Friend moving to Hollywood (sight unseen) to be near the Stars (Burbank: cul-de-sac, apartments)

[Dingler]

I am still amazed at the lure Hollywood and California have on people even today. A friend of mine, who is younger (in his 20s), is bored living in Virginia and has decided he is moving to Hollywood, CA. He has never been to CA and has only a few thousand dollars saved.

His plan is to drive his car out to Hollywood and find a place to live and then look for work. No matter how hard I try I can not convince him that Hollywood is not the glamorous scene that is shown in the media. He is a small town person and maybe not so bright, but totally convinced it will be paradise in Hollywood and he will do just fine there.

Has anyone on this board moved to Hollywood (Southern CA) sight unseen just because the media made it seem so nice? What happened?

[newportbeachsmostwanted]

Hollywood is pretty filthy. Nothing like the glitz and glam of the silver screen.

[JerZ]

Okay, well...that seems like a kind of crazy plan to me, and I personally wouldn't do it and I wouldn't go recommending it to anyone, but OTOH, your friend is young, single and doesn't have all that much to lose. I mean he's not putting money down on a house out west or anything and he isn't bringing children and dealing with resettling them, etc. So if there was ever a time to attempt a crazy dream, it's now.

Let him go...that would be my advice. At this time in his life, and probably only this time, if his dreams get popped out in Hollywood, he can turn around and come back home with relatively little financial beating, without restarting an established career as an older person would, etc., etc.

I know it must be hard for you to just sit there and watch your friend wander off to a very distant place where he will be the naiive person in a sea of seasoned and possibly hardened people, but...he's going to make his own decision in the end.

As for the stars, I wish I could say "...and he won't see any stars!" but I can't. My DH works in Beverly Hills and every other day he reports having run across one person or another. Most recently (I think it was two or three weeks ago? Can't remember exactly now) he informed me that Uma Thurman is much hotter in person than she is in movies. Like I needed to know that. Just kidding. So if your friend wants to see stars...he probably will see some stars. I wouldn't focus on the stars issue if you're really trying to talk him out of this. I would just say what you've probably already said: That it's not like you see in movies where a small-town dude or chick lands in the middle of LA, accidentally gets hired by Cher or something and makes TONS of money but then electively decides to leave the glamour behind and go back home, LOL. I've seen that formula a lot, not just LA but other cities (such as New York). Your friend might not believe it's not true until he sees for himself.

On the other hand, it might be 100% for him and he might not ever leave (I admit I've seen that happen--usually, like your friend, people who are young and don't have much to lose in the first place)...and since that's a possiblity, would you really want to be the one who talked him out of trying and therefore he would never know? Again...now is the time for your friend to try crazy things. If he doesn't do it now, he might not be able to try it at all later once he's saddled with responsibilities, and then he'll be living a life of regrets.

Take a deep breath, close your eyes and hope for the best. I know it's hard.

[JerZ]

Originally Posted by newportbeachsmostwanted

Hollywood is pretty filthy. Nothing like the glitz and glam of the silver screen.

As regards your first two sentences, that reminds me when DH and I were dating (long-distance) and he lived in Van Nuys. I asked him if it was true that girls roller bladed in bikinis everywhere. He said, "Oh yeah, they totally do. There are twins roller blading outside my window at work right now." LOL. I can vouch that when you're not from here, you really do hear all the stories and you do believe that Barbie and Ken are going to live around the corner from you, and that you're going to be accidentally discovered in some coffee shop ("OMG! It's JerZ! The woman we've been looking for. I've hunted EVERYWHERE for a short fat woman with a bunch of kids!!!!!!!!") LOL.

[shannon94]

Originally Posted by JerZ

As regards your first two sentences, that reminds me when DH and I were dating (long-distance) and he lived in Van Nuys. I asked him if it was true that girls roller bladed in bikinis everywhere. He said, "Oh yeah, they totally do. There are twins roller blading outside my window at work right now." LOL. I can vouch that when you're not from here, you really do hear all the stories and you do believe that Barbie and Ken are going to live around the corner from you, and that you're going to be accidentally discovered in some coffee shop ("OMG! It's JerZ! The woman we've been looking for. I've hunted EVERYWHERE for a short fat woman with a bunch of kids!!!!!!!!") LOL.

Actually that scene is very true in Venice Beach, Santa monica , etc......I use to be one of those girls!! lol


Anyway... Dingler......I think your friend will be very surprised what he has to pay for a "filthy" place in Hollywood.

[midnightbirdgirl]

Dingler, it is not what your friend thinks, he should at least take a trip out here and see, look in the newspapers and go see some rentals...too many people have that plan, and get trapped, winding up living in a total dump, in a gang infested area, or homeless. Meeting stars, #1 they are just people, #2 good luck, it isn't like you go to Hollywood and see celebrities roaming the streets. It is filthy smoggy, and crime ridden and overpriced.
MBG

[arrohead]

Hi,
I worked in "Hollywood" for 35 years. Retired a few years ago.
You friend is terribly innocent. Hollywood is not where the actors are nor the directors nor the producers. They all exist in Burbank near Barham Blvd where Warner Brothers and Universal Studios and Disney are. But he won't find agents, talent scouts or others there. They are all in Century City (Culver city) and Beverly Hills.

Hollywood is referred locally to as "Hollyweird." Hollywood Blvd, Sunset and Santa Monica Blvd are strips for drug dealers, pimps, prostitutes (male and female) and others of that kind. After about 5 PM those streets are taken over by that crowd.

It's an unfriendly place where the streets and businesses are not clean (dirty mostly). At the west end of Sunset you can find some production offices. Otherwise you have to know how to get on the lots (studios) and even then it's not like the "old" glory days.

He is in for a huge fall if he tries to "break into" the business the way you suggest.

If he wants to act, tell him to learn how, get local acting jobs. Then move upwards slowly on the stage. Visit North Carolina where many movies are made these days...get to know some of them and then figure out where to find an agent if he gets good enough.

If he tries what you mention, he'll be eaten alive.

[mover007]

I came to LA sight unseen. My husband had a great job lined up, although, but it was still culture shock.

Talk to you friend about why he wants to move to LA. (He should def visit it first, but if he can't ...read on...)

If your friend wants to break into acting, he shouldn't move here without knowing some people. He'll have to share an apartment with someone before he "makes" it ...and making it ...? that can take a while.

If he studies in LA or has a job, he'll have instant connections. That is a necessity in this city. So get him to line that up first!

If he's not in the film industry, but wants to break into acting, to be honest, i'd say nyc/brooklyn is an easier place to live. yeah--just as expensive, but no need for a car, and much, much easier to meet people, settle, make contacts.(for any type of work)

The schools there are tops in any field. I found roomates from ads in the paper--ok, had some junkies, once-- but on another occasion, i had a great roomie. Still a friend to this day.

Just for comparison: Some cities, like NYC, are more forgiving to a newbie. Easier to shift gears if you make a mistake; easy to find apartments; jobs were good , too: easy to get to; easy to network when you want to switch jobs... (Maybe due to the size and accessibility to everything.)

LA is not this way. it's so spread out and people tend to stick to their neighbourhoods, cuz driving is a nightmare. So it's hard to branch out...and easy to feel trapped.

advise your pal if he wants to move to LA sight unseen, definetly find a job first!! otherwise ...i would worry for him.

[JerZ]

Originally Posted by shannon94

Actually that scene is very true in Venice Beach, Santa monica , etc......I use to be one of those girls!! lol

So it was YOU! Just kidding.

[Sorcerer68]

I've watched them come and watched it happen both ways: some are relieved at being free from their small town and absolutely love Hollywood. They blossom and become all they can't in their sterile little town. This usually has nothing to do with being famous. It's not clean and perfect and nice and cute...and that's what they like about it. Many come from conservative cul-de-sacs where every house on the street is stucco and they all come in 3 colors of beige with everything nauseatingly perfect and disgustingly boring. I have friends who live in Hollywood who wouldn't live anywhere else, INCLUDING CELEBS. I can name a very famous one who lives behind the gay porn theater. I love her but she's the C word. Anyway, some are disillusioned when they come and Hollywood isn't spotless, quiet and completely safe like a small town (and why would it be?). Some stay and wait tables and go back after a while, some stay until the money runs out and call mom for that rescue bus ticket, some go tirelessly to auditions and actually get work, a micropercentage might get famous...and many become mean, nasty and frustrated because Hollywood didn't miraculously change them.

It's nice to hear people still packing up their cars with a head full of dreams. You can actually live cheaper in the Hollywood area than you can anywhere else in L.A. proper. Neighborhoods have gentrified. The hot spot right now is anything that's walking distance to The Grove. Sunset-Gower studios are on the recieving end of a ton of money being pumped, the Technicolor post production building should be finished in a few months (first office high rise down there since '84). Remember when giving these young people advice that isolated, spotless, suburban neighborhoods isn't what they want. That's what they're running from.