I've been invited to take a trip to LA from Feb 1st-8th(flying into LAX). I want to make the most use out of the week!(not in a partying kind of way) Where should I go? What should I do? (film/video related stuff)

Be sure to get breakfast at least one day at "The Griddle" it is on Sunset next to the Directors Guild building and it is my fav breakfast place in the world. GREAT omlettes, my favorite is the Cobb... also, AMAZING pancakes...try the pumpkin. Also a popular celebrity hangout but totally chill and not like most fluff places in LA. I was in there one morning sitting between the Olson twins and a construction worker...



ash =o)

what is your interest ?
Production ? food ? editing ? old buildings ? lighting ? shoes? art?
beach ? people watching ? COLORFUL shirts !!!!

you may want to call directors guild ( or look at web site) to see if they have any screenings with directors , call AFI to see if they have anybody speaking or previews , call or look up web site Birns & sawyers to see if they have any camera demo's going on AND ask if they know if anybody else is having a demo/intro to any HD camera's , call Kodak ( on santa monica blvd near birns & sayers) ) to see if they are having any sceenings of new films or new digital processes ... you could arrange a viewing of video to 35mm viewing i believe thru DVfilm.com of their transfers ( also near kodak, birns & sawyers) .. as you call around be sure to ask each place if they know of something else going on during your time in LA ... if you are driving around and you see film tracks - stop - park and watch ..if they are in private residence well forget it .. if on public property , or in hotel lobby etc ask if you can watch - just ask somebody - tell them you are ? or student , visting LA to learn all you can for a week ... if you do get on/near set turn OFF cell phone , do not talk duing takes, just keep out of the way ...
also pick up a DramaLog weekly mag. look to see who needs crew for dates you are there - call em to see if you can go out and either watch or help- or just pick it up to see all the listings of projects in development , pre production ,production etc ... comes out on thursdays afternoons each week ..

Museum of TV and Radio...in Beverly Hills...on Beverly I think. You can watch unaired TV pilots and any TV show you missed.

When I was there (oh glory days) I really enjoyed the following:


Warner Brothers Deluxe Tour (http://www2.warnerbros.com/vipstudiotour/). This is amazing, best studio tour I could find. It does cost you though: $125. What do you get? 5 hours on the lot with a small group. The excellent thing is that this tour does *NOT* follow a predetermined route etc. They are free (restrictions apply when shooting is going on, of course!) to go where the people might want to go (different sets etc.). You get a lunch in the WB cafetaria. You get to see some cool stuff like audio mixing stages. The VIP tour is a shorter tour that follows a predetermined route and doesn't have the mixing stages and lunch. Read instructions carefully since you need to go there to make a reservation and the tour isn't done all days! (So perhaps best to go first day and pick another day to go). I hear it's the best kept secret (tour wise), and I thoroughly enjoyed it myself.

Just walking around Hollywood boulevard watching all the crazy ness. I had the luck of seeing a small premiere one night and got an invite to two free things. One a screening of Chicken Little in El Capitan and the other was a stand up comedy with Chritopher Titus just off Hollywood blvd. Fun! Who knows what might happen there. There is a movie musuem there as well which has some authentic Star Trek (TNG) bridge & engineering pieces. Pretty dull musuem otherwise. There is not too expensive parking on a street off Hollywood blv called "N Cherokee Ave" or "Whitley Ave"

If you enjoy themeparks Universal Studios and Six Flags are a nice visit

Go up to Griffith Observatory for a nice view on the city and the Hollywood sign (especially if you follow the trail up the "mountain")

I really really enjoyed visiting a taping of Joey on the WB lot. I got a free ticket when I did the WB Deluxe Tour. But you can get (free!!!) tickets to lots of shows on www.tvtickets.com or sometimes on Hollywood blvd

I took a ride down to Palos Verdes which had some very nice scenery

If you like hotrods there's a meeting every wednesday after 5 PM at a Frisco's in Downey (http://www.friscos.com/pages/downey_dir.htm)


That's all I can comeup with atm... If I think of more I'll let you know. Oh, and
I would plan / figure out as much as possible before you go. Especially where
everything is since you'll be driving a lot. Good to know what is an efficient
route to take. On that note I would definitely get a rental car with navigation
system. I rented at Hertz and got their own NeverLost system. I was never
lost indeed, worked great on my 2000+ miles journey

Ash, Don, Shane and Rob. . .thank you all very much for the suggestions. I'm looking into everything you all have mentioned. Feb 1st is getting close, and I'm pretty excited to see what it's all about. Any more suggestions are welcome, and when I get back. . .I'll definately let you all know how it went with some pictures and stuff :)

You should be arriving back home anyday. How did it go? What did you get
to do and see?

It seems I'll be heading out to LA myself last week April / first week May so
any things you'd like to add would be most welcome.

Thanks, and I hope you enjoyed your trip!