Berklee Blogs

First-hand accounts of the Berklee experience

Tag: riptide

riptide

Youth, Yearning and Interning (Part 2) – Paul Margolin

(Continued from last week…)

L.A. is an action-oriented city, so expect to see a lot of activity. This can be intimidating for someone like me who generally draws their energy from isolated activities. I’m still trying to get used to how extraverted this place is. The best thing to do if you aren’t blessed with the “gift of gab” is to ask questions. Chances are most of the people you will talk to will relish the opportunity to chat about themselves. It sounds superficial, but you will learn from what they have to say. Whether or not they are into themselves, they have been around the industry much longer than you have and are most likely well connected. You can gain a lot by just inquiring, shaking hands and exchanging business cards. If someone likes you, they will want to introduce you to other people they know. It’s the same principle anywhere else. The difference is this is L.A., which can make it more intimidating. JUST BE YOURSELF! You can never go wrong just being who you are. If someone doesn’t jive, that’s their problem. Don’t take it personally.

Consider securing two internships. You will probably only be working three days a week anyway so why not do something with the other two days that you are free? Of course you can use this time to work on your own projects and collaborate with other people. If you are like me, you hate being bored and feel the need to fill up your schedule as much as possible. I just landed my second position at RipTide Music. They focus on representing outside artists as opposed to being their own artists like the owners of redCola. This is also a small company with eleven full-time employees. What’s great is that some RipTide employees graduated from Berklee and even participated in the L.A. Internship Program themselves. There is always a chance you may get hired at the company you intern at, however only a small percentage of interns do. Still it’s important to keep your professionalism consistent. It easier to do that if you think of your internship as a paying job.

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Youth, Yearning and Interning (Part 1) – Paul Margolin

So, you wanna intern in the music industry? Thinking about moving to the big city and making connections or are you looking for experience and guidance to figure out what direction you want to take? Maybe both?

Well, that’s the kind of information that many of us young professionals are looking to absorb and utilize right away. It can be difficult to balance these two desires and apply them in the age we live in. Whether you are an up and coming sensation, an aspiring entrepreneur or just an all around dreamer, we are all looking for a “niche” to help us succeed. Make no mistake, some are born to do well and achieve great things while young, but other people are simply built to learn and grow over time. Regardless of which category you fall under, we can all reach our goals just the same. I’d like to offer some insight into the experiences I’ve had so far. With any luck, maybe you can pick up a tip or two while preparing for your big transition to the city of angels and beyond!

First off, let me just say that what you are expecting and what you will experience are two completely contrasting ideas. However, they can be complementary if put together appropriately. One of the first things I learned upon moving to the gargantuan metropolis that is Los Angeles is that opportunities are ripe and plentiful. It will only take but a day before you’re being invited to events, parties, and shows. (Especially true if you already know a lot of people upon arrival). The best thing to do if you’re nervous or unsure is to just put yourself out there. You can’t expect to grow into a comfort zone if you avoid invitations, so take them whenever they are available. People here tend to blow you off entirely if you’re not game for a hangout. Even if you say no one time, they will simply move on to another acquaintance.

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Summer 2010 LA Program – Orientation

It’s that time of year again when the OEL is busy with summer interns. Pictured below are the LA Program summer interns at their orientation. After meeting with their coordinator to review academic requirements (and enjoying a pizza dinner) the students headed out into the expansive city that is the LA world to intern for the next 12 weeks at various internship sites.

Jon, Bryant, Jon, Brian and Aaron at their LA Orientation May 2010

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