What kind of work are you looking for to start? Forgive my ignorance about your mad skillz, but I know next to nothing about the film industry. I do know someone who has worked as a producer for HBO and has done post production for feature films. His last gig was John from Cincinnati. Can’t make any promises on his behalf, but I can at least pass on your name.

Stacie

Source: http://johnaugust.com/

Three blog readers took me up on my offer and joined the picket line at Paramount. In chatting with them about their hopes, fears and immediate plans, I formulated some on-the-fly advice about what I’d do if I were a recent college graduate hoping for a career in Hollywood.

1.

It’s not a great time to move to Los Angeles. The classic entry-level jobs — assistants and PA’s — will be hard to come by in a few weeks as production companies and agencies are forced to lay off people.
2.

If you’re already here, it might be worth looking for a generic job sooner rather than later, since things like Barnes and Noble might fill up quickly. Writers and laid-off assistants will be aiming for those same jobs.
3.

While it’s a bad time to be looking for work in the entertainment industry, election season is ramping up. Recent college graduates are always welcome on political campaigns. It’s an amazing, exhausting experience — and you could do it in any state in the country. (Thanks to Matt for this suggestion.)
4.

You’ll never meet as many writers as you can during the strike. For a change, everyone is out of their office and out of their cars. Get to know some film and TV writers and talk to them about their work. It’s especially good to talk with writers who are at the lowest rungs, to see how they got started and what the challenges are.

So… staying in Seattle?

Rich

Still, the US$ is on parity with CAN$. The Canadian film industry is in chaos, at war with itself with one half wanting to imitate US culture and the other half attempting to making Canadiene-style product that is so cliche’d it’s laughable.

A northern market with money but no talent looking to break into the southern market that has no money but talent.

Albeit talent that can’t tame itself.

We will continue the good fight here, comrade. All our hopes go with you southward, hope you find what you need down there. If anyone deserves a good break it is you.

We in the next generation wish you all the best, you have taught us much- Don’t trust the locals for funding, don’t trust the locals for logistical help, don’t trust the locals for anything other that a snort and a laugh.

Trust that the locals who will help you will need help themselves and in that respect it should be noted that we are all doing this on a wing and a prayer. That is what makes a great film community. One where we make the rules on our own accord. Because we don’t have a budget nor a talent pool worthy of the big boys. We work with what we got and it’s up to the guys in charge to make it work and if they can’t than in what sense do we have a film community.

I hope you bring something back from LA that the locals here can use because I, for one, am sick of the small town mentality in this big town full of talented people who can’t get past their own ego’s or ideas that need a second or third going over before commiting to public record.

We few will continue to try and try not to fail. Here, in the rainy city up north. Don’t forget us.

Because we can’t forget what we want most- “I work in film, for a living.”

Later

I hope your trip to LA works out. I’d call it a move, but you’ll be back and with those all-important LA credentials.