Most entertainment companies are situated on either the East or West Coast, and that is, by and large, where most newcomers end up. "You definitely want to start in New York or LA -- it's where all the action is," were the words of one record label executive at Virgin. Los Angeles has the development and distribution arms of all the major film and television studios as well as many of the top offices of music labels as well. New York has the balance of the music business, as well as some television (MTV and Nickelodeon for example), and almost 90 percent of all the publishing powerhouses.

Increasingly though, the media and entertainment industry offers opportunities beyond New York and LA. There are now far more business located in other parts of the United States and world, especially as production costs soar in New York and LA. Canada is increasingly popular with movie studios, and Vancouver and Toronto both have thriving arts communities. Likewise, the concentration of software engineers in Silicon Valley makes it the home of many special effects companies. Cable networks are increasingly located away from major cities, and shows are often shot in studios in smaller cities like Atlanta, New Orleans and others. In fact, the most music production outside of New York and Los Angeles occurs in Nashville, the home of the ever-popular country music genre.

Creative or business?

While the creative side of the entertainment business is often considered more interesting because it is what encourages creativity (and because it is the side that holds the best parties with all the famous celebrities) the compensation is lower, the career trajectory is less certain and the work, especially initially, can be demeaning. Urban legends abound of assistants working 12 hours a day, being yelled at for general incompetency, and being forced to trek around town every morning to fetch their boss' coffee, dry-cleaned clothes and children.

The business side, on the other hand, is generally regarded as less exciting -- "the suits," so to speak. There is a fair amount of showmanship even in this part of the business (there was one such businessman who was legendary for keeping his "director-level" business card after being promoted to VP in the hopes that others would believe him to be a film director), but for the most part the path is more predictable, meritocracy is rewarded, and the pay is more generous. The tradeoff is of course that the positions are not glamorous, and the hours are often just as long. "You always feel like you are on the periphery of where the action really is," laments one executive who works in a studio's home video division.

The choice is certainly a difficult one. Success is often not transferable. There are occasionally tales of the studio accountant who transitioned to be a TV producer, but in general, very few make lateral moves, especially since the work required to build up a creative resume is very different and not transferable to a business resume, and vice versa.