A Day in the Life of a Film Crew Member — and Where My Set PA Fits In

Alex Jordan
Dec 31, 2025
3 min read

Because the real work starts long before call time — and doesn’t stop when you wrap.

People outside the industry think film crew jobs are glamorous. Stunts! Big productions! Cool locations!

Those of us inside the industry know the truth:

Film and TV is a lifestyle — not a job.And that lifestyle consumes everything if you don’t create space elsewhere.

So here’s a realistic look at a typical day for a crew member… and how My Set PA quietly slots in to keep your life running while you keep the production running.

04:30 – The First Alarm

Not because you need this long to get ready. But because you need three alarms to trust you’ll actually wake up.

You check your phone:

Call sheet changes?
Weather cover?
Transport adjustments?
A WhatsApp from a coordinator at midnight you didn’t see?

If anything slipped through the cracks, your day starts in panic mode.

Where My Set PA fits in:Your diary is already organised, travel reminders confirmed, any appointments you forgot about moved, and anything looming today has been handled the day before.You start the day with clarity, not chaos.

06:15 – On Set, Ready to Go

You’re in full “problem-solving mode.”You’ve got radios going, departments pulling you in five directions, and your phone buzzing for personal reasons you absolutely cannot deal with right now.

A missed call from the dentist. A renewal reminder. A bill overdue. A birthday you forgot (again).

The guilt kicks in but the job takes priority — as always.

Where My Set PA fits in:Those calls get answered. Those bills get paid. Those reminders get actioned. Those birthdays get sorted with gifts ordered and delivered.

You stay fully present at work without sacrificing your life outside of it.

11:00 – Turnaround, Delays, and a New Plan

The schedule has already changed twice.You had a small break planned to deal with personal admin, but the scene is running over and you’re being pulled in again.

This is the moment most freelancers lose a task forever.

Where My Set PA fits in:While you’re handling last-minute changes, we’re:

replying to important emails
confirming bookings
chasing invoices
sending updated availability to productions
rescheduling anything that was affected by the shift

Nothing gets forgotten just because production changed pace.

14:30 – The Midday Crash

You finally grab five minutes to breathe.Your brain feels like a hard drive with too many tabs open:

What am I doing after wrap?
Did I send that form back?
When’s my MOT?
Did I miss that job application deadline?
I still need to book trains for that weekend…

You’re mentally overloaded, even if physically you’re fine.

Where My Set PA fits in:While you’re working, we’re clearing those tabs.Your To-Do list shrinks even while you’re too busy to look at it.

18:45 – Wrap (On Paper)

You wrap on time — though mentally, you’re nowhere near done. Your crew friends might head to the pub. You head home to tackle the tasks waiting for you, because you:

haven’t checked your personal inbox
are behind on bills
still haven’t sorted accommodation for next week
need to update your CV
want to send applications for the next gig

By the time you finish, it’s practically time to sleep.

Where My Set PA fits in:When you wrap, you actually wrap.Your evening isn’t swallowed by admin.Your next job application is already sent.Your inbox is tidy.Your travel is booked.Your diary is organised.Your personal life hasn’t crumbled.

You get to rest. Properly.

22:00 – Reset, Recharge… Repeat

The truth is, production life doesn’t give you space to breathe unless you build it in intentionally.

Crew aren’t overwhelmed because they can’t handle the job.Crew are overwhelmed because they’re expected to run a full personal life on top of a career that consumes every waking hour.

My Set PA is the pressure valve.The support system that exists because this industry doesn’t operate like a normal 9–5.

When we take over the small, constant, forgettable-but-essential tasks, your life stops feeling like one long, chaotic roll.

You handle the set.We handle the rest.