us on 07412 543822.
Reviews
What clients say about our crews
These reviews come from our Google Business Profile.
Book a production assistant in Brighton.
Tell us the date, the place and what the PA should look after. Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours. Or call us on 07412 543822.
Check availability
The whole crew
Every crew role we book in Brighton
Send one brief and we send one quote, with every role on its own line. These are our day rates in Brighton, and each crew member gets their full rate:
Production 06
- Director From £500
- Producer From £450
- Production manager £504–627
- 2nd AD £355–448
- Production assistant This page £400
- Runner £245
Camera 07
- DOP From £850
- Camera operator £529–656
- Focus puller £461–575
- Clapper loader £355–448
- Steadicam operator From £950
- Gimbal operator £529–656
- Drone operator From £750
Data and playback 02
- DIT £527
- Video playback £334–518
Sound 01
- Sound recordist £550
Hair, make-up and costume 02
- Hair and make-up £398
- Costume £519–694
Art department 02
- Art director £675–878
- Set builders £341–512
Post-production 01
- Editor From £350
See how our rates work in crew rates in Brighton, or start from one of our crew set-ups in Brighton.
Production support
Everything around the crew
A PA helps with everything around the shoot, including the building passes and the parking. If you want us to book any of it, each item goes on the quote as its own line.
01
Kit rental
Where to hire camera, lighting and sound kit for a Brighton shoot, and when the crew bring their own.
02
Locations and permits
The Sussex Film Office, private places such as the pier, filming on the beach and the drone rules.
03
Studios and set builds
Studios in Brighton for interviews and product shots, and where to go for a bigger set build.
04
Props and wardrobe
Where props and costume come from, and the stylists and hair and make-up artists we book.
Questions
Questions about hiring a production assistant in Brighton
How much does a production assistant cost in Brighton?
Our production assistants are £400 for an 11-hour day, including an hour for lunch, and the PA gets all of it. The APA/Bectu card sets £350–441. We add our 10% booking fee and 2% insurance, so the day comes to £448 + VAT, before any travel from London.
What does the insurance on a crew booking cover?
It covers two things. The first is employers’ liability for every crew member we book, up to £10m. The second is the kit we hire in for you. That’s what the 2% pays for. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, which goes on the quote as its own line. On a crew hire, you’re the producer of record, so public liability, the location, your own kit and anything you book yourself stay with you. If you want us to be the producer of record, we quote it as a full production, and our insurance covers the whole shoot.
What’s the difference between a PA and a runner?
A runner fetches, carries and keeps the unit base going. A PA works more closely with the producer, on contributors, releases and the call sheet. On a small crew one person often does both.
Do I need a PA or a producer?
If someone has to make decisions on the day, book a producer. A PA helps the producer. Busy days with lots of contributors often have both.
Can a PA handle releases and vox pops in Brighton?
Yes. Send us your release, or use ours, and the PA gets one signed by everyone on camera before they leave. Vox pops on the street or the seafront count as filming on council land, so they need the Sussex Film Office’s permission. It doesn’t publish its fees, so we ask it for a price and add the permit to the quote. At the Brighton Centre or a hotel, the venue’s own rules apply, so we ask before the day. Check with the Sussex Film Office for the latest.
Can we film vox pops at Brighton station?
Only with permission. Brighton station is managed by Southern, and GTR asks for permission in advance to film at its stations or on its trains. We contact GTR before the day, and the permission goes on the quote. Check with GTR for the latest.
Can a PA drive in Brighton?
Yes, if they have a car and business insurance. Tell us when you book. Mileage and parking go on the quote at cost. Brighton’s low emission zone is a bus scheme, so there’s no charge for a PA’s car. A suspended bay for a crew van needs 7 working days’ notice. Check with Brighton and Hove City Council for the latest.
How far ahead should I book a PA in Brighton?
Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours. If the PA is sorting building passes, send us the contributor list early. Vox pops on the street need the Sussex Film Office’s permission first, and filming at Brighton station needs GTR’s permission in advance. The Brighton Marathon in April, the festivals in May and early June and Pride in early August make the city busy, so allow more time then. Check with the Sussex Film Office for the latest.
Are your production assistants from Brighton?
We book PAs who live in Brighton or Hove first. If the brief or the date needs someone else, they come down from London, about an hour away by train, and we add the travel to the quote before anything is booked. Our base is London, at 124 City Road, and we have bases in Manchester, Bristol and Cornwall.