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Old 05-06-2016, 04:01 PM
 
2 posts, read 3,697 times
Reputation: 10

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Sup yall, so here is the thing, I live in Missouri right now in this small little town and will be moving to columbia Mo here in a few months with the brother while he is going to Mizzou since he doesn't have anyone to live with after freshman year and ive been wanting to live somewhere a little bigger

After he graduates, which it might be like 2.5 years since he got some college credits in high scool, I want to live in California. Missouri does not feel like home to me, yes there is family but I do not like this small town slow pace of life. There is also not much that interests me here, even if I were to go to STL or KC. I've also always lived here and just need a change, I can't stay in the same spot for long. Also not a huge nature, country, or farm person

I've always wanted to visit LA (like almost a lot of people) and I know I want to live in SoCal because of the weather, entertainment part of it, different kinds of people (I know that's everywhere in CA) I also would love to try new foods (mo doesn't have much and I'm not huge on traditional food)

Basically, I'm not sure if I should live right in LA or in sureoung neighborhoods. In super unfamiliar and I will be doing some more research...I just need some tips and other things. I know I don't want to live in Hollywood, it does seem like a huge tourist area and I'm sure I'll visit but I think I would get annoyed

If it helps, I do want to work in entertainment, like behind the camera type stuff (I'll be taking classes in columbia) since I decded that is what I want to do and it's what I've been thinking about for awhile. I'm 23 female, single (not toally looking, if I find a guy, cool) no interest in getting married and not really wanting kids right now. I also would LOVE to try different kinds of food. Like Thai, Indian, Greek, anything

I feel like I will fit better in the concrete jungle and with most of the people in California. Not a lot of people around me like trying new food or other things. I've just been wanting to come to California for awhile and decided I would rather live there

Sorry for it being super long and all over, just needed to get a lot out since I'm not very good at explaining think using fewer words than I just used
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Old 05-06-2016, 04:14 PM
 
Location: Palo Alto, CA
901 posts, read 1,167,624 times
Reputation: 1169
What exactly are you asking? If you're asking about how likely it is that you could move to LA and get entertainment industry jobs like you're talking about, that's one thing. Without connections, industry experience, or big-name universities on your resume, the answer is probably: gonna be very, very tough.

Do you have substantial savings? Do you have an escape plan if it doesn't work out? Do you have friends there?

Are you aware of the costs of LA? Take a look at craigslist.org, Los Angeles and look at rental prices. You will have to be living with other people, and it still won't be that cheap most places.

You need to have your expectations set properly. If you have friends there you can lean on if things get tough, then this can be OK. If you don't, and if money is tight, the potential for this to not turn out well is real. If you have a family back home you can return to, that's good. If you're really on your own, without friends and support in LA......don't do this.
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Old 05-07-2016, 12:29 PM
 
Location: Oroville, California
3,477 posts, read 6,509,336 times
Reputation: 6796
The local entertainment industry in the Los Angeles area is contracting. Lots of location shooting in places like Vancouver, Atlanta, Virginia, Chicago, Portland and New Orleans have been many jobs away from LA. Be prepared with a back up plan because competition is great and the cost of living is quite high compared to MO.
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Old 05-07-2016, 07:16 PM
 
8,390 posts, read 7,641,649 times
Reputation: 11015
Quote:
Originally Posted by DubTron View Post
Sup yall, so here is the thing, I live in Missouri right now in this small little town and will be moving to columbia Mo here in a few months with the brother while he is going to Mizzou since he doesn't have anyone to live with after freshman year and ive been wanting to live somewhere a little bigger

After he graduates, which it might be like 2.5 years since he got some college credits in high scool, I want to live in California.
My advice: Since you'll be so close to Mizzou, enroll yourself in classes and get your degree before you move to California.

If you want to "work in film" in LA, these Mizzou programs might be a starting point: http://catalog.missouri.edu/undergra...-storytelling/
http://catalog.missouri.edu/undergra...e/filmstudies/
http://catalog.missouri.edu/undergra...communication/
https://journalism.missouri.edu/prog...ion-producing/
(But they have other options too).

Or, enroll in a technical/trade school program at a community college to get some technical skills that might be in demand here in California.

If you didn't have the grades or test scores in high school to get into Mizzou, take courses at a community college, do well in them, and then apply to transfer (and there are many other schools besides Mizzou too).

If you already have an undergraduate degree, you can get a masters in film or broadcasting or a related program over the next 2.5 years.

Whatever you do, do not come to California without an education and some proven marketable skills for the California job market.

California is a tough place to survive if you don't have a college degree or at least some proven technical/trade skills that are in demand here. It can be tough here even for college graduates, especially in the entertainment industry.

So, don't just sit around on your butt for the next 3 years waiting to move to California (or to start your life in general). If you REALLY want to move to California (or do anything in life really) then you need to make it happen, and that starts with having a way to support yourself here.

Good luck!

Last edited by RosieSD; 05-07-2016 at 07:34 PM..
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Old 05-07-2016, 07:17 PM
 
4,369 posts, read 3,722,282 times
Reputation: 2479
Expect to pay more for a closet than you would for a mortgage on an acre and a 2000 square foot home

Last edited by Perma Bear; 05-07-2016 at 08:44 PM..
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Old 05-07-2016, 08:37 PM
 
2 posts, read 3,697 times
Reputation: 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by RosieSD View Post
My advice: Since you'll be so close to Mizzou, enroll yourself in classes and get your degree before you move to California.

If you want to "work in film" in LA, these Mizzou programs might be a starting point: BA in Digital Storytelling < University of Missouri
Film Studies < University of Missouri
BA in Communication < University of Missouri
https://journalism.missouri.edu/prog...ion-producing/
(But they have other options too).

Or, enroll in a technical/trade school program at a community college to get some technical skills that might be in demand here in California.

If you didn't have the grades or test scores in high school to get into Mizzou, take courses at a community college, do well in them, and then apply to transfer (and there are many other schools besides Mizzou too).

If you already have an undergraduate degree, you can get a masters in film or broadcasting or a related program over the next 2.5 years.

Whatever you do, do not come to California without an education and some proven marketable skills for the California job market.

California is a tough place to survive if you don't have a college degree or at least some proven technical/trade skills that are in demand here. It can be tough here even for college graduates, especially in the entertainment industry.

So, don't just sit around on your butt for the next 3 years waiting to move to California (or to start your life in general). If you REALLY want to move to California (or do anything in life really) then you need to make it happen, and that starts with having a way to support yourself here.

Good luck!

They aren't school or trade classes per se, but there is a thing in columbia called Columbia Access Television that will teach you filmmaking and everything. I know these classes are hours on end and that what I plan on doing. You are right about living,i sit on my ass too much out here but I do plan on actually going out in Columbia since there are things I can do
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Old 05-07-2016, 10:10 PM
 
8,390 posts, read 7,641,649 times
Reputation: 11015
Quote:
Originally Posted by DubTron View Post
They aren't school or trade classes per se, but there is a thing in columbia called Columbia Access Television that will teach you filmmaking and everything. I know these classes are hours on end and that what I plan on doing. You are right about living,i sit on my ass too much out here but I do plan on actually going out in Columbia since there are things I can do
Do you have a Masters degree? A Bachelors degree? An Associates?

Those are the first questions you will be asked when applying for jobs here in California.

When you apply for "film work" in LA, you will be competing against THOUSANDS of talented people who can answer "yes, I do" (and often they will have Masters degrees from top film programs, like NYU, UCLA, USC, etc.) Many will also be able to show resumes with internships that they got through their film programs, or extensive professional demo reels.

A few ad hoc courses through some community access TV station that no one out here has heard of and a "do it yourself" reel is not going to get you a job in the film industry. (I looked at CATs courses on their site - they are more like "starter" courses for people who want to make videos as a hobby rather than actual training for real jobs in LA).

Apply to Mizzou and get an actual degree in their excellent programs. If you want to do take the CAT stuff, you can do that while working on your degree.

OR apply to another school, perhaps an accredited college with a film program here in California like Chapman, Loyola Marymount, Cal State Long Beach, USC, UCSB. If you already have your bachelor's degree (you may, and just haven't said so) then apply to one of the film MFA programs to get your training and make industry contacts. There are other strong film programs, and not just in California. The better film programs will help you land internships and prepare to apply for jobs. Make sure that any school you consider is regionally accredited (in other words, not a "for profit" school like Full Sail or others whose educational quality is worthless).

IF you are really serious about working in the entertainment industry, you'll be willing to put in the work for a degree, starting from whatever educational level you've already obtained. While you're working on your degree, save up some cash, and visit LA and California (maybe do a road trip with your brother) or even better, get an internship in the entertainment industry for a summer, so you can start building a resume of work experience.

Oh, and even with more education, you'll still need a back up plan --- work skills for a day job to tide you over while you're waiting for your big break into the industry. There are lots of waitress jobs in LA, but it''s hard to pay LA area rents on a waitress job.

In life, what separates those that live their dreams from those that just dream is the effort they're willing to put into turning a dream into reality.

Good luck!

Last edited by RosieSD; 05-07-2016 at 11:09 PM..
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Old 05-07-2016, 10:18 PM
 
Location: TOVCCA
8,452 posts, read 15,038,253 times
Reputation: 12532
Try Chicago. Plenty of exotic restaurants, less expensive, a film industry, not a "tourist area," and a lot closer.
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Old 05-07-2016, 11:12 PM
 
8,390 posts, read 7,641,649 times
Reputation: 11015
Quote:
Originally Posted by nightlysparrow View Post
Try Chicago. Plenty of exotic restaurants, less expensive, a film industry, not a "tourist area," and a lot closer.
Chicago is a good suggestion.

But, she'll still need some sort of formal education. Taking a couple of 4-hour courses at a community access TV station won't get you a job operating a camera on a movie set, nor will it help you land a good day job in a places like LA, Chicago, etc. while you wait for your big break.

The community access TV courses won't hurt, and may help her decide if video production is interesting to her, but they alone won't be enough to land a job that pays enough to support herself in a major city.

If Chicago interests her, DePaul University and Columbia College in Chicago both have decent film degree programs at the bachelor and masters levels. Loyola University might have something too - not sure.

Last edited by RosieSD; 05-07-2016 at 11:25 PM..
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Old 05-08-2016, 01:00 PM
 
17,815 posts, read 25,630,189 times
Reputation: 36278
Quote:
Originally Posted by BeauCharles View Post
The local entertainment industry in the Los Angeles area is contracting. Lots of location shooting in places like Vancouver, Atlanta, Virginia, Chicago, Portland and New Orleans have been many jobs away from LA. Be prepared with a back up plan because competition is great and the cost of living is quite high compared to MO.
Not quite true about the filming moving out of LA. A week doesn't go by where I don't see film crews. While it had been over the last few years, it has turned around. There is a lot of filming going on. Fliming has actually been on the increase and has been reported on the local news, but you would have to live in LA to know that.

But unless you know someone, it's almost impossible to get these jobs.

The OP hasn't even visited CA so they have no idea what CA is like. They need to visit first before even thinking about moving.
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