Xochi Blymyer:
My Life as an A.D.

That summer I was introduced to a Unit Production Manager named Dirk Petersmann. He brought me into his office and asked what I wanted to be in the business. He said "If you want to direct, then direct. If you want to produce, then produce. Anything else, you're going to have to work for it." And then he got me an interview with the 1st Assistant Director of the movie that he was working on "Red Heat" directed by Walter Hill. The 1st A.D., Jim Dyer, was concerned that I had never been a Production Assistant but this was his first show having to use computer scheduling and I had lot of computer skills on my resume. Next thing I knew, I had a job helping Jim enter all his scheduling into a computer (one that was called a portable at the time, definitely not a laptop!). Barry Thomas was the 2nd A.D. The movie was starting out in Chicago and they didn't normally take P.A.s on location. My dad was going to be the gaffer and he volunteered half his room for me and so off we went. I continued with the computer work while working on the set too. Whenever there was a schedule change I would be lugging my portable all around town in abandoned warehouses or wherever the location happened to be that day or night. I learned the job of an Assistant Director and eventually was given the task of taking care of the actors. The movie starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Belushi. We returned to Los Angeles and continued shooting all around Los Angeles. As that part of the show came to an end they were preparing to go to Hungary for the last leg of the show. Arnold hinted to me to not be surprised about being invited to go with them but I knew that I was only a Production Assistant. Well, the rumor has it that over Christmas Break, Arnold was skiing with one of the Producers and he said, "You should really take care of the little people because one day they will be the producers and you will need a favor, they will remember you". After Christmas, I got a phone call from the UPM. He said "Okay, you're going with us but you're flying coach!" I was off to Hungary! I had the job of 2nd AD and took care of the American crew while we were there. We ended up going to Austria as well because we needed to have snow. As my first job as a Production Assistant, I knew I was hooked!
 

Next Page