How to move to Hollywood

Ever want to up and move out to hollywood? Or Los Angeles? But don't know where to start? And what to do when you get here?

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• SAVINGS! motivation!

1. 
    
   http://www.alltoledohomesforsale.com/files/768525/toledo_map_2.jpg

   Decide, once and for all, that you simply will not stay in your tiny hometown and that you must break free to the big city.

2. SAVE YOUR MONEY. No matter where you are coming from, chances are if it is not New York, San Francisco, or Seattle, things are going to be a lot more expensive in Los Angeles. A thousand dollars, while you can somehow make it work, will not be enough. Expect to have a long job hunt, especially with the current recession.
   
   Find a place to live, and set it up online. Scower locations on the internet first, then call your friends and friends friends, your great aunt's and relatives that live in Los Angeles. This is a BIG city. Know where you want to go. Ideally, North Hollywood is nicely suburban with a city mix, and lots of art galleries and nice resturaunts plus nightlife. Hollywood itself is a gritty, dingy, touristy ghetto that is kept clean for commerce sake. There is not much in actual Hollywood other then clubs and places to eat. Echo Park is a cool, arty little area that is attracting the hip young crowd, as well as Eagle Rock near by. These are locations that are equally expensive due to their raising profiles, but are somewhat removed from the hustle and busy tourist noise of Hollywood itself. You will want a car out here, but you will hate the traffic. If you live outside of hollywood, you will want a car. Hollywood has a pretty close radius to the subway redline as well as frequent bus trips. Do you're research, if you want to work at a studio, move to burbank. Those businesses are not really located in Hollywood these days. If you want to go to school, Santa Monica is closer than Hollywood to UCLA depending on your car situation.

3. FIND A JOB IMMEDIATELY. By immediately, I mean you really do need to be hammering down doors, checking your Craig's List opportunities daily, and being on top of your email. It will take time for people to get back to you unless you have a pretty stellar resume. Which you WILL NEED. Have a good head shot, and a well written resume before you arrive. Even a Starbucks out here will like to see a head shot.

4. Realize that a million people move here thinking that they made it to the big city, and now the rest will fall into place. This is not a mecca of sorts, but another collection of buildings. Yes, there are movie studios here. Yes, famous people live here because the industry is here. But realize also that this is where most people live to just work their jobs, and live their lives. There are far more "normal" jobs here then star filled movie positions. Unless you know your way around a set, or have been working towards your significant entertainment career for a while before hand and know the ropes a bit, then count on waiting tables or selling food. It's ok, it's normal, we all do it. Now that you are in Hollywood, you can pay your rent, struggle for money food and fame like the rest of the population, and probably meet a lot of cool people with artistic backgrounds in the process. Just remember! Rent is DUE!!!

Tips & Warnings

• DONT LIVE ALONE unless you are independently wealthy. You will want room mates to offset the living costs.
• Don't think that being here and living here means MAKING it here. Very few creative people are actually lucky enough to come to Hollywood and be able to do only one thing to make ends meet. If you don't have a degree from school, or a connection for a legitimate, I stress legitimate, job opportunity, then don't expect to get hired into that director's chair when you get out of the U-haul truck. This place is like living anywhere else, with more people, more opportunities, more options, but in the end, if all you wanted to do is go to school work your job and go hang with your friends, that is what you will do here as well with a bit nicer weather and a higher cost of living.
• Is it worth it for you? I hope so :-)

Resources

• various places to rent in hollywood, google searched.

[zachgolf]

on 6/10/2009 The Best Websites To Look For A Hollywood Apartment!There are many ways to find an apartment in Hollywood. The best would be to know exactly which building you want to live in, and contact the building manager about availability. But that is not always the case, which means searching for the perfect Hollywood apartment can take time and persistence. Here is a list of the best websites, and a couple of techniques that should allow you to find your new diggs in Hollywood.Read the rest of the article at our blog - http://liveinhollywood.net/websites-hollywood-apartment/

[inquire]

on 5/3/2009 This is different. I like it!

[goldiec]

on 4/5/2009 Great article. I would love to live in Hollywood. Oh and I love the picture. 5*

[bethandlee]

on 3/31/2009 Been there done that! 5*

[gerrie5044]

on 3/25/2009 Great article!! A headshot for Starbucks??? :) Too funny! 5* and rec