Film crew hire/Manchester/Production assistant
Hire a production assistant in Manchester. The extra pair of hands that keeps the day on time.
Production assistants for shoots across Greater Manchester and the North, booked from our office in Ancoats. They look after your contributors, get the releases signed, run the errands and mind the kit, working to your producer or director. £400 a day, paid to the PA in full.
- 54 five-star Google reviews
- 48 hrs from enquiry to confirmed crew, on most Manchester bookings
- £10m employers’ liability on every crew member we book
- 2,800+ freelance crew on our books
Photos: Erwi, Here Now Films, Jakob Owens, dix sept and Nathan Dumlao
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: meeting contributors at reception, getting release forms signed, running to the shop, minding kit, keeping the room tidy and 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.
- Contributors looked after. Met at reception, briefed, given a drink and ready when the producer calls.
- Releases signed. Every person on camera, before they leave the building.
- Kit minded. Nothing left in a corridor, a lift or an unlocked car.
- The producer freed up. The small jobs done 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: the shop, lunch, 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, at cost
- Travel outside Greater Manchester, at cost
How our rates work, and the two ways to book: crew rates in Manchester.
Two ways to book
Crew hire or full production: who’s the producer of record?
One question sets the price: who’s the producer of record? Book a PA for your own shoot, or have us take the production on.
Crew hire
You run the shoot.
10% + 2% booking fee and insurance, on everything we book for you: 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
- Responsibility for the production: you’re the producer of record
What the 2% insures: employers’ liability for every crew member we book, and the kit we hire in for you. Nothing else on the shoot. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, as its own line on the quote.
Full production
We’re the producer of record.
15% + 5% production fee, plus insurance and contingency, on the whole production budget. Quoted 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
What the 5% pays for: our production insurance across the whole shoot, £10m public liability included, and the contingency.
Not sure which you need? If your own producer or director will run the day, it’s crew hire. If you want us to take the production on, it’s a full production quote.
On the day
A day with a production assistant, call to wrap
An interview day with eight contributors at a company’s offices in Spinningfields. Times are an example; the call sheet sets the real ones.
- 07:45 Arrive Signed in at reception, the meeting room found, the parking and the loading bay sorted.
- 08:00 Load in Kit up from the van, the green room set up with water and a list of who’s coming.
- 09:30 First contributor Met at reception, walked through, briefed by the producer, release signed.
- 11:00 A run A missing adaptor collected from a kit house; back before the next set-up.
- 13:00 Lunch Ordered at eleven so it arrives on time, and cleared away after.
- 14:00 The afternoon Four more contributors, one late, one early: the PA keeps the order straight.
- 18:30 Wrap Releases checked against the list, the room put back, kit down to the van.
Which kind
PA, runner or something else?
The junior production jobs overlap. Here’s how they differ.
Production assistant Contributors, releases and runs £400 a day
Works to the producer: people, paperwork and the jobs nobody else has time for.
Best on interview days, events and anything with contributors.
Runner Errands, kit and the unit base £245 a day
The entry-level job: fetching, carrying, tea and parking. See runners in Manchester.
Best as an extra pair of hands on a bigger crew.
Production coordinator The office and the bookings Quoted on the brief
Works to the production manager on bookings, travel and call sheets. See production managers in Manchester.
Best on long shoots and series.
Driver People and kit, on time Quoted on the brief
Drives the crew van or the talent, with the right licence and insurance. See logistics for Manchester shoots.
Best 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 Manchester.
Best when there’s a client or contributors to manage.
What it’s for
What people book a production assistant for in Manchester
Interview days
Contributors met, settled and signed off, one after another.
Conferences and events
Vox pops at Manchester Central or a hotel, with a release for every face.
Agency shoots
An extra pair of hands for a producer who’s travelled up from London.
Shoots with talent
Someone to look after the presenter or the athlete between takes.
Multi-location days
Kit, parking and people moved between locations.
Recent work
How a PA fits our crews
How we crew it · Manchester
Vox pops on a conference day
On an event, the PA brings people to the camera, explains what’s happening and gets the release signed, so the operator can keep rolling and nobody ends up in the film without saying yes.
How we crew it · Manchester
A PA, or a producer?
A PA is £400 a day; a producer starts at £450. If the day needs decisions, client care or a schedule run, book a producer. If the producer needs help, add a PA.
Before you book
Things to know
The day
- 11 hours, including an hour for lunch.
- Overtime at card rates, agreed with you before it happens.
Getting around
- Tell us if the PA needs to drive: mileage and parking go on the quote.
- A PA with a car can collect kit from the kit houses in West Gorton and Ardwick.
Paying and changes
- Nothing to pay until you confirm the PA.
- 50% by card when you book, 50% on receipt of the final rushes.
- Every line on the quote: day rate, booking fee, kit, travel.
- Cancellation terms are on every quote.
What our insurance covers
- Employers’ liability for the PA we book: £10m.
- Kit we hire in for you is insured. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, as its own line on the quote.
- Nothing else on a crew hire. Public liability, the location and your own kit stay with you, and your venue will want 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% is employers’ liability for the PA we book, and cover on kit we hire in. What it covers
You won’t pay anything until you confirm the PA.
- Most Manchester bookings confirmed within 48 hours
- 50% by card at booking, 50% on the final rushes
- Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours
Or call us on 07412 543822.
Reviews
What clients say about our crews
Straight from our Google Business Profile.
Book a production assistant in Manchester.
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 role in Manchester, booked the same way
One brief, one quote, every role on its own line. Our day rates in Manchester, paid to the crew member in full:
Production 05
- 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
How our rates work: crew rates in Manchester. Or start from a set-up: interview crews and units in Manchester.
Production support
Everything around the crew
A PA helps with everything around the shoot. Here are the guides, and each item can go on the quote if you want us to book it.
Questions
Hiring a production assistant in Manchester: questions
How much does a production assistant cost in Manchester?
Our production assistants are £400 for an 11-hour day, including an hour for lunch, paid to the PA in full; the APA/Bectu card sets £350–441. On top go our 10% booking fee and 2% insurance: £448 + VAT for the day.
What does the insurance on a crew booking cover?
Two things. Employers’ liability for every crew member we book, up to £10m, and insurance on the kit we hire in for you. That’s what the 2% pays for. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, as its own line on the quote. The 2% doesn’t insure the rest of the shoot: public liability, the location, your own kit and anything you book yourself stay with you, because you’re the producer of record. If you’d rather we were, it’s quoted as a full production, and our insurance covers the whole shoot, public liability included.
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 drive?
Yes, if they have a car and the right insurance; tell us when you book. Mileage and parking go on the quote.
Can a PA handle release forms?
Yes. Send us your release, or use ours, and the PA gets one signed by everyone on camera before they leave, and hands them over at wrap.
How far ahead should I book a PA in Manchester?
Most Manchester bookings are confirmed within 48 hours, and PAs are often available at a day’s notice.