You made the move out to Los Angeles? Way to go! Me too! Do you have an internship lined up? Oh, that's awesome! You're hoping that will turn into a job? That's adorable, but statistically unlikely!

There is the occasional internship turned assistant job, and for those of you that see that happen, congratulations. That is truly awesome. The rest of us though, are suddenly going to find ourselves without employment. Of course, it's not really that sudden, since most internships don't pay, but that's beside the point. Where do we find work?

1. The Internet

BANKS AND MONEY
Everybody wants your income to outgo... to them.
But where are you gonna keep it?
There are plenty of options. Here's my list:

Apartment? Check. Map? Check. Parking spot? Check. Now it's time to head on over to your (probably rented) fridge and... wait a minute. You don't have any food. And where are all the cool shops you've heard of? It's time to go

SHOPPING (STORES AND THEATERS)

You've gotta eat and drink and shop, right? (Well, maybe that last one's not a "need.") Here's the lowdown on all the major stores and offerings in town (there are more, but I don't get out as much as I used to):

So you kinda know your way around town now. You've driven up to the Griffith Observatory, found the Happy Days house, and even discovered just how small the Oscar walk is on Hollywood Boulevard. Boy, it would be nice to actually put your car somewhere, right?

Alrighty. Now that you've got a place to stay, be it a couch, a futon, or a cardboard box on the corner, it's time to start exploring.

LA is huge, and it's hard to get your head around it. Here's my little guide to pockets of LA where I've been. This is by no means comprehensive, and everyone you meet will have their own take on it, but here's my two cents.

Before I left FSU, I asked a visiting filmmaker from LA really important questions. Not about directing or producing, or how to get my first job, but about the basic stuff of life. Like how much is a gallon of milk? How do I find the cheapest apartment? Where do I park?

If you're anything like me, when you first arrive in Los Angeles out of film school you'll be completely overwhelmed. Cars, parking, apartments, stores, banks, maps, freeways... it's too much to take in. Here's some of what I've learned after being here for 5 long years. I hope it helps.