4. THE CHOSEN, HALLMARK, INDEPENDENT FILMS & EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN

The Book of Mormon Videos marked just the start of my career. From there, I went on to work on a wide range of projects, including commercials, music videos, feature films, and television series, spanning everything from independent productions to large-scale, big-budget projects.

Here are a few projects I’ve had the opportunity to be part of:

THE CHOSEN S4-S6 (UTAH UNIT, 2023-2025)

During season four of The Chosen, I worked in the production department as a production assistant. In season five, I transitioned into the costume department as a costume PA, and by season six I was working as a costumer.

Val, why did you choose to work in different departments? That’s a great question—and I’ll be answering that in blog 5.

BLESSED (OCT 2022 - NOV 2022)

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

SIX DAYS IN AUGUST - FEATURE (OCT 2023)

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT/ KEY SET PA (WINTER UNIT)

ANYWHERE BUT HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS - FEATURE (NOV 2023)

KEY PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

TOO SOON - FEATURE (2024)

KEY PRODUCTION ASSISTANT/ DAY PLAYER 2ND AD

JEZEBEL - CONCEPT VIDEO (JULY 2025)

KEY PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

This overview does not include all of my experience. I have also worked on commercial projects for companies such as UCCU Bank and Blackstone, and I have continued to contribute to productions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, among many others. However, these examples highlight some of my key roles. Over time, I progressed from working as a production assistant to serving as a key production assistant, and on smaller projects I also assumed the duties of a second assistant director.

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What is a key pa?

The key production assistant oversees the entire PA team on set and ensures that each assistant carries out their assigned responsibilities. Typically someone who has worked as a PA for years, the key PA serves as a close support to the 1st AD and supervises PAs as they handle a wide range of tasks throughout the shoot. This role requires a strong understanding of the crew and each PA’s strengths so the right people can be placed in the right positions. The key PA is also responsible for clearly communicating the large amount of information shared at the beginning of each day, such as the shooting plan, departmental needs, actor call times, and where crew members need to be stationed.

In addition to these responsibilities, the key PA manages the distribution and collection of walkie-talkies at the start of the day, coordinates talent movements between trailers, hair and makeup, and set, and assists with talent needs. They also help supervise background performers and oversee set lockdowns by placing PAs at key locations to prevent disruptions once filming begins. Whenever an extra set of hands is required, it’s the key PA’s job to quickly assign a PA where they’re needed most.

IMDb