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Here's another excellent book (newly released) to add to the book list. "Scott Sedita's Guide to Making it in Hollywood: 3 Steps to Success, 3 Steps to Failure" by Scott Sedita http://www.amazon.com/Scott-Seditas-Guide-Making-Hollyw...id=1217179156&sr=8-1

MIB, just looked at the table of contents and the stuff seems pertinent to a lot of our discussion threads on here. Great find!

I have a question about LA... I've heard it's pretty cheap out there (especially compared to New York). Is that true? Is it easy to live cheap? I'm talking rent-wise, food, and also just in general, you know.

quote:

Originally posted by MattBrown64:
I have a question about LA... I've heard it's pretty cheap out there (especially compared to New York). Is that true? Is it easy to live cheap? I'm talking rent-wise, food, and also just in general, you know.

From a thread I posted on recently:

"There's been a ton of good info about the housing question on the board already.

As far as how much money you'll need in LA, that's totally subjective. Do you want to eat Irish food (Mac Donald's) or sushi at Matusuhisa? Do you want to live in the ghetto or The Four Seasons? Drive a used Ford Escort or a Porsche Turbo?

Certainly, your car and your apartment will be your two biggest money drains. But two grand won't last TWO SECONDS. Living with a fixed-up friend is nice, but also the best way I know of losing one... the reason for my suggestion of moving out with a friend to share expenses, and having a bona fide job. You'll find that without gainful employment, your savings will evaporate as rapidly as a drop of water under the California sun.

Take your time, and prepare. No need to act hastily."

Groceries are far cheaper in LA, and the produce blows NYC away. Restaurants are about the same, depending on where you eat. Rent isn't cheap (like it used to be), but still a bargain compared to comparable rentals in Manhattan.

“Whatever works.”

www.robertkim.com
Check out my all-new ”Before & Afters”
www.imdb.com/name/nm0453647/

quote:

Originally posted by MattBrown64:
I have a question about LA... I've heard it's pretty cheap out there (especially compared to New York). Is that true? Is it easy to live cheap? I'm talking rent-wise, food, and also just in general, you know.

Dear GOD where do the young and deluded get their info? NOTHING about LA is cheap!! You will starve on the street quicker than you can say where's the nearest porn set!!! In a nutshell- LA is horrifically expensive- more so for people in this business than any other. You need money for-
- rent,(at least a grand a month on your own if you want to live somewhere you won't get mugged or shot) utilities, every month
- gas (about $100 a week- depending on many factors), food, parking permits ($100 for 6 or 12 months depending on area) as most likely as you will be parking on the street in cheaper apartments, parking tickets (oh YES you will get them!) those run about $50 a pop- you come in tired after a LONG day, finally get a prk on the street and stagger inside- next day there is that bit of paper on your window because it is STREET sweeping day)
- parking garage fees (around $6-$10 a pop, few times a week at least), extra taxes (hell, there is tax on a NEWSPAPER) It is all these extra little things that add up)
- acting classes (mine are $800 for 12 weeks), reels ($150-$250 to have compiled), mailings(what it is to manila headshot to mail these days, over a buck I bet)
- reproductions of headshots (costs hundreds for really decent ones) photographers charge $500 or more
- online submission services (and you need all four to stand a chance) Backstage is around $100 a year, LACasting around $70, NowCasting around $120, Actors Access $68
If you want to join a theatre company which I do recommend- dues are around $50-$75 a month
- a computer, a car, a printer (a good one)
- membership to awesome networking groups like Women in Film, Australians in Film, Film Independent, and what if you get invited to a brunch or what not to meet people? That will be $100 like THAT.
- actually driving around LOOKING for work can almost cost you more than actually having a job- with the price of gas these days, and do NOT expect to find work that pays anything at all to be easy to get. I myself am back at my house in the next state for a while as I am tapped out and there is NO WORK. Oh, and the unions will set you back thousands in initiation fees to join. SAG is $2335 roughly, AFTRA is $1300. My advice?? Work your ass off at two jobs where you are and save around $15,000. That's my next plan. Seems like a lot of money doen't it? Well, if you like to go out and spend each week, time to stop it, buckle down, and save up for what you really want. It means sacrifice- it really does. This place is TOUGH and if you are not mentally and financially ready, it will eat you alive and you will run for the hills. BE READY and WORK and SAVE your ass off starting NOW if this is what you really really want. And you cannot skimp in this business. By that I mean no, you can't do it cheaply (some of the above mentioned) as too many actors ahead of you CAN afford the good quality materials etc and the competion is just too steep to have anything less. What I wrote here is what it takes. I am not going to sugar-coat it as that's not my style and that would not help you anyway. Don't be scared off. I'm not. I'm coming back next year with a bigger pile of cash, a bigger amount of inner strength and bigger balls!!!!

this thread ROCKS. thanks Mominbiz for taking the time to start it, especially the first post!

Thanks, Anniesheart, and you're welcome! Glad you liked it!

Here are a couple of traffic maps for the LA area I've been meaning to add. Great way to compare and check out what the traffic is doing while figuring out other options if needed.
http://www.sigalert.com/map.asp?Region=Greater+Los+Angeles

http://traffic.iteris.net/SoCal.htm?lac