The following is a guest post by Boston University student and aspiring television writer, Liz Breen, currently interning in Los Angeles.

I am an East Coast girl. I grew up in Northern Connecticut, and I study at Boston University. However, I forcibly uprooted myself from the frozen Northeastern ground in early January to thaw out in Los Angeles and kick start what I hope will be a rewarding career in television.

I’m halfway through my semester here, and I can probably just begin to say that I have adjusted to life in Hollywood. Things are different on so many levels:

1) The weather. No need to elaborate.

2) Driving 5 miles takes 45 minutes, if you’re lucky.

3) I’m a small fish in a big pond. Back home, friends and family say with ease that I’ll be famous one day, that I’m someone “special”. They say it with such confidence, too, like they really believe it and aren’t just saying it because they are obligated to. Whether or not people in Los Angeles have thought that about me, they certainly haven’t voiced it.

This semester, I am currently working as a script intern with “Conan,” my dream internship, to be sure. I was chosen for one of two spots out of over 2,000 applications. I screamed when I got the email telling me that I had gotten the internship. It was seriously like a scene from Gilmore Girls. Except I was in my office back in Boston, where my coworkers did not find my jubilation amusing. (They were probably just jealous, right?)

For the next month, it was all I could think about. I had Team Coco on the brain 24/7. Before I knew it, I arrived at LAX and 48 hours later, I was there, at Building 34 on the Warner Bros lot. I quickly realized I was in for an entirely new experience. Let me first say, I love my internship. As an aspiring comedy writer, the opportunity afforded to me by working at the script department at “Conan” is one that cannot be paralleled or taken for granted. I laugh more than anyone else I know while at work, and I feel like I have a real grasp on the production process of a late-night show.

However, in all my other jobs and internships back East, if I did something right, I was rewarded with a “good job” or “thank you” from my boss. Here in LA, I don’t get that. I do something right, silence. Maybe the person doesn’t even look up from their desk. I do something wrong, I get spoken to by my boss. At first, I was confused, maybe a little annoyed, but then I realized my bosses just expect excellence. They chose me out of 2,000 applicants, so they assume that they chose the best. It’s a huge compliment to me, but also a lot to live up to. It certainly adds pressure to my workday, but it also forces me to think of creative ways to stand out to my bosses without screaming, “Hey, look! I’m going above and beyond!” I think I’m having some successes. I’m hoping so, at least.

My goals have become a lot smaller since coming to LA. The ultimate goal, becoming a staff writer on a half-hour comedy, remains the same, but I now know how small the steps to that goal are going to be. When I came out here, I had a whimsical idea that I would excel in my internship and be offered a job right after graduation. Now I realize they may not have a place for me. Or hell, they might not think I’m the perfect match for a specific opening.

Right now, all I can hope is that I leave with at least one good connection, maybe even a mentor of sorts. No matter what comes of this semester, I have learned self-reliance on a whole new level. Not self-reliance in the sense that I can manage my own money and can look presentable to the general public. Don’t worry. I can already do that. I mean self-reliance in the sense that I know I’m doing my best, that when I don’t get any acknowledgement, I’m meeting my bosses’ expectations and that’s a good thing. It is also reliance on my own talent, knowing that no matter how many aspiring screenwriters I see pondering over scripts in coffee shops, I can still make my way through the crowd and be seen by one person who will give me a chance to do more.

My first piece of advice for those looking to make their way into the television industry, Los Angeles doesn’t give pats on the back, only a slight nod of the head every now and again.

To find out more about Liz, read her blog here or visit her website.

Today’s subject, Lynn Hughes, started by interning at a theater in Chicago and then, while working as a Production Assistant in the London theater district, had an encounter with a Monty Python icon that spun her out of classical music training and into a successful career as a producer. Read on for more on her path…

Location: Washington, DC

Current position:  I’m an independent filmmaker who produces content for broadcast, private industry, and government. If it’s an interesting project, I’ll take it. I have a couple of series in development for cable outlets and just completed a bunch of videos for corporate and government clients. I was also recently in Sweden speaking on media and literacy at the World Summit on Media for Children and Youth.

College & degree:  Northwestern, BA in Speech (with a concentration in Theater)

Internship:  I interned at the Goodman Theater in Downtown Chicago.

First job in the entertainment industry:  I worked as a PA (called “runner” there) in the London Theater district.

First job out of college:  At Arena Stage in Washington, as the Assistant Production Manager. (I actually started in the box office to get my foot in the door and then moved into that position.)

What made you want to be a producer? I figured that out in college, I think. There was a point where I knew I had the right mindset, and that I was the person who could get everything done. I never even thought about it. I just jumped into. Somebody needed someone to organize everything and I just started into it.

Career path:  I moved into education when my first son was born. I went to work as a theater teacher at a private boys’ school, then I went to Howard University for a teaching position. While I was there, I got an opportunity at Time-Life, where I had temped one summer earlier in my career.

It was the greatest job in the world. I was the Executive Assistant to the vice presidents of Marketing, Business Affairs, and Production. I learned everything I know about the television business from those three people. They had two series in development, one at Warner Bros. and one at NBC. I would help cast re-enactments for the Production VP. I would proof the broadcast and distribution contracts for the Business Affairs VP and act as a sales assistant, since ancillary sales were done by that office. For the Marketing VP, I processed the focus testing results and helped her put together the reports.

I also got to read the trades and clip relevant articles, read project submissions, and go on sales calls. I ended up representing Time-Life on the Time Warner Educational Task Force, doing outreach and designing and giving away 30,000 educational kits to pre-schools and kindergartens. Unfortunately, once the Time-Warner merger happened, the television department was folded.

I freelanced for a couple of years after that, and then I got a call from a placement agency that BET needed a producer with a musical background. I went on the interview which ended up being for a hip hop show called “Rap City.” Though I am a classically trained musician and did not know much about hip hop at all, the series producer and I just hit it off and I produced the international version of the show for two seasons. (And during that time, became a hip hop junkie.)

After that, I went to BBC America. I was the supervising producer in the programming department. I was there for about three years and then I got called to work in Discovery’s international division. I ran a department that made sure all the programs from all the Discovery channels that went to air in the UK and other international markets met with the guidelines of those territories. The European version of the FCC is very stringent. My department rebuilt the programs and made them appropriate for the international market.

I left there to start a production company with Richard Dreyfuss, who I’d met through a program on the History channel. He wanted to do documentaries and I advised him on that. Illumine was a small company that produced educational TV programs (one for the History Channel) and live presentations which he would give at various venues. This was for about four or five years.

I went independent after that and have done a couple of small series for Animal Planet. I’ve recently been involved more in educational outreach, and I’m writing a lot. That’s where the media literacy thing came in. I just did a presentation on the topic, “What is the responsibility of the media makers to their market?” I’m getting hooked on digital distribution and non-traditional outlets as well.

Big break:  For television, I have to say it was getting hired at BBC America. There were a chain of events that got me there, but for me that was pivotal. I really blossomed. The team that was there taught me to understand story in a way I hadn’t before. And because it wasn’t an American broadcaster, it allowed me to look at things from a whole new perspective.

Eureka moment (when you realized you did or did not want to do something or that you should do something differently, etc.):  When I was in London, I was training as a classical musician (piano and flute) when I got the PA job. I was in an elevator going up to the Monty Python offices and the door opened and John Cleese was standing there with his staff and cast. He was telling a joke and I arrived just as the punchline hit and everyone doubled over in laughter.

Describe a typical work day in your current position:  I make myself have a routine. I get up and have tea and read the headlines on every newspaper and the trades, then I go through email. By noon, I make myself start writing or editing or scheduling, doing nuts and bolts of whatever the task is, depending upon where I am in the process.

Worst job (or day) in entertainment industry:  I was in Cuba covering a music event. I had a bunch of interviews lined up (including Bonnie Raitt and Jimmy Buffet). There was a point at which I was told I couldn’t shoot and I was being sent out of the country. I was out there on a limb doing the story already and I didn’t have a lot of flexibility. I had to solve the problem or I was going home. (I did.)

Best job (or day) in entertainment industry:My best job was doing the Tibetan Freedom Concert hosted by the Beastie Boys at RFK in DC. I was covering it for BET. Lightning struck the stadium and blew out the system on the MTV production truck and they were lost. The studio I was editing out of was just a few blocks away. I grabbed the MTV production manager and let them come and cut there so they could get on air that night. It was a great moment. I didn’t want to see them lose the moment.  It was such a great lineup- and so much fun.

Best thing about your current job: The freedom. I make my own schedule.

Worst thing about your current job: The freedom. I make my schedule. You really have to be disciplined and some days you just don’t want to be disciplined.

Brush with greatness (can be a celebrity encounter or just being exposed to someone being brilliant at what they do): My former boss at BBC America (who I went to Discovery with). Her name is Liz Barron. She was then the Vice President of Programming. She is my touchstone. I was in awe of her the first day I met her. She has taught me so much, not just about work, but about life.

Secret of your success/advice to the newbie: Find people who are smarter than you and surround yourself with them. Know your strengths and weaknesses and find people who can complement the former and make up for the latter.

Next move: The thing about being a broadcast professional that I don’t think enough people are talking about is that you can’t be stuck in one area. I was lucky in that I was trained as an Avid editor, but I’ve made myself learn Final Cut and am now teaching myself to shoot. I don’t want to see a story come to me and not be able to cover it, and I don’t want someone to make an offer to me and have me have to say no because they can’t afford a big budget. I still prefer collaborating. I really like working with a good DP, a good editor, a skilled writer. But we just can’t afford that these days.

I’m also getting more involved in advocacy, looking to build a community digital learning center, perhaps tackle the local journalism conundrum with some area leaders. I’ve been speaking about media literacy and most recently represented Discovery Channel’s Global Educational Partnership at the World Summit on Media for Children and Youth in Sweden. Trying to find the balance (and the means) to do both advocacy and production is a challenge.  But I feel pretty strongly about issues like net neutrality and tackling the digital divide, so I’m sure I will find a way to move forward with both.

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Media-Match.com is a site which helps entertainment professionals and those looking to hire them find each other. Job-seekers (both freelance and permanent) can create profiles and can also search the jobs posted to the site, which come directly from the companies doing the search or from other job sites across the internet. Companies can post jobs directly, as indicated above, or search for profiles of people who do what they are looking for someone to do.

This site is not location-specific. As I am writing this, I see jobs posted for Los Angeles, Chicago, DC, San Francisco, Houston, Franklin, TN and many, many others. Positions range from Casting Recruiter (Nebraska) to Production Manager (San Francisco) to Graphics Coordinator (Los Angeles) to Camera Assistant (Paramus, NJ). There is even a posting for a News Anchor (Buffalo, NY).

The bottom line is that if you are a budding (or not-so-budding) crew member, subscribing to Media-Match.com is well worth the ten bucks a month it will cost you. And if you are looking for entertainment professionals, it is also a great place to get the word out and find people who can do the job. (That set doesn’t light itself, does it?)

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There are many books on the market about the TV writing business. Unfortunately, most tend to fall into one of two somewhat-unsuccsesful camps. Those that are written by academics tend to cover the basics well, but have too much of an outsider POV to give true insight into the actual workings of the biz and the path to success. Those written by actual insiders tend to assume too much “base” knowledge on the part of the reader so the valuable “seasoned veterans” tips and “what to avoid”s go over the head of a rookie.

Writing the TV Drama Series: How to Succeed as a Professional Writer in TV by Pamela Douglas is successful in both conveying the basics and giving the inside scoop, probably because the author is both an academic (an associate professor in the USC School of Cinema-Televison) and a true insider, having had a long career as a TV writer/producer. This book contains solid, current information, such as:

- An overview of the basic TV calendar (pilot season, pick-ups, staffing season, etc.).

- A dissection of the classic one-hour drama script.

- An explanation of how a TV writing staff works and seven mistakes to avoid.

- A breakdown of the different positions on a writing staff.

- A concise explanation of how to break in to the world of TV writing.

- Interviews with other top industry insiders.

This book provides everything an aspiring TV writer needs to know and is current for today’s market with three exceptions: Those doing the hiring these days (the showrunners, with help from studio and network executives) like to read an original pilot by writers they are considering for their staff in addition to a spec sample of a similar show. This is a new development in the last couple of years.

Another change is that with the rise of TV dramas appearing on both premium and basic cable channels and the increase in mid-season replacements being lined up by network brass with itchy trigger fingers, the calendar doesn’t always hold true. Projects can get picked up off-season. The third very recent development is the increasing frequency with which projects brought to pilot by one network, but not picked up to series, are being bought by other networks and cable channels. Lately, what would’ve once been a “dead” project is finding a pulse after being put in the coffin.

So if you are looking for a one-book answer to all of your questions about breaking in as a TV drama writer, pick up a copy of Writing the TV Drama Series by Pamela Douglas. You’ll be glad you did.

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Roger Nygard has become a successful feature documentary filmmaker, and director and editor on episodic television series including ”The Bernie Mac Show,” ”The Office,” and ”Curb Your Enthusiasm,” but his entertainment career path was not a smooth one. In his profile, he talks candidly about his early struggles, and about how he turned a loan from his mother into much-needed career-stability.

Current project:  My latest documentary, THE NATURE OF EXISTENCE, will be released theatrically beginning June 18 (New York), and July 2 (Los Angeles), followed by a rollout to the rest of the country.

College & degree:  BA, Speech Communications, University of Minnesota.

Internships: None. But I have facilitated many internships.

First job in the entertainment industry: Production Assistant for a production-management company, Rollins, Joffe, Morra & Brezner. They had a production deal at Paramount and represented clients like Billy Crystal, Martin Short, Robin Williams, David Letterman, and Woody Allen. My goal was to be the best damn PA they ever had. They promoted me to assistant. Then to talent scout.

Big break:  Selling my first documentary TREKKIES to Paramount for seven figures qualifies as the biggest break so far…

Eureka moment: When I realized I could do what I wanted to do–not what other people expected me to do–and still make a living. I have turned down many projects, such as reality shows or mundane scripts, that would have paid a lot of money and probably advanced my career faster. But I can’t just punch a clock. I have to be challenged. That’s why I do so many varied and unusual projects.  This business is too hard to take lightly. It’s not for the indifferent and you’ll burn out if you are not inspired.

Career path: I started making short films when I was seven and continued through high school and college. When I got to Los Angeles, I realized I needed a kick-ass demo that would get me hired, because nobody will hire you to direct until you’ve already directed (unless you own the script or the production checkbook). So I took my grad school money (I had been accepted to USC) and made another short, “Warped” (which was later released in two home video compilations). I sent that short to everybody who would look at it and that led to my first offer to direct an episode of “Monsters.”

Meanwhile I had read a hilarious script by a comedian I met at the Comedy Store named Steve Oedekerk. My composer on “Warped” knew an investor so we convinced him to finance my first feature, HIGH STRUNG. Each project introduced me to more people, and invariably one of those connections was integral to the next opportunity in my career path. That path has continued through movies, television, and documentaries. If you want a job, start working, even if you have to work for free. You’ll meet people, and if you’re good, they will take you along to the next job.

Worst job (or day) in entertainment industry:  In the gap between my first film, HIGH STRUNG, and my second film, BACK TO BACK (AMERICAN YAKUZA 2), I went $30,000 into debt trying to launch my next projects. (They make those credit card cash advances sooooooo easy!). The worst day was the day I faced the fact that none of my projects were happening and I had no job and big debts. But that’s when a mini-eureka moment happened. I decided to change course and take an Avid editing class. I borrowed $500 from my mother, and with the Avid editing skill newly in my repertoire, I got a job writing, producing, and editing promos for TNT. (One of my connections I met when we were both peons at Paramount was in charge of TNT Latin America and he needed some fresh blood.) I spent the next two years making promos while learning all my editing tricks that became part of my style as a filmmaker, and I brought this style forward to all my projects.

Best day in entertainment industry: Every screening of a new movie or television episode is the new best day. It just gets better each time. It’s a powerful feeling to create something and then witness how people react. When I make an audience laugh, think, gasp, cry, get angry—that’s the best day!

Best thing about your current job: To be able to create! That’s why we exist.

Worst thing about your current job: The long hours. Nobody will work as hard as you do for your projects. Some day I’ll get to sleep.

Brush with greatness: Greatness is the opportunity to work with Larry David. Even greater is being able to dissect from the inside how Larry’s comedy process works. And greatest: becoming a creative part of that process. No matter how ridiculous or crazy a storyline gets, our focus in the editing room is on what do we have to do to more clearly and more succinctly tell that story.

Secret of your success/advice to the newbie: Read a LOT. Study literature, not just filmmaking. Learn the art of telling a story. Tell stories that fascinate YOU. Chances are good that if you are entertained, others will be also. Nobody can guess with any accuracy what the “audience” wants. And why would you want to?  How boring is that errand? Be a leader. Create what you like and others will follow.

Next move: I’ve begun the next documentary project, I’m writing the next narrative feature, I’m pitching ideas for the next television series… I can’t be sure which door will open next, but whichever it is, I’ll go through it. Create opportunities, and then say yes.

You can find more information on Roger’s documentary, THE NATURE OF EXISTENCE, which is being released in Los Angeles on June 18th and New York on July 2nd and other cities following that, at: www.TheNatureOfExistence.com.

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Josh Randall works a lot. Even when he’s not shooting a film or TV show, he is at meetings and auditions for upcoming projects. And, as he says below, the work you do to get the work is often more arduous than actually shooting a role. But he’s obviously doing something right on both counts, as he is a very sought-after member of the Hollywood community. YII was lucky to get a chance  to find out about his journey and pass along a few of his hard-earned lessons to our readers.

Current part: I am about to shoot a movie called SAY HELLO TO STAN TALMADGE directed by David Moreton. They’ve shot most of it and the director decided he wanted to add another dimension to it, a window into the future. The rest of the movie takes place in the 70s, I am in the present day.

College & degree: I started as a Civil Engineering major at UC Davis, but I realized engineering wasn’t for me and ultimately got a degree in English lit with a creative writing emphasis from San Francisco State.

Internships (if any): Nope. I worked as a grip on movies while I was a student (practically for free), but that was more of an apprenticeship.

Acting while in school (professional or amateur): The first major thing I did that made me think I should be an actor was in college. I was paired with a playwright in a writing  class who had me read scenes from his work with him. He ended up putting on a play at school and cast me as one of the three leads.

Day job while you were working towards being a working actor: I was a grip, mostly on rap videos. I started out during school and then after graduation, carrying sandbags and eventually working on technical aspects of the job. I had a DP friend and I ended up as a key grip on some of his jobs. He kept me afloat while I was doing theater and striving to be a working actor. I always had a play in my tool belt that I would study during down time.

First post-graduate acting job: It was a play in Berkeley, one of my favorite acting experiences to date (and it actually paid a little). Around the same time, I was working as a grip on a movie in Santa Cruz called SOMEBODY IS WAITING with Gabriel Byrne starring and Martin Donovan directing. They needed someone to play the main bank robber. They thought I looked mean so I got the job.

How did you get repped? I’d moved to LA and gotten some things on my own so I had a head shot and a bit of a resume and I knew an assistant at Don Buchwald. I got hip-pocketed (Editor’s note: That’s where an agent sends you out without actually signing you as a client.) I got a few auditions, went on some things and didn’t get them then, and while I was out of town on a family emergency, they dropped me. First real rep was a manager named Carolyn Govers. She repped me for seven years and was  really, really helpful. That changed things for me after she signed me.

What was your first significant paid acting role? I did a pilot called “Stuckeyville” for CBS, which CBS decided not to pick up. But since Worldwide Pants, David Letterman’s company, was the producer of “Stuckeyville,” Les Moonves, the head of CBS, agreed to let them shop it around to other networks (which was unprecedented at the time- typically, when a network doesn’t pick up a pilot it develops, that project is dead). It was refashioned as “Ed” for NBC the next year. It was a huge deal for my career. I’d done little guests roles- one on “Angel,” for instance- but nothing like this.

Since then? I’ve done several pilots that didn’t get picked up, including one called “True” with Ann Heche created by Kari Lizer (“The New Adventures of Old Christine”), and a bunch of guest star roles. I was also on a series called “Courting Alex,” which was on for 13 episodes. One of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had was working on “Pushing Daisies.” After two episodes, I was scheduled to go back for more, and was thrilled about what Bryan Fuller had described was in store for my character, but sadly ABC did not pick up the show for the back nine (episodes).

Do you continue to train (acting classes, coaches, workshops)? I always challenge myself to learn. I think it’s important, particularly to retain a sense of enthusiasm (the audition process, when you are lucky enough to get sent out a lot, can start to feel like a means to an end). I continue studying with new people because it keeps it challenging and interesting. I worked with Tom Todoroff in the early years. I was in class with Invana Chubbuck for a while. Now I train privately, and have also worked with Steppenwolf West. There’s something great about being in a play or even working on a scene in a class, that helps preserve whatever it was that made you want to be an actor in the first place.

Has ageism been a factor in your experience as an actor? Not so much for me, because I was cast a little older when I was in my 20s and now I’m playing my age. But I think it’s particularly an issue for women. To be an actor by profession is very challenging, but for women, it’s that much more so.

Have you used your acting career- or are you planning to use it- as a way of branching into producing or directing? I haven’t yet- though I was on the boards to direct an episode of “Ed.” Unfortunately, the season got cut short, but I’d started to prepare and pay attention in a very specific way at that time, so I got a lot out of the experience. I would like to make my own movies that I would write and direct.

Eureka moment (when you realized you did or did not want to do something or that you should do something differently, etc.): I’d been playing basketball at San Francisco State and I was in my last year of eligibility and a play came up and I had to decide whether to be on the basketball team or do the play. I realized there was something more significant and defining about the play. I was nervous about making that decision, but as time went by, I realized more and more that it was the right one.

Describe a typical work day (either when you are working on a project or working to get a new project): In some ways, a “going to set” day can be easier than a “going out to acquire work” day. If you have more than one big audition in a day, it can be really trying. For one, it can be challenging to stay up and be sharp during a day of auditions, whereas when you are working on set, you have the luxury of other actors to work off of. Also, at the very least, you get a camera rehearsal, and you don’t have to actually create the world as much, you have the world laid out for you. When auditioning, you are driving all over town, getting yourself fed, and having a couple of changes of clothes for multiple appointments. You’re a suited up lawyer for one role and a blue collar worker for another, for instance. It can make for a challenging day.

Best thing about being a working actor: To make a living doing something creative is a pretty great thing, and something to be grateful for no matter how trying aspects of it can be at times. I also love getting to travel and meet new people all the time.

Worst thing about being a working actor: No matter where you are in your career, stability is going to remain an illusion. It’s always a bit of a fight no matter where you are in the pecking order.

Brush with greatness: Very early on, when I was a grip on SOMEBODY IS WAITING, I was on the set watching Gabriel Byrne doing a scene and it didn’t look like much was happening. That night, like every night, the cast and crew watched dailies being projected in 35 mm. I remember watching Gabrielle Byrne’s close up and there was so much going on, even though he wasn’t doing much. It was a learning experience.

Secret of your success/advice to the newbie: I think it’s really important to have something else in life to ground you. It could be meditation or religion for someone, community service, a meaningful family life, or another creative endeavor, something. As actors, we’re always being told when we can act and when we can’t and having something else in life will minimize the career peaks and valleys. Also, if you go into an audition and EVERYTHING is riding on the audition, you can’t be your best. The people in those rooms have very sensitive desperation radar. It can have an effect on your work and on your piece of mind. It’s really dangerous to have your sense of self-worth entirely attached to being hired as an actor. Also along those lines, with the changing technology and resources that are available for almost no money, if you have an idea that is stimulating to you, there is no reason not to produce it yourself.

Next move: I’m taking steps to have a more proactive hand in my career, to be more actively involved. And that could be to create my own material to act in, but not limited to that.

Know anyone who could use an entertainment industry insider? Encourage them to sign up on the YII home page to receive our Mogul Mindset eBlasts today!