Why Being An Ex-Assistant Director Means I’m Built For This

If you’ve ever worked in the AD department, you will know that the job rewires your brain.

You learn how to think ahead, stay calm when everything is on fire, and keep moving even when you’re running on very little sleep and far too much caffeine. You also learn very quickly how much crew are expected to juggle outside of work… with absolutely no time to do it.

That’s why I'm built for this.

I Don’t Need Crew Life Explaining to Me

If you tell me you’re busy, I don’t hear “I’ve got a lot on.”I hear:

• 12+ hour days

• No proper lunch break

• Emails stacking up for weeks

• Forgotten birthdays

• Personal stuff quietly snowballing in the background

I lived that life for 15 years. I know how admin becomes the thing you deal with at midnight, on a Sunday, or not at all.

So no judgement here. No “just be more organised.” Just practical, flexible help.

I’m Used to Sorting Things Out Under Pressure

Being an AD means you’re constantly fixing problems before anyone else even realises there’s one coming.

That skill doesn’t disappear when you leave set.

I don’t just wait to be told what to do, I notice what needs doing. I chase things, follow up, keep tabs on deadlines and quietly handle the things you don’t have the headspace for.

I Speak the Same Language

I started out as a runner at Leavesden Studios back in 2006 and worked my way through the AD department, alongside stints in Locations and Production. Later, I spent years working on productions for the BBC.

So when you mention memos, call sheets, last-minute amendments or “I need this done yesterday” — I’m already there with you.

You don’t need to over-explain, you don’t need to apologise, and you definitely don’t need to translate urgency.

I Know How Important Trust Is

As an AD, people trusted me with sensitive information every single day — schedules, personal details, tricky conversations and things that absolutely couldn’t leak.

That level of discretion is baked into how I work now.

Whether it’s your inbox, finances, bookings or personal admin, it’s handled with the same care and confidentiality I was expected to have on set.

I Know When to Push — and When to Shield You

One of the biggest things I carried over from set life is knowing when something genuinely needs action now… and when it really doesn’t.

Sometimes that means chasing hard behind the scenes. Sometimes it means protecting your time and headspace by dealing with things so you don’t have to.

My job isn’t to add more noise to your day — it’s to take it away.

This Exists Because I’ve Been There

My Set PA wasn’t created because I spotted a gap in the market. Let's face it, there are thousands of Virtual Assistants out there. It exists because I know how hard it is to keep your life running when production takes everything you’ve got.

This is support built by someone who understands freelance crew life. Not just the job, but also the impact it has on everything else.

So if you’ve ever thought:

• “I should be able to manage this, but I can’t”

• “I just need someone who gets how this industry works”

• “I don’t want advice — I need help”

That’s exactly why I do this.

Because once you’ve survived life as an AD…you’re more than built for this.

Want crew-level support, built by someone who’s been there? Ping me a message alex@mysetpa.com