Further Action

Now That I have Graduated with a B.S. in Accounting, What do I do?

When it comes to production accounting, there is a choice to either go the freelance route or work with a production company. Personally, I would go with the production company route just for extra financial stability. However, working free without a production company comes with its pros too. Found on the NAPA website, "freelance production accountants are in complete control of accounting from the start to the end of the project. You work directly with the production company, UPM, line producer, heads of departments, and various other employees to help facilitate the financial health of a film/tv production."

Below I have inserted a graph that demonstrates the pros and cons of PA found on the same website:

Esser, Cheryl. "Freelance vs. Full-Time Production Accounting for Film/Tv." National Association of Production Accountants, National Association of Production Accountants, 6 Mar. 2015, www.napaus.org/new-blog/2015/3/5/freelance-versus-full-time-production-accounting-for-filmtv. 

Where Can I Apply to Work as a PA?

After some google research, I have found multiple local opportunities. At NBC Universal, Netflix, Dreamworks, CBS, and other smaller companies. One of my all-time dream places to work at would be Warner Bros. Ever since I began my interest in the film industry, something about Warner Bros and their aesthetic has stood out to me most. Besides the other companies I found, I found a few off Indeed and Craigslist if you were interested in taking the freelance route.

What is my Plan to Achieve this Path?

After talking to many experienced professionals within the industry I hear that in order to make it into accounting for private companies, it is best to begin with experience within one of the "big four" accounting firms. These include KPMG, Deloitte, EY, or PwC. To get myself involved in a possible internship, I would consider going through meet the firms at the Accounting Association at CSUN. Here, I have heard many students get their foot in the door. Then depending on how I like working for whichever company I may end up working for (most likely in tax), I would like to travel to a private company such as Warner Bros to take on production accounting (beginning with PA assistant roles). And if it does not follow through with making it into the "big four" I will begin to apply right out of college for any production accountant jobs I find. Meanwhile, work to get my CPA.

If you were looking for more advice from a professional, I would highly recommend checking out the following interview found on The Production Guild website from Nathan Woods, a PA for larger movies such as Star Wars and Guardians of the Galaxy. It was interesting to see his perspective of PA and how he favors working for a production company rather than a "big four" as every day is different. Most seem to explain working at a large accounting corporation is not very exciting. However (in my opinion), I find working along set of a TV/movie set and planning out where the budget is limited with the crew and producers seems fun and something I would simply look forward to every day.

Nathan Woods Experience with PA