California dreaming

[John_marts]

Yea, I'm sure you have a better shot of becomeing a nurse than her becoming a model. The women in LA are gorgeous for the most part. So I could see it being a dim a dozen type thing. LA is expensive but i've always went with "you get what you pay for" LA is a beautiful city filled with incredible mountains and spectacular beaches, and its all in one (huge) place. In other words, its not land locked between a river like most cities. Everything is there. The aomunt of things to do is endless. All you have to do is ignore your judgments of those stereotypes of the city. If you cant, then just go seperate ways. At the end of the day you have to do whats best for you. Go to arizona if you feel its best.

[Cinema Cat]

Los Angeles might be appropriate if your friend wants to be an actress. But for modeling, New York City is the better choice. A portion of Seventh Avenue is aka Fashion Avenue because much of the fashion industry is located there -- modeling agencies, photographers, glossy mags.

New York is also much closer to Ohio, so you and your friend would be closer to family and friends in case you needed help, or just got homesick.

New York also has plenty of hospitals and health care services.

[MordinSolus]

Los Angeles has several fashion districts and more modeling agencies than I can count. It's also cheaper than New York. New York is where print modeling is based but every major city has a fashion industry presence and every major modeling firm and fashion magazine in New York also operates in Los Angeles.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by emilybx13

My friend and I are polar opposites. I'm about to graduate nursing school and she is a bartender and an aspiring model. Maybe if I was six foot and gorgeous I would be too who knows. But one thing we do have in common is we want out of ohio. I was thinking charleston SC or maybe Denver CO or pheonix.
She is stuck on california of course . I am opposed. I think with the population and competition the job market will be over saturated and hard for me to find a job right away even with a degree in nursing . The COL is high and without a job set up to weigh my finances I'm just not sure I want to take on that financial burden of not knowing .
But she's dead set on california . She thinks just by moving there she will become famous. How many girls flock to California yearly aspiring to make it big? What are the odds ? Is every girl there drop dread gorgeous like I hear? Is it superficial ? I mean if I could find a job and afford the COL I wouldn't be so opposed to moving , I want my best friend to succeed and do what she loves . Just want to know the truth about LA and California .. Asides the cost.. I want to know if it's really it's all cracked out to be

Yes everyone is drop dead gorgeous, you will be stopped at the Arizona border and checked over and given tests to see if you qualify to be let in.

Everyone in NYC is pushy and rude, and everyone in TX is a cowboy...LOL.

Sounds like you watch too much TV, from your post you have never even been to CA. You need to visit a place first before you relocate.

Since you're about to graduate why don't you try traveling nurses and travel around the country, find a place that you like, on your own.

The only way to find out about any place is to visit it and experience it for yourself.

[LarKev101]

Originally Posted by wecaredalot

Thanks for this post, LarKev. I wanted to ask: in your experience, would you say that most people fail to become what they want (i.e. actress, model, whatever) because they don't work hard enough? Or, do you see people working hard, not just expecting things to happen, and still failling? I'm curious because I've often thought (and seen) that people who fail tend to not work as hard as they think they are. They're either not as focused as they think they are or not as willing to seek out advice, analyze their current situation, etc.

In all honesty, it comes to down to work ethic. I've only met one girl who has worked as hard as me ... and she was truly passionate about what she did ... I didn't even need to ask her to post ads on Craiglists to promote, she just did it. She was the only person I've seen who "made it" in the industry. Aside from her, I've always had to do the marketing for others ... and while it's effective, it's not long lasting. At the end of the day, I can get you a job, but I can't land you a CAREER.

It literally all comes down to work ethic. Work hard, work harder, and play little, and you'll make it in this city.

[tcmtcm]

OP, if you're not 100% set on LA, why are you going along with her? You will be the one with the stabile income for sure, which could end a good friendship eventually. If you are a couple, then I can see where you would compromise and want to be there to promote her and help her pursue her dreams, but if not, you're a grown woman, go where it will be best for you.

All of the cities you mentioned are wonderful and you won't have a problem being employed anywhere, but if LA is not your dream, don't make a decision like that for a friend.

[Cinema Cat]

Originally Posted by wecaredalot

would you say that most people fail to become what they want (i.e. actress, model, whatever) because they don't work hard enough?

No. I've seen many people -- talented people -- work very hard to become actors, writers, etc., yet they never make it. A big reason is supply and demand.

It doesn't matter if you have a tens of thousands of talented, hard-working actors in a city, if there are only a few hundred lead roles to go around. I don't know the exact ratio, but there's way more talented, hard-working actors and writers in L.A. than available jobs.

Long ago I used to work as a script reader. Way more decent scripts than buyers. Not great scripts, necessarily, but as good as the ones that were being produced. Most TV movies, and horror films, and many other genres, are pretty mediocre and formulaic. Writers master the formula and turn out decent, professional scripts. But there's way more decent, professional scripts than the market will bear.

Training, talent, and good looks help. But so do luck, and friends and family in the business.

[Big-Bucks]

But she's dead set on california . She thinks just by moving there she will become famous. How many girls flock to California yearly aspiring to make it big? What are the odds ? Is every girl there drop dread gorgeous like I hear? Is it superficial ?

Very few people "make it" in the entertainment industry. It doesn't matter if it's to be a musician, painter, movie director, music producer, model, actor, etc. Long shot!!! Having said that, it's hard to talk someone out of chasing the dream. I've been there. I can understand wanting to get out of Ohio. LOL She could submit her 8 X 10 to agencies before even making the trip to LA just to test their interest.

If she moves to LA she has a BETTER chance of meeting a rich guy and marrying into wealth than becoming a model, but chances are she will meet some broke, struggling musician. LOL
BTW I remember an article that said that modeling is about the lowest paying occupation someone can choose. There's very very very few TimeWarner commercial girls.

Bartending? That's highly competitive too! I hang out at a Hollywood bar and all of the waitresses (all beautiful) want to get promoted to bar tender. The problem is that the bar tenders hold on to their (higher paying) job for years and years. It's like that an EVERY bar unless you want to bartend at the airport or some place boring like that.

Now being a nurse? That's a REAL job, a high paying job and a much more in demand job wherever you go (LA or elsewhere).