Thursday, April 06, 2006

"Go West, young man."

So I did.

I find it strange that over two weeks have already passed since I embarked on my journey to Los Angeles. It seems like a dream.

The plan was simple. In three days, meet with existing and potential contacts, pitch my work, build relationships. A preliminary scouting mission to see what I was getting into.

Now, this was my first time in L.A., my first time in California. I don’t have an agent, I don’t have a manager, I don’t know anyone based in Los Angeles other than a few fellow bloggers. So I was quite pleased that folks like Matt Smith of Weed Road Pictures, Ben Tyson of FOX TV (comedy), and Kevin McNamara of Sunset Pictures agreed to meet with me. All were very generous with their time and defied the stereotypes I’d heard and read about. I laughed to myself, though, as I sat down on, was swallowed in, the Proverbial Couch of Unending Softness.

L.A., too, was not the horror show I’d been led to expect. Sure, the traffic was heavy (though the drivers were more laid back than their East Coast counterparts), the women carried little dogs and exuded a suppressed desperation, and parking rules made no sense (thank you so much, City of West Hollywood).

But if you’re thinking about “some day” making the move to L.A., I highly recommend a trip like this. There was magic in seeing the big Hollywood letters. Standing in the Pacific Ocean at Santa Monica. Walking about the Warner Brothers lot. Witnessing the 500,000-person protest in downtown L.A. Experiencing Gregory Colbert’s Ashes and Snow exhibit at the Nomadic Museum by Santa Monica Pier.

Upon my return, I was asked if I had anything to show for the trip other than good feelings. The answer is yes, but that would be telling.

3 Comments:

Blogger Thomas Crymes said...

I thought I had posted something here, but I guess I didn't.

Sounds like a great first step. Best way to not be intimidated by something is to face it. If you get by without crapping your pants, you're ahead of the game.

1:52 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

was this just a scope meeting for a project or are you going to make the actual move to LA?

8:13 AM  
Blogger Ryan Rasmussen said...

Moviequill: Yes.

9:09 AM  

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