Free Diverse Production Assistant Training Program Open To New Jersey Residents

NEWARK, N.J. – The NJ Motion Picture and Television Commission invites New Jersey residents interested in pursuing a career in film and television production to apply for the upcoming Production Assistant Bootcamp scheduled for April 23 and 24. The bootcamp will be held at Mercer County Community College in West Windsor.

The diverse Production Assistant (P.A.) Bootcamp training program is a two-day thorough, intensive, real-world work-based job training program that provides an opportunity to gain skills, knowledge and understanding of a film/TV production. The program trains individuals from diverse backgrounds for the job of Production Assistant, which is the entry level gateway into the entertainment industry as it has been for many highly successful producers, directors and crew currently working in the industry.

The workforce training program is provided free of charge to accepted participants, thanks to the generous sponsorship of NBCUniversal. This will be the seventh P.A. Bootcamp to be held in New Jersey since 2018. So far, 160 New Jersey residents from diverse backgrounds have participated in the P.A. Bootcamps.

Upon successful completion of P.A. Bootcamp in 2021, Nicole DeRose, a resident of Millburn, was soon hired as a costume production assistant on Mayim Bialik’s As They Made Us, which filmed in New Jersey. She then was hired as the on set costumer for a short film that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this year. Now, DeRose is working as a casting assistant at one of the leading casting agencies in the country.

“I am so grateful for my experience at P.A. Bootcamp, said Nicole DeRose. “Unequivocally, the bootcamp prepared me for my first big production on set, and I recall the crew appreciating that I wasn’t green and understood the lingo. If anyone is interested in getting hands on experience and a way to break into the industry, apply to P.A. Bootcamp.”

The two-day weekend training program is designed to train Set and Office Production Assistants. Participants will learn everything necessary to walk on any film or television set and do the job right from day one. Although a job after the Bootcamp is not guaranteed, with the rapid increase in film and television production in the state, the demand for qualified P.A.s is high.

Participants are encouraged to wear face masks at all times.

Interested residents can learn more at www.pabootcamp.com and apply via email. Write to: pabootcamp@gmail.com and place MCCC-West Windsor in the subject line. The email should include your name, email, phone number and a short paragraph explaining why you want to attend.

Email registration is not an automatic confirmation of attendance. You may receive a request for a phone interview. Acceptance into the training will be confirmed by email. Applicants MUST be able to attend training on BOTH April 23 and April 24 and be able to accept Production Assistant work in New Jersey in the next several months. Space is limited, so residents are encouraged to apply immediately.

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About the New Jersey Motion Picture & Television Commission
The commission, formed in 1978, is staffed by industry professionals and serves as a resource for production companies. New Jersey currently offers tax incentives for film/television productions including a diversity bonus. Learn more at www.film.nj.gov or contact the commission at njfilm@sos.nj.gov.

About NBCUniversal
NBCUniversal is one the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience.