I will graduate from college in May with a BS in (*Gasp*) Economics. Don't be fooled, I'm not the dullness dishwater type of person that my degree would insinuate. Anyway, I would like to move to LA this summer and strive to become a professional actor (like all the other newbies on this forum). I have some experience in acting (mostly commercials, little film and TV) and I am a member of SAG. I have also taken a couple acting classes, privately and through my university. I am 22 years old and have some money saved up that will allow me to live on my own for a few months. Here are a couple of questions that I have:

1. I am a member of the Houston area SAG. When I joined it was only $980 versus $1500 for the LA area SAG. Will I need to pay the difference before I move?

2. Should I apply to agents before I get to Los Angeles area or afterwards?

3. Where is one of the cheapest and most convenient places to live for actors?

4. What type of agent should I expect to sign with? (such as a scam agency being a 1 and CAA being a 10)

5. Do you recommend any particular agency?


6. Is it easy to find extra work for a SAG member? (I was thinking I could make some "extra" money (pun intended))



If you can just answer one or two questions, that will be great. Thanks to everyone who opines!

1)You'll need to pay the difference when you move and start working. Not sure how much since the dues have gone up.
2)Afterward, and not right afterward either. I made the mistake of submitting, getting an agent right upon arrival, and not going out at all. Get a foothold on living in LA and testing the market first.
3)Culver City or anywhere in the Valley btwn Burbank and the 405.
4)Don't settle for a 1 or 2 by any means; establish yourself till you can get a 5 or 6 at least.
5)No, impossible to say. Too many variables.
6)No. Well, it depends. The union lines at Central, Jeff Olan, etc. are jam-packed and don't have much anyways. You've gotta get in tight with the commercial extras casting folks because that's where the good extra money is. But they tend to cast the exact same 40 folks(friends, relatives, unmentionables) every time. Good luck on getting in there.

Hello and welcome!

Call th LA branch of SAG to ask about the fees.
I would get established in LA a bit before submitting to agents. You can be submitting yourself for auditions in the meantime. For background work, in addition to registering with Central Casting, Bill Dance and others, you can also find some on LA Casting, a branch of Casting Networks. The key to getting called in is submitting as soon as possible to the posting or the call-in line info. Here is a link to more information and resources for the basics on getting started in LA, which also includes a thread on housing.

http://bbs.backstage.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/932105/m/98310108