Getting jobs in Entertainment, where should I move? (Pasadena, Westwood: cheap apartment, live)

[NickelDime]

bledsoe - from SCV, you can hit Burbank in 30 mins. 45 in traffic. that's in a car. you can also do public transit, which would be faster on metrolink. Burbank and the Valley have a significant density of jobs in your field. Good luck.

[c.bledsoejr]

Yeah. That's not bad. I forgot about the Commonwealth Studios project in Moorpark. That sounds amazing. I'll have to get on someone's good side right? haha.

I'm actually visiting down there in about 2 weeks. I should do a test drive.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by c.bledsoejr

Yeah. That's not bad. I forgot about the Commonwealth Studios project in Moorpark. That sounds amazing. I'll have to get on someone's good side right? haha.

I'm actually visiting down there in about 2 weeks. I should do a test drive.

now you are thinking, go down to the area, do some investigating, look around and then decide if this is the time to make the jump.

Nita

[sarahkate_m]

Originally Posted by c.bledsoejr

Thanks that's actually really helpful. Her parents offered us their poolhouse, but it's pretty small, and I'm so SPOILED with my own space, but if it means saving money while I DON'T have a job that might be a good idea, and I can use that as my resume address. I know they do TONS of filming in Santa Clarita (wipeout, anyone?) I just dont know how much audio is in it for me, but every team needs an entry level guy...

Santa Clarita seems to be pretty far though, I suppose what I'm saying is I'm trying to find something centrally located so I'm always in a good position for a good gig if I need to commute. I like Santa Clarita, but it's extremely cookie cutter and culturally dry as I like to put it.

So what about Pasedena? I've actually been recommended by a few people that I may like that area so I'm curious.

you can keep stuff elsewhere (maybe storage and then reality will bite)

i think the pool house sounds wonderful. take a little minimalist break. it'll be refreshing. banning clutter for awhile is like a vacation.

kate

[c.bledsoejr]

Oh I feel you on that one. My girlfriend and I share a small Public Storage unit already, we both feel cluttered in this studio already. She has a lot of furniture and sewing stuff. So that might be a good idea, upgrade to a bigger storage, de-clutter for a bit, and see where we are with that. She a actually told me the poolhouse is probably the same size as our studio now, maybe a foot or two narrower. We'd just have to go inside for kitchen/bathroom.

[Domsey]

You sound like the kind of guy who'd like to hit the town every once in a while, shake the creases out of your clothes, get a drink at a dive bar, maybe sing some karaoke, and then wash it down with Texas cheese fries at Chili's. Try the Miracle Mile or Koreatown. Both relatively central, safe, with a lot to do.

If you live in any other part of Oakland than the hils/Lake Merritt/Jack London Square, you will also find that Echo Park and Angeleno Heights are comparable in terms of saftey, are cheaper to live in, very central, and are laden with musicians and artists.

You can get a decent 1-br in any of these areas for $1000-$1300, and you can always move after a year if it's too far from work, or if you need more pace.

Don't move into the inlaws' pool house. As a 21- 22-year-old you will hate your life. It will be Chili's every night. No opportunity for networking, passing creatively-pressed business cards to your peers over a late-night pool game, etc. If you go bust, maybe move to Santa Clarita and start over.

Donate all the crap you don't need and get down here. You will get a job, just like the rest of us. Then you'll wish you had a different job. But one step at a time.

[c.bledsoejr]

Originally Posted by Domsey

You sound like the kind of guy who'd like to hit the town every once in a while, shake the creases out of your clothes, get a drink at a dive bar, maybe sing some karaoke, and then wash it down with Texas cheese fries at Chili's. Try the Miracle Mile or Koreatown. Both relatively central, safe, with a lot to do.

If you live in any other part of Oakland than the hils/Lake Merritt/Jack London Square, you will also find that Echo Park and Angeleno Heights are comparable in terms of saftey, are cheaper to live in, very central, and are laden with musicians and artists.

You can get a decent 1-br in any of these areas for $1000-$1300, and you can always move after a year if it's too far from work, or if you need more pace.

Don't move into the inlaws' pool house. As a 21- 22-year-old you will hate your life. It will be Chili's every night. No opportunity for networking, passing creatively-pressed business cards to your peers over a late-night pool game, etc. If you go bust, maybe move to Santa Clarita and start over.

Donate all the crap you don't need and get down here. You will get a job, just like the rest of us. Then you'll wish you had a different job. But one step at a time.

Haha! Thanks for your advice, you sound like someone I know and hit a couple points pretty well. I'll visit the areas you mentioned and see if thats somewhere I'd like to spend my time. I definitely need to be in an area where I can network and meet people, grab a (root)beer or two and just have a good time. Jobs are available, it just depends on the location and who can be the first to hook me up (and trust that I can get the job done)! Always a catch 22 when trying to get noticed.

I had a friend who moved down there, a pretty bright and talented audio engineer, and got a couple of post production gigs pretty quickly. Flying out home he met a couple of special well respected live engineers and got hooked up pretty good. I wouldn't say luck, but definitely in the right place at the right time! That's why this decision is very important to me, so I know Im in the right place. And comfortable living a good portion of my younger years there.

[svedka]

Try Silver Lake, it's between hollywood and downtown. Or West Hollywood. In west hollywood you can find 2bd for about $1600-1700. 1bd - $1300 The economy is bad, so you can always negotiate your rent or get free 1st month.
If you're getting jobs in entertaiment do not move to Van Nuys, Burbank or Pasadena! Not insparational and boring! By the way, a lot of people don't know, but Pasadena is actually more expensive than West Hollywood, BH or Westwood.

Good Luck!

[c.bledsoejr]

Originally Posted by svedka

Try Silver Lake, it's between hollywood and downtown. Or West Hollywood. In west hollywood you can find 2bd for about $1600-1700. 1bd - $1300 The economy is bad, so you can always negotiate your rent or get free 1st month.
If you're getting jobs in entertaiment do not move to Van Nuys, Burbank or Pasadena! Not insparational and boring! By the way, a lot of people don't know, but Pasadena is actually more expensive than West Hollywood, BH or Westwood.

Good Luck!

I'll keep that in mind. Ive never explored burbank or Pasedena besides flying in there (and the disney studios), but I was recommended that I check out it out since it may not be such a far commute into LA if that was I was looking for. I'll put Silver Lake on my list of places to visit!

[uptown_urbanist]

Parts of Pasadena are more expensive than parts of WH, BH, or Westwood, but it's not an across-the-board thing. Pasadena has a wide range of housing options and prices, from fairly cheap apartments to multi-million dollar mansions. I wouldn't say Pasadena is boring, either. It's probably better for those a little older or those not interested in the trendiest younger oriented clubs and bars, but it's certainly not boring, and a lot of people working in the industry do live there.