24 Year Old Model/Actress Moving from NY to LA (Burbank: neighborhood, college)

[Green Irish Eyes]

Originally Posted by badgyal

Again, I live in NYC. NYC is no joke, if you can make it in NYC you can make it anywhere. I also lived in FL, ATL, and Philly. I'm not some airhead thinking i'm going to achieve overnight success. I already have a regular job set up, so I will have a regular income.

Actually, the LA market is completely different from NYC (I speak from experience), so that isn't quite true.

Originally Posted by badgyal

please don't tell me to do more research. Isn't a website forums to discuss, assist, and help others? I obiviously have a general idea, but i was hoping that someone would assist on a more specific level

Yes, but a forum populated by those in, or trying to break into, film/TV (Actors Access, Backstage, HHH) would be of more benefit to you because the members know details on casting locations, etc., much more intimately than the folks here.

[badgyal]

Originally Posted by squeezeboxgal

Actually, the LA market is completely different from NYC (I speak from experience), so that isn't quite true.




Yes, but a forum populated by those in, or trying to break into, film/TV (Actors Access, Backstage, HHH) would be of more benefit to you because the members know details on casting locations, etc., much more intimately than the folks here.

Thanks. Would you say the LA market is somewhat comparable to ATL or FL?

I just didn't care for the sterotype or the generalized statement.

[KnoxTown]

Originally Posted by badgyal

Thanks. Would you say the LA market is somewhat comparable to ATL or FL?

Not even close. There is nothing similar to LA, anywhere in the US.

[Scott5280]

LA is a city where you can see once extremely successful and recogizable people in the entertainment industry now working in a restaurant or a department store..LA is filled with as much if not more competion that NYC. Many parts of LA the waitstaff aren't waiters they are actors..or screenwriters just waiting in the wings..buying time till the next audition or gig..

[badgyal]

Originally Posted by Scott5280

LA is a city where you can see once extremely successful and recogizable people in the entertainment industry now working in a restaurant or a department store..LA is filled with as much if not more competion that NYC. Many parts of LA the waitstaff aren't waiters they are actors..or screenwriters just waiting in the wings..buying time till the next audition or gig..

Its exactly like that in NYC. All of the models usually have part time jobs as bartenders, Waitress, or dept store like Macy's.

I have a job already. I work from home, so its convenient for me to go to castings, etc.

[xxgrzesx]

My wife is an actress and from what I know castings take place in different places. So you will have to drive anyway. With $950 per month I would go with roommate or studio. When I was moving here, I got here month before move to find an apartment and it was a bad idea. If I were you, I would find an apartment in LA while in NYC that has 30 day satisfaction guarantee or sublet. Than I would look for something permanent while I am in LA. I think 2 bedroom apartment with roommate is more realistic in your price range. I would stay away from Hollywood. I live in Los Feliz area (northeast corner of LA) and it is cheaper and nicer.

[nori_garsi]

I don't know that there's going to be someplace in LA that is going to be close to all the castings in NY. Everything here is spread out, and most of us are not in the business, so it's hard to pinpoint which areas will work best for you.

My best friend dabbed a little in the business and she was always all over the place. She did a lot driving...she moved to Vegas before Christmas.

My fiance is a producer for a video game publisher so he works closely with people in the industry (actors, voice actors, movie studios, sound studios, directors, film sets, etc.). He's had to go take meetings all over the South Bay, from Burbank to Santa Monica, to Encino, to Hollywood.

If you are going to be acting and modeling you will probably end up all over the place. I think the best you can do is either try and find a place close to your job (since you stated you have one lined up) if you can afford it, or try and find a good, safe location that is in your budget and expect to have a bit of a commute to get to castings. Also check out some of the areas suggested; both Burbank and Silverlake seem to be nicer areas with affordable housing.


You should definitely check out a site dedicated to people in your field because they may be able to help you find the location that will work best for you given what you plan on doing.

[uptown_urbanist]

The people I knew who worked in any jobs related to the industry traveled all around LA for work. I would guess that the reason people aren't giving you specific details about places is because there is one particular area where you'll find everything clustered. I agree with the advice to check out forums dedicated to your specific field, as you'll get more targeted specific advice. If you have specific questions about neighborhoods (beyond proximity to casting calls) then people can try to help you (and I think they have been, overall).

And try to cut people some slack when they're warning you about LA and breaking into the industry (and yes, you're already working, but you're not working in LA); it's just that a lot of people DO have unrealistic expectations. You might not, but you'd be the exception to the rule. If it really bugs you just try to filter it out and concentrate on asking specific, non-industry-related questions that will invite straight answers. I think most people here really do want to be helpful.

I still highly recommend Hollywood; when I lived there three years ago it was cheaper than Los Feliz, although Los Feliz is fabulous, too, if you can find something in your budget there. Both areas would be convenient to the Burbank-area studios, as well as sort of central for many other areas of the city.

[nori_garsi]

I wanted to add that, if you are looking for a shared place, Westwood (and West LA in general) is a nice area and there are a lot of college students looking for roommates.

You can usually find tons of listings on Craigslist, in the LA Times, or in the UCLA off-campus housing office (you don't need to be a student to access those sites).

[pianoman09]

As someone who did just what you're planning to do, I think I can give you some sound advice. First, I'm gonna tell you that no two stories are alike. You could be in LA for years and never get a job or you could be there for two weeks and get a job. Everyone's story is different, so don't let anyone persuade you from trying to reach your goals. It can be tough. I don't know what your agent situation is like, but realize that getting an agent can be as hard as getting any audition. An agent will make things so much easier. It's hard with an agent, but even harder without. If you don't have an agent, I advise you to send your headshots/resume out BEFORE you move. That way, you can have an audition lined up if they like you. Venture IAB and Daniel Hoff are both very good commercial agencies. They're also very hard to win over if you're not good enough. Daniel Hoff does walk in auditions every Friday from 1:30 - 5:00. The line will be long, so get there early. Be prepared for a LOT of competition because everyone wants to be a star lol...But I'm sure you know all this stuff, so I'll get on to the neighborhood thing. Florida and LA are a lot alike, despite what others have said. I have lived in both, and if you've lived in a big city in FL, you'll have a general idea of what it's like to get around LA. The traffic in LA is 100 times worse though. I mean MUCH worse. It's just about always backed up, even during day time when you'd expect people to be at work. A GPS is 100% necessary. The streets are VERY confusing for a newbie. The agencies/studios are spread out. So it's really hard to say exactly where you should move, because if you're getting auditions, a car will definitely be NECESSARY. I wont really get into your monetary situation, but I'd recommend Los Feliz, Burbank, Toluca Lake, N. Hollywood. Those are generally safe areas. If you live in Manhattan, you'd feel pretty good about those areas. The rent is pretty high in LA if you want to live in a nice area. For what you're wanting to pay, you could get an extremely nice new place in FL, but a pretty old place in LA. So be prepared. It's great that you're taking a trip first. I actually suggest you come out more than once, for about a week at a time just to take the city in. You don't want to move and end up not liking it. LA and NY actors are different. NY actors usually are into it for the art, but LA actors are usually in it for the fame. You'll see a big difference.