The
LA
Internship
(Reprinted
February 2009. Please adjust cost estimates accordingly.)
If you are planning to seek full-time work in Los Angeles after
college, you can benefit by doing a summer internship there. The
practical work experience and the networking will contribute greatly
to your full-time prospects after graduation. Call anybody working in
the industry today for advice on internships and they will tell you to
do one if at all possible.
Finances
Let’s face it, the biggest obstacle to an entertainment
internship is the money. That’s because most internships in the
industry are unpaid. A few offer a free meal at lunch, some offer a
small stipend at the end of the internship and one or two offer
minimum wage usually for an entertainment accounting or finance
related internship. So the vast majority offer zero financial
compensation.
That means an out of town student who wants to intern in Los
Angeles has to come up with some money in order to make that happen.
How much money depends on how long the internship lasts and what type
of housing is involved.
If you expect to go it alone, we estimate a minimum cost of
about $2,000.00 a month. This does not include transportation to and
from Los Angeles, insurance, miscellaneous or unexpected expenses.
It’s just the basics: housing, food and gas money.
Housing is the single most expensive component for the
out-of-towner. We estimate an average of $1,500 to $2,500 a month. A
roommate or two would help to reduce this expense particularly if you
opt for temporary apartment housing.
Transportation costs depend on the size of your car and its
fuel efficiency. At current prices, expect to pay about $50.00 to fill
up a small car. You can stretch your budget if you don’t do a
lot of driving outside of work but as an out-of-towner in LA that’s
probably not going to happen.
Food is a good budget stretcher. You may get a free meal at
work (many production companies work through lunch) and some housing
options (see below) offer meals as well. And of course, you can always
pick the summer to diet.
Get
The Internship
If the finances haven’t scared you off yet, chances are you
may already have an internship lined up in LA. If not, there’s still
time to look and there are plenty of places to search. However, you
will probably have the additional expense of round-trip airfare or at
least gas money to do an interview run with potential employers.
Internships are offered by almost every company involved in the
entertainment industry. Many of the larger companies, the studios and
large production companies, offer internships in practically every
department.
Start your search with your school’s career center and expand
from there to the Internet and publications. The Entertainment
Employment Journal online maintains an ongoing database of
entertainment industry internships. Check with your school for access.
Another avenue is cold calling. Many companies offer
internships but don’t do the best job of promoting them. A simple
call can verify if a firm offers internships and if so, how to apply
for them. Use industry directories as a source for cold calling.
Once you’ve secured your internship, planning for your
temporary living arrangements should be a top priority.
Housing
There are a variety of options available for the out-of-town
intern. Know exactly where you will be working (street address, city,
nearest freeways, etc.) before you make a commitment to housing.
Ideally you will want to live as close as possible to your place of
work.
Alumni: Some schools have set up alumni networks that
help students doing out-of-town internships. The help can range from
general advice to leads on available rooms for rent. Check with your
film school or university career center to see if such a network is in
place.
Apartments: Apartments generally require long-term
leases. There are some apartments that lease month-to-month.
Subletting may be an option. Check local papers for real estate
listings.
Family: A good place to start looking for housing leads
is with your own relatives. Don’t be short sighted and focus just on
your immediate family. Ask cousins, second cousins, any relative you
can think of. They may know someone in California that might just be
willing to rent you a room or maybe even host you for free.
Network: Ask around, someone you go to school with might
be from the LA area or know someone who is. Consider partnering up
with someone from your school who is also interested in doing an
internship in LA.
Temporary Apartment Housing: Temporary housing is
available from companies such as Oakwood Worldwide (323-878-2100)
which provide short-term executive housing. Studios can start at
$2,550.00 per month and include furnishings, linens and kitchen
utensils. Prices are subject to
change so call for current pricing.
UCLA: UCLA, centrally located in west LA, offers summer
housing for visiting students. Housing is available from June 21
through September 11. The campus is beautiful and the rates are
reasonable. Prices range from approximately $1,601.00 up to $5,600.00
depending on the length of stay (min. 6 weeks) and the number of meals
you want provided. A letter is required from your employer to verify
your internship. Contact UCLA housing at (310) 206-7011 for more
information and to obtain an application. Space is available on a
first come first served basis so call soon.
Prices are subject to change so call
for current pricing.
University Programs: Some out-of-state universities have
set up internship programs in Los Angeles especially for their
students. These programs have negotiated special rates for housing and
in some cases car rentals. Check with your school to see if such a
program exists.
Transportation
The city of Los Angeles is spread out over 465 square miles.
When you consider that it can take over two hours by bus and train to
go from west LA to Burbank, you realize you don’t have time for
public transportation. The entertainment industry is famous for
unpredictable and long hours. A car is essential and most companies
require interns to have one.
Before you drive out, have a good mechanic check out your
engine. You will likely be spending a lot of time on one or more of
LA’s numerous freeways and you don’t want to suffer a automobile
break down on any of them.
And don’t forget the air conditioning. Unless your internship
is in Santa Monica, Malibu, or the west Los Angeles area, LA gets hot
in the summer. The hottest is the San Fernando Valley where many of
the major studios, television networks and production companies are
located. Temperatures in places like Burbank can hover over a 100
degrees on some days. Make sure your air conditioning works great. You
don’t want to show up for your first day hot, sweaty and smelly.
Finally, go over your insurance policy. Make sure it’s up to
date and verify if you have rental coverage in the event you need it.
You might also want to consider a membership in AAA or a similar auto
club.
Any way you look at it, a summer internship in Los Angeles is a
big investment so make sure you get the internship before you start to
spend the money.
But if it is something you can swing through generous parents,
a rich uncle or even your own savings it is well worth it. The
experience alone will last you a lifetime. The exposure to the
industry will look great on your resume. And the contacts you make may
go a long way to getting your foot in the door once you graduate.
