What is the percentage of people who move to LA to make a career in Hollywood actually succeed? (Burbank: hotels, high schools)

[BayAreaHillbilly]

1% (true 1%ers!).

[UB50]

Originally Posted by bpeeps

If you're only making 50 bucks for a full day's work you're doing something wrong.

People make careers off of background work if they know how to do it correctly. Push for SAG/AFTRA vouchers from AD's so you hit the union pay raises, time and a half, lunch bumps, featured roles, etc. All of that will increase your base. Make sure you don't have a black/white/red vehicle, so you can hit the car pay bump when they need extra cars. Being ridiculously good looking or a an extreme typecast helps tremendously. There's a place for face tatted Mexicans just as much as white, crew cut beefy looking police dudes.

Granted a lot of people don't make crap through Central Casting, but I know a few people who have gone on to become stand-ins on television shows and movies. Not very glamorous, but you can make a decent living off of it. Most people who sign up for Central though, have no clue what they're doing and just become another sheep in the cattle call.

I used to work with a guy (back in the '80s) who moved here and wanted to be an actor. He had a regular day job and he auditioned for stuff pretty often. He did some plays at a community theater. He got on a game show. He got some bit parts on TV shows and movies.

Fast forward to now: He supports himself acting. He gets lots of bit parts. He's had a couple of national commercials. I don't know if he still does theater or not, but I know that he no longer has to have a day job to pay the bills.

Is he successful? Well, I think he is. He actually makes enough doing what he wants to do to pay his bills. Is he a household name? No -- but if you look him up on IMDB you'll find that he's got between 50 to 100 credits for various things. That's pretty good.

[maximusa]

Although back in the 80s, I would think there were much more opportunities than there is now. Today I view the industry as very closed and timeline based. Movies/TV and cast are planned years in advance and there doesn't seem to be much room for outsiders. Also Hollywood has become more conservative and has focused on Tent Pole Blockbuster movies and has avoided releasing indie and low budget types. This makes it even harder for the little guy/gal to break in. Apparently programmers have made sophisticated algorithms that estimate the profitability of films based on Genre, Actors, theme etc. I understand that bit roles can be lucrative, but once it's over they may not find constant work afterwords.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

1% (true 1%ers!).

Less than that. Maybe 0.1%

[UB50]

There is a lot of nepotism in the industry and it's been like that for quite a while. Many of the big actors/actresses today are actually related to others in the industry or they grew up around here.

[maximusa]

Originally Posted by UB50

There is a lot of nepotism in the industry and it's been like that for quite a while. Many of the big actors/actresses today are actually related to others in the industry or they grew up around here.

I definitely! While guys like James Franco are especially talented, there is no way his brother Dave would of gotten those roles without James connections. I can go on and on about all the related stars (even some that change their names to distance themselves).

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Originally Posted by majoun

Less than that. Maybe 0.1%

Especially in these lean times, you may be closer than me with your estimate.

Years ago (over 30 years ago) I was part of a small group of people doing some indy films as a side project from our day jobs.

There was one guy who was a director / actor. He was probably the one who got the closest. But in the end, he landed in the more financially predictable realm of tech.

[UKWildcat1981]

The NY Jews ans NY Italians don't seem to have a problem succeeding in Hollywood.

[UB50]

Originally Posted by maximusa

I definitely! While guys like James Franco are especially talented, there is no way his brother Dave would of gotten those roles without James connections. I can go on and on about all the related stars (even some that change their names to distance themselves).

I dunno much about James Franco so I had to look him up. Here's his bio in a nutshell:

Born in California. Mother was an actress. Went to high school in CA where he acted in plays. Came to UCLA as an English major but wanted to act. James Franco - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

What would his chances have been if he had been born in Ohio and went to the University of Ohio instead?

[tcmtcm]

Originally Posted by kasuga888

Who knows, prob very low. I know maybe 5-10 people that came to LA to work for the industry. Most can't even get a legit gig outside of being an "extra" for 50 bucks a day.

I used to do it back in the 80's for 25 bucks a day and a McDonald's lunch.

I'm a household name, if my household counts.