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Moving to NYC, need some advice!

A

Archaic

I just graduated from college and I am moving to NYC for a year long unpaid internship as a junior assistant. I'm 29 and feel that I'm unprepared for this internship. I have a few ideas of what my work life may be like tasks and such, but I'm insecure that I won't fit into the culture. Anyone give any incite to what my life might look like once I move to the city in 2 weeks? Like the post production house that I'll be interning at. What is the attitude or mojo working in a creative environment like this? People friendly or stressed, constructive or fierce? What should my attitude be as a junior assistant? Anyone have any experiences with being a junior assistant working your way up to assistant editor to editor?

I guess I'm nervious about the internship and want to get the right mindset before I start. Want to be as prepared as can be.

Any thoughts, comments, advice? Thanks!!
 
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Have you at least visited NYC before? Depending on where you're coming from it might or might not be a pretty massive culture shock.

The competition for jobs can be pretty fierce though, lots of people wanting to live in New York and only so many openings. Plus you have the obscene costs of living.
 
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Is it full time? Do you have a paying job there at all..? I guess my concern would be how do you live for a year in NYC (or anywhere for that matter) full time without any money coming in.
 
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Please watch the first season of Girls, that will teach you all you need to know.

I'm sure you'll have a great time. Yes, it's expensive and competitive but living in a major world city has so many advantages and if you're interested in film and culture it'll be an amazing experience.
 
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xY7pkh-GJH4

Do you know how to make coffee? Yes? You'll be fine.

Just kidding. I have no clue what to expect; I've never done it. I do think you'll be fine, though. It ain't rocket surgery. Best of luck! :D
 
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Archaic said:
My parents are graciously helping me financially
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Just remember that in NYC it is ungodly expensive to do anything.

Get a MetroCard and learn the subway system.

Radiate confidence, even if you are not.

Keep your wallet in your front pocket.

After two weeks you'll fit in like you've always lived there.
 
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NYC is high octane stress. Everyone wants things done yesterday. Everyone wants to be first. It is over populated with dense crowds you constantly have to break through. Too many stressed people are ready to pick fights.

Looking in the suburbs for a place to live. The rent in Manhattan is for millionaires. Even the suburbs are getting too expensive.

Good Luck!
 
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You'll have to find out for yourself how the people are.
Show that you want to learn things, be yourself and be positive.

Everybody experiences things like this differently.

I recently read that unpaid internships aren't allowed anymore??
 
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Thanks everyone!! I'm sure things will work out, I 'm just nervious like anyone would be. I'm not sure about that thing with internships having to pay the internee. The boss I'll be interning for said that it wasn't going to be a paid internship, which is alright with me.
 
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Wow, a year long, unpaid internship...

Good thing you have generous parents.

Archaic said:
Like the post production house that I'll be interning at. What is the attitude or mojo working in a creative environment like this? People friendly or stressed, constructive or fierce?
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I think this will depend on the people. No way anyone can tell you
what all post production houses are going to be like. You may end
up in a very stressed, fierce, unfriendly environment - for a year
with no pay.

Obviously the exact opposite could happen.

I hope you stick around indietalk, I would love to read about your
experiences.
 
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I'm sure you'll do fine. But it's good to be nervous, because then you'll pay full attention to your work.

As for NYC, you'll either like it or hate it. I liked it so much I seriously thought of moving there.
 
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Archaic said:
The boss I'll be interning for said that it wasn't going to be a paid internship, which is alright with me.
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Obviously, if you're OK with it, then it's not really a problem. But you should still know your rights when it comes to unpaid internships:

The Test For Unpaid Interns
There are some circumstances under which individuals who participate in “for-profit” private sector internships or training programs may do so without compensation. The Supreme Court has held that the term "suffer or permit to work" cannot be interpreted so as to make a person whose work serves only his or her own interest an employee of another who provides aid or instruction. This may apply to interns who receive training for their own educational benefit if the training meets certain criteria. The determination of whether an internship or training program meets this exclusion depends upon all of the facts and circumstances of each such program.

The following six criteria must be applied when making this determination:
-The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in an -educational environment;
-The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern;
-The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision of existing staff;
-The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded;
-The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship; and
-The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship.

If all of the factors listed above are met, an employment relationship does not exist under the FLSA, and the Act’s minimum wage and overtime provisions do not apply to the intern. This exclusion from the definition of employment is necessarily quite narrow because the FLSA’s definition of “employ” is very broad. Some of the most commonly discussed factors for “for-profit” private sector internship programs are considered below.
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http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.htm

So remember, you are there to learn. Not to make coffee, not to answer phones or do their social networking. If you find yourself displacing what should be a paid worker, rather than apprenticing at someone's side, that is illegal.

It's, again, up to you to decide if you want to put up with something like that, but know that you can stand up for yourself if you have to and that the law and the Department of Labor would be on your side.
 
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I live in New York... moved here a few months back from Los Angeles, It is not as expensive as you think, I actually pay less per month than in Los Angeles, the space is not as big, but I do not have roomates or anything.... What type of interneship are you going to be doing?
 
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I have no idea exactly what to expect, but I would be very interested in hearing about your experiences as I may be doing this same thing at some point in the future, so please keep us posted!


samvic5 said:
I live in New York... moved here a few months back from Los Angeles, It is not as expensive as you think, I actually pay less per month than in Los Angeles, the space is not as big, but I do not have roomates or anything....
Click to expand...

This could make for an interesting blog post or something, about the differences between living and filmmaking in LA vs NYC.
 
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