From Pre-Production to Picture Wrap: My First Summer in Film

Introduction

Hi friends! I know it’s been a while, but I’m so excited to finally share how my summer went because I can officially say I wrapped on my first television production!

This summer, I worked as an Office Production Assistant on a television series that will eventually be distributed on Netflix, BBC, and CBC. After 41 shoot days, countless Staples runs, 5 a.m. alarms, long commutes to Guelph, new friendships, one unfortunate flat tire, and more Diet Cokes than I’d like to admit, I made it through my first production.

I went into the summer wanting to understand how a television show actually gets made. I left with a clearer view of the industry, meaningful stories, strong relationships, and a reinforced passion for film, which I hope inspires others to pursue their own paths.

How I Got Here

This whole experience started because I needed to complete an internship for my Creative Industries degree at TMU. When I chose the Art and Business of Film module, I honestly had no idea where it would lead me. Looking back, my university experience has never really just been about sitting in classrooms. Between two college programs, a year working at Walt Disney World, travelling, writing, and now my first job in film, I’ve realized I learn the most by actually living the things I’m studying.

I still think about the summer I decided to leave Life Sciences and transfer into Creative Industries. It felt terrifying at the time because I was walking away from the career I had always imagined for myself without really knowing what was on the other side. A few years later, I somehow found myself working on my first television production.

One of the best parts of this internship was getting to experience more than just filming. My mentor extended my placement so I could be there for pre-production and wrap-out, meaning I got to see almost the entire process of making a television show. I worked alongside our Producer, Line Producer and Production Coordinator, helped with product clearances alongside our production lawyer, stopped by the writers’ room, watched schedules come together, and saw how hundreds of tiny decisions eventually become something people watch on screen.

Office PA Life

If there’s one thing I quickly figured out, it’s that there is absolutely no such thing as a typical day as an Office PA. Some mornings I was picking up lights from IKEA, office supplies from Staples, or items from storage units. Other days involved ordering lunch, coordinating deliveries, or finding parking in Liberty Village while everyone watched my ETA get later. This variety kept each day interesting and showed the unpredictable side of being an Office PA.

When our production office moved from Toronto to Guelph, the commute became part of my routine. Driving over an hour each way wasn’t always easy, especially knowing I had to wake up and do it all over again the next morning. Those quiet mornings slowly became my time to wake up, drink my electrolytes, listen to podcasts, and mentally prepare for whatever the day would bring. I even joined a gym near work so I could beat some of the traffic and have an hour to myself before heading into another long day.

Pre-production definitely had its lonely moments too. I remember locking up our little schoolhouse office one evening and sitting in my car before starting the drive back to Toronto, wondering if I really belonged there. Everyone around me seemed so experienced while I was just trying to keep up.

Some of the best advice I received was to be myself, which helped me grow more confident in my ability to contribute and learn. Then filming started, and everything changed.

Set Life

For 41 shoot days, I floated between departments. I worked closely with the AD team, wrangling and cueing background performers; helped Transport with last-minute pickups; supported Locations during busy set and location moves; and jumped in with Catering and Craft whenever extra hands were needed. I loved that I never really knew where I was going to end up.

Moving around set allowed me to learn from departments I might never have worked with otherwise. The Art Department and Props became favourites because I’ve always been fascinated by how physical spaces tell stories. Watching locations transform from script to set was surreal, especially knowing I had read the scripts beforehand, making the characters and worlds feel even more real.

Of course, filming outside meant Mother Nature had her own plans. There was extreme heat, wildfire smoke, thunderstorms, lightning delays, ringworm (yes... somehow), skunks during night shoots, and I even managed to get stung by a caterpillar, which I didn’t know was a thing until it happened to me. I also somehow ended up driving all the way back to Toronto on a donut tire after getting a flat in Guelph. At the time, some of those days felt exhausting and ridiculous. Now they’re some of the stories I laugh about the most.

The People

More than anything, I’ll remember the people. Since I floated between departments, I got to know crew members I never would have met otherwise. Lunch became my favourite part of the day because everyone finally had a chance to sit together. I played catch with the Sound and Art departments, watched Over the Garden Wall during an overnight shoot, celebrated afternoon tea from Lighting, and somehow always found someone willing to chat during weather delays.

Some of my favourite memories are actually the really small ones. The Processing girls taught me how to do my makeup, Costumes gave me a sweater when it was pouring rain and I had to be outside, and the Art Department gave me a jacket to keep warm during one of our overnight shoots. People shared things with me, taught me about their jobs and their lives, and made some very long days a lot more fun.

Walking onto set eventually started to feel like walking into a community. There were hugs, waves, fist bumps, people yelling “Emily!” across base camp, and our First AD greeting me over the radio. It was such a different feeling from those first weeks when I was still trying to figure out where I fit. On my final day, the background kids and parents I had worked with all summer gave me a standing ovation, and I genuinely don’t think I’ll ever forget that moment.

I was also one of the youngest people on the production, and I loved hearing everyone’s stories. Some people had worked in film for decades, travelled the world on productions, raised families while freelancing, or completely changed careers halfway through life. I asked people about the productions they had worked on, how they ended up in their departments, where they had travelled, and what they wanted to do next.

Those conversations made me think differently about what a career can look like. Most of my family works in education, law, or medicine, and for years I thought I would become a doctor. My dream was to work with Doctors Without Borders and travel the world. I definitely never pictured myself working on a film set, but hearing crew members talk about travelling for productions made me realize that maybe parts of that original dream are still there, just in a completely different way.

I came into this production not really knowing anyone, and I left with mentors, friends, people I can call for advice, and people I genuinely hope stay in my life. Some have already included me in opportunities outside of the production, while others have simply told me to keep in touch. In an industry where every production eventually wraps, and everyone moves on to something new, I think it’s pretty special when the relationships don’t end when the production does.

At wrap, I decided to handwrite nearly 100 thank-you cards for the crew, personalizing as many as I could with little memories from our summer together. It definitely took forever, but it was important to me. So many people made my first production what it was, whether they answered one of my million questions, taught me something new, trusted me with a task, gave me something warm to wear, let me join their lunch table, or simply made me feel welcome. There truly is no film without the crew behind it.

What’s Next?

During wrap-out, someone asked me where I see myself ending up, and the truth is, I still don’t know. What I do know is that I love film. I love developing stories, working with people, solving problems, and watching something go from words on a page to a real place filled with cameras, costumes, and crew. I loved pre-production more than I expected, but I also loved being on set. For once, I’m okay not having a perfect answer.

I’m proud that this internship pushed me to find my own way. My university required me to complete an internship, but it was up to me to find one. Once I got there, I had to show up every morning, introduce myself, volunteer to help, make mistakes, learn from them, and come back ready to do it all over again. I had incredible people supporting me along the way, but I still had to be willing to put myself out there.

Now I’m heading into my final year of university, and for the first time in a long time, I’m genuinely excited to be a student again. I’ve been invited to join my program’s student committee as a Communications Coordinator; I’m challenging myself to watch one movie every month with my new Cineplex membership; I’m finally experiencing TIFF with friends I met through the industry; and I’m ending this chapter with a trip to Norway.

It feels pretty full circle when I think back to the version of myself who was trying to decide whether leaving Life Sciences was the biggest mistake of my life. Now I get to enter my final year with Disney, with my first television production behind me, while still having absolutely no idea where I’ll end up, and I think I actually like it that way.

That’s a Wrap

This summer wasn’t always easy. There were long days, lonely drives, mistakes, heat, traffic, weather delays, sore muscles, and plenty of moments when I wondered what I had gotten myself into. But there were also games of catch at lunch, hugs on set, new friends, unexpected mentors, ridiculous errands, conversations during downtime, and stories I’ll probably be telling for years.

I went into this internship thinking I would learn how a television show gets made, and I definitely did. But I think the biggest thing I’m taking away from it is how much you can learn simply by showing up, being curious, and talking to the people around you.

I started the summer sitting in my car outside the production office wondering whether I belonged there. I ended it saying goodbye to a crew I genuinely didn’t want to leave.

I still don’t know exactly where I’m going, but after this summer, I feel like I’m heading in the right direction. That’s officially a wrap on my first production!