I am a 20 year old double major in Business and Film at USC. I love being on the Batman sets and spying to get pictures because it is a blast. And ya, PAs are losers in my opinion. I know what their job is, and SOME of them are cool. But for the most part, they just lie and tell you they have the right to kick you out and prevent you from taking pictures. They also lie about their jobs. They are just freelancers trying to get into production. They have no involvment with the actual studio and shoot, they just know someone and was able to get hired for a shoot and get paid by the hour to "lock things" up. They basically do ***** work.
God, what a waste your degree's gonna be b/c you'll have absolutely no future in this industry with that elitist attitude. Such are most USC students, thus why no one's hiring them as much anymore...
Honestly dude, not even being sarcastic, I have seen so many film school graduates crash and burn and RUIN themselves because they think they are above PA work or interning. Those PA's are busting their butts -- yes as freelancers -- so they can network and pay the bills, and can sustain themselves and industry-related momentum while they're out here. It's casting a wide net. You could be on set as a PA and then get picked up.
For example, an A-list director I know of, the current head of this director's production company, the person in charge of helping the director choose the projects, receives producer credit on all projects, and overseas the projection, started as PA on one of that director's films, ironically a superhero film. Or another example, Kevin Feige -- the current head of Marvel Studios, was a lowly assistant on X2. The producer of Captain America, Marvel's total point person on that film after which the cafe at the end was named, started as a PA on Marvel's out-liscened films, became Feige's 2nd assistant, and now just produced and helped develop Captain America.
You never know who you'll impress, meet, or befriend on a set, and who that person may know, etc. etc.