Meet the Overworked Gen Z Assistants Making Oscars Magic Happen Behind the Scenes!

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Assisting a prominent figure to their award seat on cue during a quick bathroom break and setting up the dressing room for presenters according to specifications are just two examples of tasks that might seem insignificant. However, these roles, together with many others – details that could determine whether an awards ceremony runs flawlessly or becomes a chaotic mess – are often handled by production assistants. These employees are typically seen wearing fanny packs and headsets, and they excel at managing crises.

In the given sentence, I have tried to maintain the original meaning while making it more natural and easier to read.

As a freelancer in the awards show scene, I’m one of the many jacks-of-all-trades who work tirelessly to ensure these grand events run smoothly. From being among the first to arrive and the last to leave at any given ceremony, my typical pay rate hovers around $200 for a 10-to-12-hour day. Word of mouth, old connections, or Facebook groups are often my sources for finding work. It’s millennials and Gen Z freelancers like me who power the entire awards show ecosystem. The 2021 E! News Golden Globes red carpet was no exception; I, Antonieta Sanchez, barely had a moment to catch my breath throughout the event. It’s not just a few producers making these events happen – it takes an entire week of round-the-clock work from people like me.

Four years back, T.C. Amos IV, an up-and-coming performer and production assistant, commenced his career in the entertainment industry as a valet at Warner Bros. Subsequently, he landed roles as Production Assistant for audiences from OSLA, one of a small number of companies responsible for providing audience members for events such as the Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globes.

This 34-year-old’s work history features roles at the CCA’s and Kids’ Choice Awards. In today’s job market of Los Angeles, he seldom refuses employment opportunities: “I’ve always made it clear, ‘Hey, if I’m not a celebrity and you still need help, I’m ready to work.’

Assistants at awards shows frequently find themselves handling duties that exceed their status within Hollywood’s social hierarchy. The main role for those stationed backstage and on the red carpet, such as ushers or security personnel, is ensuring unauthorized individuals do not enter the event prematurely, thus making them de facto gatekeepers who must often deny access to influential figures. Some, like talent and their representatives, are less than pleased about this requirement. “Publicists were the biggest culprits,” shares one Production Assistant (who requested anonymity due to NDAs), reminiscing about a representative who persistently tried to bypass protocol. “She wouldn’t give up,” the PA recalls. “We just wanted her to be let in,” they remember telling a colleague, out of fear of losing their job.

As a devoted fan, I recall the nerve-wracking task of obtaining and transporting an enormous cake meant as a token of appreciation for one of Hollywood’s most influential female stars. The instructions were clear: ensure she didn’t even lay a finger on it. It was a mad dash through the bustling backstage area, trying not to let our guard down lest we accidentally drop the cake. “Everyone is rushing by,” I remember saying, “but we’ve got to keep this humongous cake untouched.” (Luckily, the crew got to enjoy it later.)

Sanchez highlights that the clean-up process following the glamorous event can be tough. “We had to pack up amidst all those huge semi-trucks,” she explains. “We’re careful not to get hit by them since they’re hard to see in the fog, and we’ve been on our feet for hours. Some of us have been awake since 6 am, working through 10, 11, or even 12 midnight.

In essence, each job is a building block towards the next opportunity. Andy Quintana, aged 35 and a PA, was initially aiming for a career as a civil engineer, but his journey took an unexpected turn when he enrolled in an acting class. This led him to roles as a tour guide at Warner Bros., work in an accounting office in Koreatown, and eventually becoming a PA for the Oscars and the NAACP Image Awards. Quintana finds the chance to meet industry leaders to be a significant advantage. These encounters can result in memorable experiences — like when Amos found himself behind Hiroyuki Sanada from ‘Shogun’ during seat-filling at the CCAs — as well as moments that an assistant might prefer to forget. Sanchez, who is passionate about photography, had an encounter with her dream A-lister on the Globes red carpet: Cole Walliser, creator of the GLAMbot camera that captures slow-motion video of celebrities on the carpet. “I tripped over him,” she recalls, “thinking he wouldn’t let me use the GLAMbot after that!

One thing that Personal Assistants can always rely on, aside from people back home admiring their job as “cool,” is having the ability to reminisce about their experiences – whether they’re good or bad. As Quintana puts it, “What stood out for me was when [Oscar host] Jimmy Kimmel took the time to send us thank-you notes and even lunch. I remember rushing home to share that moment with my parents. Small gestures like these truly make a difference in the end.

In the latest edition of The Hollywood Reporter magazine, published on February 26th, an intriguing tale was shared. If you’d like to stay updated and continue enjoying such captivating content, consider subscribing by clicking here.

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2025-02-27 20:24