Help me unburden my dream of working for Herzog

July 6, 2008 7:18 PM

How does one go about applying for a film production assistant position? Specifically, to whom do I sell a spare chunk of soul in order to be Herzog's crew's serf on The Piano Tuner?

I've never read the novel and don't consider myself to be an especially rabid Herzog fan, but for some reason the combination seems like it could be one of those things which might turn out to be a great deal of fun provided nobody dies. I have no experience, and of course have no chance (although there've been guys with no apparent experience on his productions before), but I was about to begin applying for PA jobs anyway and this seems like a decent enough way to kick that off.

So the first challenge is figuring out where to send a cover letter and resume: googles aren't helping, there's nothing on Herzog's or Mandalay's website, not much crew or other information on IMDB yet, and I couldn't even find the Myanmar Film Council. Surely I don't just message or call the producer's secretary?

The second is figuring out exactly what goes on a cover letter and in a resume for a job that has such a broad description and that can entail doing any/everything. I can sell myself pretty well, but what do they want to hear specifically? I would especially love to hear from anyone who's ever applied for such a position. And if there's anything else I'm missing (apart from a clue) please pile on with that as well.

posted by notquitemaryann to media & arts (12 comments total)

Try his production company, Werner Herzog Filmproduktion. I can't find a USA office. With your lack of experience and, I assume, connections, I would say upfront that you would be willing to work for free and pay for your own travel and lodging (provided you are) because blaaargghhhinsertyourpassionatebeggingpleahere.

Werner Herzog Filmproduktion

Lucki Stipetic
Tuerkenstrasse 91
80799 Munich/Germany

phone: [phone]
fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
http://www.wernerherzog.com
posted by spec80 at 8:01 PM on July 6 [1 favorite]

With your lack of experience and, I assume, connections, I would say upfront that you would be willing to work for free and pay for your own travel and lodging (provided you are) because

Or just skip the letter and phone calls, and show up anyways. A bird in the hand, etc.
posted by smackfu at 8:18 PM on July 6

Herzog has had people with not a lot of experience would for him before, but apparently the pay for most is as close to non-existent as possible, the working conditions generally horrific in every way, and it's *still* really hard to get a position working for him. He has a lot of loyalty from an extremely oddball and very tough crew. I would doubt (though this is pure speculation) that he's into the slavishly devotional types, but I can guarantee you he'd expect you to have a reasonable knowledge and admiration for what he does.

I'd look at it his way, imagining that I am not who I am, but rather Herzog himself reading this:

1) You show little passion for his work or for this particular project.
2) You make the assumption that a cover letter and/or resume will have any bearing on things.
3) Contrary the legendarily nightmarish tales of the process by which he makes films (and many of these tales are propagated by Herzog himself), you think this project might be "fun."
4) You're doing your homework in the laziest way possible.

I've got to believe that were I Herzog, not only would these things not do it for me, they'd be real turn-offs. None of them seem to mirror his personality (and by extension, his sensibilities) and they are all potential problems. (I mean, how whiny and worthless will you be when it turns out not to be "fun" at all?) You offer nothing special and do not seem to be in line with the way he seems to work - read Roger Ebert's letter to him on the official website, which (though secondhand) says a lot about Herzog's personality.

Now all of this may seem harsh. But I'd love for you to get a job, if for no other reason than I am a big Herzog fan and would love for you to come back in a few years and tell us all about it. And if I didn't have fifty-seven big projects in front of me, maybe I'd be trying to get a job with Herzog. This is what I'd do:

1) I'd spend one month CRAMMING the Burmese language into my mind. It's probably all I'd do, except once in a while I'd be . . .

2) TROLLING the internet for any sort of information on where I'd find Herzog. A television interview in Copenhagen? A film festival in Mumbai?

3) I would have a pretty comprehensive knowledge of the history of Burma at the time the film is set, an understanding of British law at the time as it relates to treason, and an other sort of arcane knowledge that relates to the film.

4) As soon as I locked onto info as to his appearance in a certain place at a certain time, I'd be booking my tickets to hunt him down and talk him into hiring me, expressly mentioning that I already speak basic Burmese, and I'd find some way to let him know about all my historical knowledge, expertise in film production and anything else. He'd also know I was serious because I'd come to Helsinki or Dakar (or wherever) specifically to see him. Also, I would work for food and shelter plus whatever was normal given the situation. And so the last thing I'd say to him would be that he simply needs to provide a contact number and let me know when I need to be in Myanmar.

The trick to all this is to not make him think you're too crazy!
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 8:24 PM on July 6

My first thought was simply to show up in Burma. But it's Burma, and you may have problems "working" without some paperwork; I'm sure the officials will check.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 8:27 PM on July 6

Perhaps you could get some info through the production company? IMDB says that it's being produced by Cathy Schulman, President of Mandalay pictures (she's on Linkedin, BTW).

Mandalay Entertainment Group
4751 Wilshire Boulevard Third Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Telephone: [phone]
[e-mail]
posted by esmerelda_jenkins at 8:27 PM on July 6

Holy crap, I just finished this novel the day before yesterday. It was, I thought, a bit episodic in points, as any story of a journey is, but there's a few moments that are very cinematic. I had no idea it was being made into a film until now, though. And Herzog would be just the man for the job.

As for the "Myanmar Film Council," you'd have more luck looking under the yellow pages under Censor. Herzog would never be able to film in Burma. NO ONE films in Burma. Everything filmed in Burma is made by government-approved Burmese productions, or by foreign operations done on the sly with handheld cameras to expose human rights abuses. The largest production I've seen filmed in Burma by an outsider is the excellent Mystic Ball documentary, and even that is entirely done with no hint of political comment whatsoever. Otherwise, it would have been disallowed. The Piano Tuner, which on some level is about conflict between British colonialists and ethnic tribes, would never get made there. Even the novel is likely banned from the country.

But, knowing Herzog, I'm sure he'll get as close as he can to the same sort of locale (most of the novel takes place near the Thai Border, so perhaps he could do it in Thailand), and I'm sure he'll find away to make the filming of the novel's perilous journey just as perilous for the film. I wish you best of luck getting involved in the project, and if you do get the gig, please take lots of photos on set and post them to Projects so I can follow along!
posted by roombythelake at 8:29 PM on July 6

Oh! Sorry, I assumed from the original post's reference to a Myanmar Film Council that such a thing existed and that the film was being shot there. It makes a lot more sense, actually, that it would be filmed elsewhere.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 8:57 PM on July 6

What an awful book. Western music tames the savages of the jungle? Really? Just like in Looney Toons? And I could only suffer a few chapters before his flowery descriptions made me sick.

The movie will almost certainly be filmed in Thailand, as was another recent Herzog movie, the one about the pilot shot down in Laos. There are only three or four production companies that handle overseas shoots in Thailand and they are easily found on Google. Look them up and tell them what you want and you may get lucky.
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 10:07 PM on July 6

reality check: being a PA even on a well funded, fascinating film is generally only interesting and exciting in retrospect. film production is tedious and pretty much thankless work.

i've been a PA on a few films and all those jobs I got through connections. it is almost inconceivable that they'd hire someone non-local for a position like that AND fly them over/put them up when they can hire someone who a) knows the area and will be better suited to running errands/GTD b) lives locally and can be paid local rates c) comes with no transportation expense.

if you want to find out where they're shooting, show up, and offer to work for free, you have as good a chance as anyone of getting hired if you're bright and quick. being a PA isn't terribly complicated. there are a few things to know but basically you do what you're told quickly and competently and cause no grief.

the real question is: do you really want to do that?

to find out where they're shooting, get one of the trades -- Variety or the Hollywood Reporter and check the production section.
posted by xz at 4:09 AM on July 7

and, responding to dee xtrovert; herzog won't hire the PAs. his Assistant Director will as the PAs report to the AD. likely the AD will have PAs he/she works with. read the trades, find out who the AD is, write a letter to them if that's the road you want to take.

emphasize that you're SANE and COMPETENT and don't need much.
posted by xz at 4:19 AM on July 7

Yeah, most films aren't really shot where they're based. Especially if they're based in Burma. Between the unrest and the cyclones, it's pretty unlikely.

I think one good point that's been made is this: working on a film? Not as much fun as it sounds to people who've never done it. It's about working very long hours and waiting around bored mindless for 80% of those long hours. What often keeps people occupied during the downtime is either being focused on their career tasks or on other crew members or they learn how to knit or something. So my question is, WHY are you wanting to do this so much? What about it obsesses you? Is it because it just sounds like an adventure? To learn about the filmmaking process? To hang out and bond with Herzog? I think in order to formulate a feasible gameplan to get yourself involved with this production, WHY you want this job is something that needs to be figured out first. Loooong before sending out cover letters which will (sorry to say it) most likely be thrown away upon receipt by an assistant. If I was Herzog and you came up to me, that's the first question I'd ask you. And if you didn't have an answer that actually intrigued me or that made me consider maybe you had some skill or trait that could be put to use and benefit the production somehow, I'd probably respond by telling you to politely get out of my way. I would think you were probably just another movie fanboy/girl wasting my time. (That's if I was Herzog, of course.)

And if there's a particular reason you're interested in this, that might help pave a way to the production. If you want to learn filmmaking, maybe you could enroll in some classes and then try to learn some skills there while trying to arrange being an intern PA or something.

You need to look at this from his point of view. This is Herzog's career, as well as a serious profession for the people in the main crew. It's not a fun vacation for them, they're making a creative project and trying to meet budgets and deadlines. So if they're going to bring someone on it's like hiring for any job. The person they bring on needs to benefit the production somehow in their eyes.
posted by miss lynnster at 7:06 AM on July 7

Oh, and in my experience... the PA job is basically legal slave labor. It's the grunt work everyone starts out doing. It's paying dues. So you have to be very thick skinned and offer endless energy to do any task they ask you to do. If that doesn't sound like something you're up for, be forewarned.
posted by miss lynnster at 7:08 AM on July 7