I'd like to hear from actors who have relocated to Los Angeles. Tell me about your biggest mistakes and smartest moves.

I'd also like to know about some of the misconceptions you had about L.A. before moving here. And while we're at it, let's hear about some Hollywood cliches that were proven true.

And by the way, these posts don't have to be solely about the industry - they can also be about life in general.

This should make for a good discussion and I also intend to use some of your responses for a new column.

So thanks in advance for your help!

I moved to LA at the beginning of last year and am glad I did.

My smartest moves(I'll list them first):

1) Coming here with enough money($20-30K). I cannot stress how important this is. Moving to any new city has its inherent high upfront costs(rent/deposit, furniture, etc.). But if you are an actor moving to LA, costs are multliplied. Between classes, workshops, headshots, reproductions, online casting sites, demo reels, mailings, industry publication and online subscriptions, networking events, costly gas for driving to auditions and god knows what else, you are looking at a large investment. You also need to find a job that is flexible-so you won't likely get the money that an 8 to 5 brings. Money will burn away quick down here even if you are frugal. You have to be financially stable coming here-and know how to stay so during your time here.

2. Doing research. I made a reconnisance visit a month or so before coming to get a sense of the neighborhoods, and arranged a sublet to find time to obtain an apartment on a more permanent basis. A pre-arranged living arrangement is good. You don't want to be stuck with no place to live, crashing from couch to couch. Also, buying a Thomas Guide map book was a good idea.

3. I didn't let a lack of good credits, or a SAG card, prevent me from taking the plunge-and thought long-term. It takes a long time to become established here-you have to be in it for the long haul. And that means no "I'll give it 2 years and see what happens." Even if you are established in other markets, you are still a small fish here when you arrive.


Biggest mistakes:
1) Being over-eager to snag an agent upon first arrival. I sent out a mailing to agents a few days before leaving, wanting to hit the ground running. I found an agent before an apartment, actually. But in retrospect, I needed time to get acclimated to life in the LA area and gather more information about the industry. Also, I didn't realize that a bad agent is worse than no agent at all. You need to be here a while to know which ones are worth pursuing. Until then, just submit yourself on LACasting and Actors Access.

2. Counting on the false promises of others. It sounds cynical, but it is true. Never expect anything until it's signed, sealed, and delivered(and you're paid). Believe it when you see it. Don't count your chickens before they're hatched. Choose your cliche-and understand that there are a lot of flaky, cheap, and low-integrity people in this business. Actors are strung along by producers all the time, and are let down when they have been counting on the money/marketability that a promised role would bring. Always have backup plans. In this industry, you are always considered replaceable until you are a big star that sells a project.(Sorry for being vague and long-winded)
3. Attempting to drive to the valley from the westside on a Thursday afternoon/evening. It took an hour to get ON the 405 from a mile away. Then another hour and a half to get to 101. Then another 45 to get to my Burbank destination. This will absolutely drive you nuts!

I honestly can say it's been pretty much what I've expected. The non-sensical and shallow nature of this industry has been very evident in my personal experiences but I am not surprised in retrospect. The biggest advice would be to know that it's a marathon and not a sprint, and so don't get too frustrated at the lows or overconfident during the highs.

I've only been here for 2 months, so I haven't had a chance to make any "big mistakes" or know if my moves are "smart" yet... But I'm pretty happy so far. I'm sure my big mistake will be not enough money, though. (Wow LADelight, you must be amazing with your money to be able to save that much!)

I tried to get the boring stuff out of the way first: driver's license, registration, phone etc (I got a huge and expensive long distance plan, but it's worth every penny, keeping me sane!!)

I then audited a few classes, and signed up for one. So far class has been the best thing I've done here. I'm very glad I audited. And not only am I honing my skills, but I'm meeting other actors who aren't vying for the same parts as me, and therefore more willing to help out and share their experiences.

I am not union yet, but being union wasn't worth it for me to wait. I would have had to join through ACTRA as I was in Canada, and I didn't see the point of wasting the time to be established back home when I knew eventually I would just have to start all over in LA. And I can still play a teen, so I wanted to get out here before that was over. Why not start off where you want to end up?

I'm really glad that I haven't stressed out too much about the agent thing yet. I'm doing mailings, and although I really want an agent... good things take time. I've had 3 offers for agency meetings, all of which were off of LACasting, and none of which I trust my career enough with. I can only imagine what some young girls my age would think getting those "alerts" and how excited they would get, and not looking at themselves objectively and saying "Why do I want an agent who has enough time to solicit someone who isn't union, and doesn't have many credits?". Realistically, my only chance is a referral right now, so we'll see. Maybe one day...

As far as misconceptions and cliches.. All I can say is if you are coming from Canada, specifically the GTA area (I came from Niagara Falls) California is not that expensive. Gas is about the same, if not cheaper, and eating out is ridiculously tempting as there are amazing places with cheap food. Back home there are US and Canadian pricing on most tags, especially from clothing stores, and it really excites me to pay the cheap one!

The traffic is exactly what is said, there are cars all around you ALWAYS, even if its not stand still or a busy time of day. If something odd happens there is no where for you to go. I've been here two months, with my brand new car that I drove cross country with (through hail, tornado storms, and the rockies in the rain) without a scratch- and already I have to bring my car into the shop because of a lovely transport tire tread that blew on the 5, and when that thing is flying at you, your only choice is to slow down as much as possible without getting rear ended and hope for the best, there's no where else for you to go.

I've come to LA for good, with my dreams. I'm not expecting to gain instant celebrity status overnight from being "discovered". I work hard and I want to prove that I'm dedicated. Other than I can only hope that one day I'll get lucky. There are so many people who come here and think that they are an exception, and while I'm a huge dreamer and like to imagine what that would be like (isn't that why we are all pursuing our dreams?), I know my dreams alone won't get me anywhere. I know that working hard doesn't even guarantee to get me anywhere. And I think you have to know that coming into LA. And not just listen to it and store it, but really know it's a risk you take.

I've only been here for 2 months, so I haven't had a chance to make any "big mistakes" or know if my moves are "smart" yet... But I'm pretty happy so far. I'm sure my big mistake will be not enough money, though. (Wow LADelight, you must be amazing with your money to be able to save that much!)

I tried to get the boring stuff out of the way first: driver's license, registration, phone etc (I got a huge and expensive long distance plan, but it's worth every penny, keeping me sane!!)

I then audited a few classes, and signed up for one. So far class has been the best thing I've done here. I'm very glad I audited. And not only am I honing my skills, but I'm meeting other actors who aren't vying for the same parts as me, and therefore more willing to help out and share their experiences.

I am not union yet, but being union wasn't worth it for me to wait. I would have had to join through ACTRA as I was in Canada, and I didn't see the point of wasting the time to be established back home when I knew eventually I would just have to start all over in LA. And I can still play a teen, so I wanted to get out here before that was over. Why not start off where you want to end up?

I'm really glad that I haven't stressed out too much about the agent thing yet. I'm doing mailings, and although I really want an agent... good things take time. I've had 3 offers for agency meetings, all of which were off of LACasting, and none of which I trust my career enough with. I can only imagine what some young girls my age would think getting those "alerts" and how excited they would get, and not looking at themselves objectively and saying "Why do I want an agent who has enough time to solicit someone who isn't union, and doesn't have many credits?". Realistically, my only chance is a referral right now, so we'll see. Maybe one day...

As far as misconceptions and cliches.. All I can say is if you are coming from Canada, specifically the GTA area (I came from Niagara Falls) California is not that expensive. Gas is about the same, if not cheaper, and eating out is ridiculously tempting as there are amazing places with cheap food. Back home there are US and Canadian pricing on most tags, especially from clothing stores, and it really excites me to pay the cheap one!

The traffic is exactly what is said, there are cars all around you ALWAYS, even if its not stand still or a busy time of day. If something odd happens there is no where for you to go. I've been here two months, with my brand new car that I drove cross country with (through hail, tornado storms, and the rockies in the rain) without a scratch- and already I have to bring my car into the shop because of a lovely transport tire tread that blew on the 5, and when that thing is flying at you, your only choice is to slow down as much as possible without getting rear ended and hope for the best, there's no where else for you to go.

I've come to LA for good, with my dreams. I'm not expecting to gain instant celebrity status overnight from being "discovered". I work hard and I want to prove that I'm dedicated. Other than I can only hope that one day I'll get lucky. There are so many people who come here and think that they are an exception, and while I'm a huge dreamer and like to imagine what that would be like (isn't that why we are all pursuing our dreams?), I know my dreams alone won't get me anywhere. I know that working hard doesn't even guarantee to get me anywhere. And I think you have to know that coming into LA. And not just listen to it and store it, but really know it's a risk you take.

Secret Agent Man this was a good idea for a forum... I'm not there yet, but some of the things that LADelight and tmb43 said are helpful to people like me that are planning to move to LA!

I moved here a little over a year ago and I wish I'd done it sooner. It's been an amazing experience! I always thought LA was this big, scarry place but it's really not.

Good Moves

1. Having a support system already in place. One of my friends moved to LA about a year before I did... and I've had a few friends move here after me. It's been a lifesaver!

2. I got a job first and then moved. Not having to worry about finding a job ASAP was a big help. I spent many months on Monster.com but it paid off in the long run.

3. I did a few showcases in LA before I moved. It was a good idea just to get my feet wet. It's also how I met my manager.

Bad Moves

1. Moving to Pasadena. The job I got was in Pasadena so it made sense at the time. I just wish I had done more research on neighborhoods before I moved. People in LA talk like Pasadena is on the other side of the moon. It was a serious hard-sell to get my friends to come visit me. I also found that everything I did was either in Hollywood or the Valley so I spent the majority of my time in the car. I ended up moving as soon as my lease was up.

2. Not being in a class continuously. I've taken CD workshops here and there but it's not enough. I'm finally starting a weekly class and I wish I'd done it sooner because I feel rusty.

One thing I want to add about LA traffic....

Yes. It can suck big time! I try to avoid the freeways and certain parts of town during peak times. If I have to go somewhere after work... I give myself tons of extra time to get there. Be prepared for traffic to suprise you though. I'm early sometimes and end up hanging out at a coffee shop.

I think the #1 best thing I did for myself was get a GPS!!!!!

One of my mistakes: Coming from NYC I paid too little attention to my "look" right off the bat. A manager I interviewed with actually called my NY agent to complain that I wore jeans to my interview. Now, while I think this is sorta insane (the guy had his "office" in his garage--should I have worn a ball gown!?) I did learn to dress it up. When she called to tell me about the complaint, my NY agent told me, "LA is not NY. Here, we have imaginations and care about talent--there, you have to spoon feed them."

Yes, I know people in LA have imaginations, but you have to see the humor in that...Secret Agent Man--would you have complained about jeans? Did I break a secret dress code? I thought I looked cute!

Wow. You guys are the best. These stories are fascinating. And I love the common themes. Back Stage wants me to write a piece in a few weeks for their annual Moving to LA issue and I'm definitely going to incorporate some of this stufff. So thanks!

As for me, I moved out here about a hundred years ago. I always thought everyone in L.A. was a lazy beach bum who said "dude" all the time. Boy, was I surprised! Everyone I met during my early days was driven and goal oriented. They were all hustling, trying to gain some ground in their careers. I found the energy invigorating and I realized very quickly that I was dead wrong about the people in this town.

On the other hand, I was right about breast implants.

How come Seattle/NW actors, can't get the same pay as others do (as extras)? by the way, this one movie that's going to be shooting soon, the union/non-union will be getting the same pay (as extras)?
When i do plan to move to LA, I heard that my agent has opened an office down there (LA).

I have just one thing to sum up my two years that I only WISH had been pointed out to ME ahead of time and that is-

BRING TONS OF SAVINGS. PART-TIME WORK NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET. I REPEAT BRING SAVINGS. PART-TIME WORK NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET. ONCE MORE- BRING SAVINGS- PART-TIME WORK NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET. AND FINALLY ONCE MORE JUST SO YOU GET IT. BRING SAVINGS- PART-TIME WORK NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET. Oh, and if you are closer to 30 than 20 years of age- MULTIPLE the above advice by about 100........

The biggest mistake I made, and that I think many people make, is to think that Life or its priorities would substantially change once I came out here. Luckily, I came with about $10000 in savings, so I didn't make the more concrete mistake of not having a means of support other than acting.

You DO need a job. Really. Even people who get in for the TV and film work are rarely making their livings that way, especially in the first few years.

I also would have done more plays and taken classes with the best teachers (I especially regret not taking Larry Moss when he was still teaching.) My newcomer's worry was that all this would get in the way of all that on-camera work I would be auditioning for....

Sigh...

Best thing I did? Got a rent-controlled apartment that was then in an iffy neighborhood which has since gentrified. Oh, and, having arrived in California, I made SURE I had a pool.

Love that pool.

It happens that I'm also right by what was then a construction project and is now the North Hollywood subway stop. Comes in handy.

Otherwise, the best thing I ever did came years before, after I'd struggled month to month as a singer-songwriter. I learned about computers, and worked pretty seriously in that biz before moving to consulting and working back into a creative life with that skill to ease the sickening anxiety of not having work (once as a musician I had ONE gig that was going to pay my rent - and got a sore throat. I still went on.)

The novelist Ann Patchett once said, "No one ever got rich depending on a muse." It's nice if you make money at your craft, but have a backup for when you don't. Feeling sick with fear isn't very conducive to creativity.

I didn't have enough money saved when I moved here, but if I'd waited to have enough money, I never would have made the leap.

It took me two years just to get properly established with a good day job/stable living situation/money, so the idea that "I'll just give it two years" is completely unrealistic. Be prepared to at least invest 5 or don't even bother coming.

I wasted a lot of time in that first two years concentrating on getting an agent, and then having an agent and expecting it to help me. Nothing ever happened for me until I stopped waiting on agents and started hustling myself. Now I wish I'd taken that first two years and spent the time/money I'd invested in pursuing agents and used it for pursuing work, even if it was non-union and small potatoes.

Best advice:
1) be on all the casting websites (actors access, LA Casting, Now Casting) and submit every day even to stuff you think is a stretch for you or you think is too small for you;
2) Be in a good class with people doing good work -- there were times that the only thing that kept me from packing up and moving home was wanting to sign up for another month of class to see how well someone's new scene turned out;
3) Pay for good headshots -- if you aren't at least paying $300-400 for a basic set of shots, you're working with an amateur and your shots won't be good;
4) If you don't have footage, go to one of those "shoot me a reel" places (getreella.com is one, there are others) and pay to shoot a scene -- it's better quality than a lot of non-union stuff I did for free and it's better to pay for decent footage than to have none or wait around months to finally get a copy of something where you look/sound terrible;
5) Meet people, as many people in as many walks of life as you can. You never know who is going to introduce you to your first decent agent or help you land a role -- I got taft-hartleyed in a major motion picture because a doctor friend had the director as a patient and called in a favor. Sometimes people outside the industry are your best resources -- they aren't so tired yet of wanna-be actors asking for favors.
6) Do the CD workshops -- yeah, paying sucks and I resisted them on principle for years, but they still cost less per session than my acting class, and I think they've been more help to my audition technique than any of the cold reading classes I spent hundreds on, and now those CDs at least recognize my face if my agent submits me -- and yes, I did actually get a call from a CD who had me in a file from a workshop, so apparently it sometimes happens.
7) Stop worrying so much if everything is a scam. Yes, there are crooked agents and managers and photographers looking to bilk you of your money. Welcome to Hollywood. But you always have the choice to open up your check book or not. If your agent asks you to shoot with a specific photographer, you can say no. And your agent can yell at you and threaten to dump you. But you still don't have to open your check book. Nobody can take advantage of you if you don't let them, so don't worry so much about all the people who are going to try.

That is the best lot of advice I have read in a long time and I agree with everything you said. Good job. Everyone- LISTEN to this person- they know what time it is!!!

I agree. That's a great post, hex02