First Assistant Director Jobs
First Assistant Director jobs are open across film, television, commercial, and digital production, from entry-level set PA promotions to senior positions overseeing large-scale union shoots, with specializations in scripted drama, unscripted reality, and commercial advertising. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
- Communicate with prospective and existing clients by phone, email, and text.
- Assist with client registration, insurance information, and electronic health records.
- Support clinicians with scheduling and administrative needs.
- Assist the Clinic Director with daily operations, organization, and special projects.
- Help create a welcoming, responsive, and positive client experience.
- Ability to multitask, prioritize, and work independently.
- Strong attention to detail and follow-through.
- Comfort using technology, scheduling systems, and Microsoft Office.
- Previous administrative or customer service experience required.
- Healthcare or mental health office experience preferred.
We're a growing, collaborative mental health clinic committed to making mental healthcare more accessible in our community. We value teamwork, initiative, a positive attitude, and people who genuinely enjoy helping others.
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
- Communicate with prospective and existing clients by phone, email, and text.
- Assist with client registration, insurance information, and electronic health records.
- Support clinicians with scheduling and administrative needs.
- Assist the Clinic Director with daily operations, organization, and special projects.
- Help create a welcoming, responsive, and positive client experience.
- Ability to multitask, prioritize, and work independently.
- Strong attention to detail and follow-through.
- Comfort using technology, scheduling systems, and Microsoft Office.
- Previous administrative or customer service experience required.
- Healthcare or mental health office experience preferred.
We're a growing, collaborative mental health clinic committed to making mental healthcare more accessible in our community. We value teamwork, initiative, a positive attitude, and people who genuinely enjoy helping others.
First Assistant Director Jobs by Experience Level
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Find First Assistant Director JobsFirst Assistant Director Job Market
Who's Hiring
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in first assistant director jobs.
- Minimum five years of on-set experience as a second or first assistant director
- Demonstrated ability to create and manage production strip boards and shooting schedules
- Experience coordinating cast, crew, and location logistics across full production shoots
- DGA membership or eligibility preferred for union film and television productions
- Proficiency with scheduling software such as Movie Magic Scheduling or equivalent tools
- Strong communication and conflict-resolution skills for managing on-set crew and talent
Tips for Your First Assistant Director Job Search
Tailor your resume to production scale
List the specific budget ranges, shoot days, and crew sizes you've managed on each project. Hiring producers scan for whether your largest credit matches the scale of their production, so vague credits like 'feature film' undersell your actual experience.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists first assistant director openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Lead with your DGA status prominently
If you hold DGA membership or are in the trainee program, put that above your credits, not buried in a skills section. Many union productions filter candidates before reading further, and non-union productions still treat it as a strong signal of professional experience.
Target openings by production phase
Filter your search by pre-production start dates rather than posting date. First AD roles hired during pre-production offer more scheduling authority and better pay than last-minute production fills, and they're the ones where your breakdown and scheduling skills actually get used.
Prepare a scheduling sample for interviews
Bring a one-page breakdown or strip board excerpt from a past project you can walk through. Interviewers for AD roles care far more about how you think through a complicated day's work than how you answer hypotheticals, so a real example replaces most of the guesswork.
Negotiate rate before you're on set
Lock in your day rate and overtime terms in writing before the first shooting day. Productions frequently expand shoot days or add prep days, and verbal agreements made on set rarely hold once a production is under budget pressure.
First Assistant Director Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most first assistant directors?
Keller Williams Realty, Havtech, and NewTwelve are hiring the most first assistant directors right now, with openings concentrated in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New York, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Production volume in streaming and commercial work continues to drive consistent demand across these employers.
How many first assistant director jobs are remote?
About 25% of first assistant director openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting that most production work requires a physical on-set presence. Remote-eligible roles tend to cluster in pre-production scheduling, virtual production coordination, and post-production planning phases rather than active shooting days.
How do you become a first assistant director?
Most first assistant directors start as production assistants or second second assistant directors, then move up to second AD before reaching the first AD role. Building credits on progressively larger productions, learning to draft professional strip boards and one-liners, and developing strong relationships with production coordinators and UPMs are the practical steps that move a career forward in this path.
How do you get hired as a first assistant director with little experience?
Start by taking second AD or second second AD credits on low-budget independent films, student productions, or non-union commercials where you can prove your scheduling and crew management skills. Focus on building a credit list that shows increasing production size, and get comfortable producing a full breakdown and schedule from a script before you pursue first AD roles.
What does the first assistant director interview process look like?
Most first AD interviews involve an initial call with a producer or UPM focused on your credit history and production scale experience, followed by a deeper conversation about how you approach scheduling, crew communication, and on-set problem-solving. Some productions ask you to walk through a past schedule or describe how you handled a specific day that went off plan, so concrete examples from real shoots carry more weight than general answers.
Where can I find and apply to first assistant director jobs?
You can find and apply to first assistant director jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search for roles that match your production background and experience level, then apply directly to each listing that fits.
See All 29 First Assistant Director Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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