The Art Of Moving To L.A.

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  • #31
    Re: Tuesday

    Bring a vehicle. Not having a car in LA sucks! I know, I went without one for a year. I went to an early meeting at Disney in Burbank, via Sherman Oaks. I got to the gate and they told me my meeting was postponed. Thank God I had a car! If I had to bus it, man, what a bitch that would have been!

    Having a car also allows you to enjoy LA. Think about it, you're living in the crappy section of Hollywood, and you're having a bad day. Low on money. The script you have so much hope for is getting nothing but passes. You're bummed!... So you drive out to Malibu and sit on the pier, or the beach at Paradise Cove. It's a beautiful day, and that other idea you had for a movie comes into your mind. The suicidal tendencies begin to lift, and you realise what a great place this can be. Because if there's nothing else out here, there's always hope...

    Now if you had to bus it to the ocean? The news headline might read;

    "WANNA-BE SCREENWRITER TAKES HOSTAGES ON MTA BUS ON 10 FREEWAY... NEWS AT 11"

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    • #32
      Re: Tuesday

      Having a car in LA is one more way to want you to commit suicide. Because driving in LA sucks like nobody's business.

      Traffic is always bad. No one knows how to drive. Everyone's on their cell phone.

      As for jobs...try this site:

      www.ihatemylife.us/jobs.html

      It's a decent resource for how to hustle work in LA.

      No idea how current any of the info is.

      As for a good place to live? It's all relative to where you want to work and where you want to play. And how often you want to get robbed.

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      • #33
        Re: Tuesday

        Willoughby, where are you coming from? Where are you staying when you arrive? What field are you in job-wise?

        If you don't have a place yet, check craigslist and/or join Westside Rentals to find one, although you'll discover it's a challenge unless you have a job.

        Put your resume up on Monster once you get here. If it's a good resume, recruiters will be getting in touch with you, usually about temp or temp-to-perm positions. Answering job ads on Monster is pretty pointless. I still do it, but I've never had any luck with them. But recruiters do look at the resumes.

        Also check craigslist for jobs, you're more likely to get responses when you apply for positions you find there, at least in my experience. Just don't apply for any in my field.

        There are a ton of temp agencies. I recommend checking job listings in your field and seeing how many are listed by temp agencies (in my field it was a lot) (and try CareerBuilder for that, that's about all it's good for), then contact those temp agencies first when you arrive.

        I just moved out here about a month ago, so I'm probably going through or have gone through pretty much what you'll be going through. PM me if you want more info.

        Oh, and depending on where you're coming from, you may not find the traffic is that bad. Yeah, it sucks, but to me it feels pretty much like home.

        Oh, and as far as driving down to the ocean when you've got the blues about your screenwriting career and all, it'll take you forever to get there and the price of gas is sky-high, so... not always a pick-me-up.

        One more thing. Budget for parking expenses, if you haven't already.

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        • #34
          Tuesday

          I'm coming from the Mid-West, so it'll be quite a drive. I used to check Craigslist all the time, but people wanted to meet me before saying anything for sure, and I can't fault them for it. So I'll probably move into a hostel for at least the first week and see how it goes from there.

          LA is more green than I thought, and I get more out of trees than I do from the ocean, so as long as there are a few trees in the general area, I'll be fine.

          Temping sounds good as I may be shooting an indie short back home in June, so temp jobs for the first few months might help me make contacts and check out the job scene before making any commitments (assuming anyone wants any of me). Also, my ex may want to take me on an all expense paid trip to Stratford this fall, so temping until I find something tempting is the plan so far.

          I'm hoping the traffic will be more of a pain than a risk to life and limb. I did a 45-min each way commute for more than a year so my real concern is fending off crazy speed demons while figuring out what lane to be in (yes, I already have Thomas Guide).

          How are things working out for you, Raven?

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          • #35
            Tuesday

            Oh, and my field is in film and tv production. I have a degree in that from Boston U. I've directed a piece for the Boston First Night celebrations starring poet Frank Bidart (which may or may not have aired on PBS) and assistant-produced two more for the same client with Derek Walcott and Donald Hall.

            I interned with the reality show Earth 2000 in London were I assisted Sir Timothy Ackroyd with the casting process. My tasks included creating a searchable index of video footage of our potential cast members. In my gap year I spent six months as an office junior at the American Council on International Studies (London) and taught English in rural Tanzania.

            I spent three years at BU working in the media library (creating another searchable video index and assisting professors with maximizing the experience of media in their classrooms) and am a certified Irish whiskey taster.

            Is that your field? ;-)

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            • #36
              Re: Tuesday

              If you like palm trees, you'll be fine. Personally I love them.

              You don't have to worry about fending off speed demons when you're creeping along at 2 mph. But when traffic is moving I probably qualify as a speed demon myself.

              I've had a few setbacks since I got here, but overall things are going pretty well so far.

              Best of luck to you with your move.

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              • #37
                Re: Tuesday

                P.S. Nope, I'm in Human Resources. So we're safe.

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                • #38
                  This is kind of a stupid question, but I'm moving to LA soon, too, and am wondering if I should change my cell phone number to an LA number? Will potential employers, apartment renters and/or roommates call you back with a non-LA number? Also, which area code is better to have -- 310 or 323 ... or doesn't it matter? Personally, I like 310.

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                  • #39
                    I didn't change mine, and I haven't had a problem. A few people have asked me what area code that is, and I just tell them it's my cell. Your street address is the main thing.

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                    • #40
                      Willoughby,

                      there's so many places to live. you can always choose, marina/venice/santa monica because with the "June Gloom" and marine layers we don't get much sun in the mornings.

                      a car helps. i came from the midwest as well. hook up with classes as soon as you can, it helps in meeting people. (think about getting your mfa, i know first hand, UCLA has a great MFA program).

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                      • #41
                        This is kind of a stupid question, but I'm moving to LA soon, too, and am wondering if I should change my cell phone number to an LA number? Will potential employers, apartment renters and/or roommates call you back with a non-LA number? Also, which area code is better to have -- 310 or 323 ... or doesn't it matter? Personally, I like 310.
                        310 all the way baby!

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                        • #42
                          I would consider getting a local cellphone, too.

                          The great advantage you have in the USA is that your landline numbers and cellphone numbers are indistingushible from each other.

                          Get yourself a local phone number and, at least judging from the number on your business card, you are a local. Doesn't matter if you live in Ventura County (as I did last time I was in the good old U.S.A. )

                          You don't even have to get a phone. All you need is a new sim card.

                          Last time I was in L.A., I bought a cheap simcard for 20 dollars, and was able to choose exaclty the area code I wanted (I insisted on Beverly Hills to the amusement of everyone present )

                          Of course, the great disadvantage of the US cellphone system is that you have to pay even to receive calls! What's that about?! It means you get through your pre-paid credit very, very fast, even if you never make a call! :\

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                          • #43
                            well

                            I just have to say, THE MARINA SUCKS!!!!!!
                            I'm finally out and verrrrrrrrry glad.
                            it really, really sucks!!!

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                            • #44
                              Area Code

                              562 is the new 310. Everyone who's anyone has a 562 area code.

                              Kidding ;-)

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