So, today was rather uneventful. I met Melissa McCarthy, Billy Gardell, and the rest of the wonderful cast of "Mike and Molly," held an Emmy, met the producer of Natural Born Killers (who got in a fight with Quentin Tarantino), talked with people that have the power to give me an internship, and a couple other things...yeah, all in all, today wasn't all that special.

We started off at the Jim Hensen studios, where we talked to Don Murphy, who produced Natural Born Killers, Transformers, Real Steel, and other films. What a guy. Wow. The main piece of advice he had for us was just to know what we want to do, know why we want to do it, and believe in it. That is such a huge thing. We've been told my so many people that LA can be a tough place, so we really just have to believe in what we're doing. He also told us a story about this guy he knew when he was done with college, who had scripts, who sold Don the script for Killers, and that guy turned out to be Quentin Tarantino. The big lesson in that is to pay attention to the people you're with, and keep in touch with your fellow alumni. You never know, they might be the next Tarantino.

At the Academy for Television Arts and Sciences, we spoke with the woman in charge of the internship program. She was so much more helpful in telling us what they'd be looking for in an application than everyone else. Don't get me wrong, we've gotten some really solid advice, but she told us exactly what they'd be looking for. Here's a little list of the most common pieces of advice we've been getting as far as resumes, what internship coordinators are looking for, and tips for moving out here to LA. Pay attention, now.

What they're looking for when reviewing your internship application:

• Drive. You have to be a go-getter.
• Being able to multi-task is a huge plus.
• You HAVE to have a car.
• Hustle and brains. You have to be able to figure out problems as fast as possible.

Tips and tricks for success in the industry:

• If you have experience in the service industry, put that on your resume. Even if it's not production experience, that still shows that you can multi-task and work with people
• Have as much production experience as possible. Know every other person's job, what they do, why it's important. 
• Reinvent yourself every few years. If you're doing the same job the same way after five years, you're out.
• Never stop learning. The moment you stop learning, you stop improving, and then it's just a matter of WHEN you're out of the business.
• Know what's going on in the industry. 
• KNOW THE NAME OF THE CEO OF THE COMPANY YOU'RE APPLYING AT.
• DON'T BE AFRAID TO SAY YOU DON'T KNOW SOMETHING. Ask as many questions as you can. 

Information about LA:

• You HAVE TO BE OUT HERE to get a job out here. Production companies will hire someone less suited for the job than you if they're in LA and you're in Ohio.
• Have at least $3,000 saved up when you move out here. 
• Then, get a job immediately. It won't be the job you want, but you need to pay the bills. You're probably going to be working more than one job, so get one right away.
• Your first job in the industry is going to be a dirty job. It's definitely not going to be the one you want, but make sure it's close to where you want to go. That way, you can meet people, and learn a thing or two about what you want to do. 
• YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CAR. There's no way around that.
• You need to have some sort of life outside of your jobs. That's the only way you'll stay sane. Go see a show, go ride your bike or hike in the mountains, DO SOMETHING.

These things I've listed are things that almost everyone we have talked to has said. The fact that so many different people, in so many different positions, have said the same thing makes me think that maybe there's something in what they're saying. Maybe, just maybe, they know what's up. If there is one thing that is stressed more than anything else, though, I'd have to say it's networking. Absolutely everyone has said that you need to make connections. That's what internships are for. That's what the alumni association out here is for. That's what friends are for. To give you an idea, every single OU alum we've talked to has offered their couch to crash on for a few weeks. They know what it's like to move out here, and they're willing to help in any way they can, whether it's giving us a place to stay for a while, or getting us a job with their company. The bridges we're building this week will last a long time.