unsure about los angeles (San Diego: lease, insurance, sex offenders)

[sam4467]

hi my name is sam and im 20. im thinking about moving to los angeles (im sorry if the spelling is wrong) i live in new zealand so its a big move for me and i would appreciate any information on where to move and the life style. im a makeup artist so i would like to try enter the entertainment industry. is it as easy as it gets made out to be?

Thank you

[Charles]

Originally Posted by sam4467

is it as easy as it gets made out to be?

It's easier than that.

[ZenMaster2008]

Originally Posted by sam4467

hi my name is sam and im 20. im thinking about moving to los angeles (im sorry if the spelling is wrong) i live in new zealand so its a big move for me and i would appreciate any information on where to move and the life style. im a makeup artist so i would like to try enter the entertainment industry. is it as easy as it gets made out to be?

Thank you

It's not easy, the economy is horrible, you would have to get a visa, you are young and not experienced, hundreds upon thousands here want the job that you want.

It is sunny a lot here though.

Seriously, I'd wait until the economy issues worldwide settle down a bit before venturing into this. In the mean time, prep yourself for a future in LA if it's what you want. Get your schooling done, get some experience, do some research and then you might be ready.

[KnoxTown]

Is LA easy? Nope.

[premier soccer fan]

Definitely visit prior to moving anywhere! In California everyone is welcome - it's a huge melting-pot where everyone is from everywhere else.

That being said, you will find that it is a WORLD AWAY from New Zealand. People are not (generally) as friendly. It's expensive to live here. Gas is up around $2.25 again and when it was at it's highest a few months ago, I paid over $4.50 per gallon. There are many people who don't have registration and insurance on their vehicles so they think nothing of hitting you and leaving the scene.

Best suggestion I can give you for gauging how long it will take you (I use this method when taking the kids to auditions) is....go to google maps (or yahoo maps) and input your travel information (from and to locations). It'll give you the approximate travel time. DOUBLE that and you will be there on time, if not early. Obviously, if traveling from Los Angeles to San Diego, you don't have to double the time, just add on 45 - 60 minutes to allow for traffic. Also, if you don't have a GPS Navigation system, get one. It's saved me HOURS of time when a traffic jam hits.

Do your research before signing any lease, purchase agreement, etc, if you choose to live here. In California we have "Megan's Law" where the sex offenders have to register where they live. Here's a link to that website. California Megan's Law - California Department of Justice - Office of the Attorney General. Once there, you can search by address, zip code, city, etc. Make wise decisions and stay alert. You may be male and 20 years old, but it doesn't mean that you want to live by the "trash".

Los Angeles County now has an unemployment rate of 10% so it's difficult to say what that will truly do to the economy and/or crime rates. Here's a link to the Los Angeles Police Department's website. official website of THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT. From there, you can take a look at the "crime maps".

Something else to think about....SAG is going to be putting out a strike authorization. It will probably pass. Because of SAG not having a contract, many many productions have not begun (and won't anytime soon). Non-union and AFTRA are still producing, but the competition is fierce for any work related to Hollywood, at this time.

I don't want to scare you by offering these suggestions, I want you to be educated. You'd be a long way from home, wide-eyed, and awe-struck. I want you to have a great experience in California and I want you to be safe while here. By doing your research, you'll be much more prepared for anything thrown your way.

Stay safe.

[zenkonami]

It's not easy, and that's a huge move. Unless you've had a few years experience or got some great connections, here's my advice.

Make a go of Auckland or maybe Sydney for a few years and get yourself into Television and Theatre (and Film when you can.) Be professional, practice, and hustle for work. Make as many connections as you can, all the while keeping your goal of L.A. in mind. Be patient, but be diligent. You've got to hit one of those bigger media cities in your region if you're going to find the kind of work, experience and contacts you'll need to make it in L.A. Be sure to ask those people for advice, too. Just don't be too pushy about it, and remember that a client is a client. They'll remember good work and a good, fun, relaxed attitude more than anything else.

After you do that for a few years, *then* make a go for L.A. That'll give you some time to see how much you like doing that kind of work anyway. When you get to L.A., you'll probably feel kind of like you're starting over. You are, except that now you've got experience, some wisdom and patience under your belt...and contacts. That's how you can start picking up business. It'll probably take time. If you're good at what you do, the hard part is getting the first bunch of jobs. You get those, and most of those clients will probably try to get you again (so long as they can afford you.)

ZenMaster is right...it is very competitive here, and like everywhere, work is tightening up a bit at the moment. It wouldn't hurt for you to get some experience in some other production fields, as well, if you can (look for jobs as a Production Assistant...basically you're just there to be an extra set of hands for carrying lights, setting up shots, getting coffee, driving people around...etc...)...Being really good at make-up is gonna be your bread and butter work, but when the business dips, it's good to have a few other things to fall back on for a few gigs.

Do note that it's not a relaxed town when it comes to the entertainment industry. It's brutal, fast and unforgiving. It doesn't care about your last day off. You're constantly looking for the next job. When you've got no money, it can be depressing and turn you into quite the homebody for a while till you're able to secure that next gig. It can also be exciting, fun and quite rewarding.

If you *really* want it, then that's my suggestion. Take with the appropriate pinch of salt and be sure to solicit any other opinions you can before you make your decision =) I'm sure you will.