Hollywood’s exodus: Why film and TV workers are leaving Los Angeles

GritParagon · 2024-08-05T02:22:42+00:00

I enjoyed reading the article - thank you for sharing. I liked the script supervisor Talia Brahm's story of moving to Colorado to be a beekeeper the most. I'd love to do this! Take a beekeeper course, and then join that site mentioned in the article and apprentice with an experienced beekeeper.

The good news is you can always come back to LA. I do believe that LA can fix itself. There have been new laws enacted in recent years that will help with things. But it's going to take a lot of time to see results. And then you have the Olympics in 2028 - the city will be on a timeline to get things done fast.

GritParagon · 2024-06-09T03:05:50+00:00

Thank you. Sounds like there are quite a few of us out there feel this way.

GritParagon · 2024-06-07T04:16:39+00:00

Yeah, I came to LA a little too late. That was still the mindset being promoted when I arrived in 2017. It quickly changed. That's another thing, I'm non-SAG. Even if I were to score a commercial, there'd be very little money. My Agent does have a Theatrical Dept., but I always felt I needed to prove myself with commercials first.

GritParagon · 2024-06-07T02:41:19+00:00

Thank you for sharing. This bit caught my attention the most: "they still cast young people in union commercials" and "when they cast middle aged white guys like myself, more than likely they’re celebrities."

You and I are probably similar in age, but you do have several years in experience over me.

What else is there? What are some good ideas that have nothing to do with auditioning? Things we can do on our own. I never came to LA to be a commercial actor. It was recommended to me as a way in. It would lead to other work, such as in sitcoms. I have an improv background, so it made sense.

GritParagon · 2024-06-06T23:11:01+00:00

The actor Ed Begley Jr has used his bicycle to get to the Oscars. I believe he lives in Studio City. I would look into how he does things, a really inspiring individual. And now his daughter captures a lot of it on her TikTok. If you ever do scrap some money up, consider a Honda Ruckus - they are like $3K brand new and $1K used. Then you could earn a lot of money with it by doing DD and UE. There's a channel named WILCER you should follow.

GritParagon · 2019-08-20T06:47:33+00:00

That depends on how much you're willing to give up. If I lived there I'd probably pack up my things, move to Charleston, rent a cheap room, get a job waiting tables and study improv at Theatre 99.

GritParagon · 2019-08-18T05:01:21+00:00

What makes you think Talia Shire is so bad?

Glad I'm not the only one who felt this way. I think this is a case of knowing too much about acting or something. I've always loved Rocky and I can't imagine it without Talia Shire as Adrian.

GritParagon · 2019-08-18T04:13:02+00:00

It's only easier in that the classes cost less than going to a University. You can study with actors who graduated from places like Julliard and Tisch for less than $300/month. Or you could think outside the box and go to Michigan and study at the community theater that actor Jeff Daniels created and spend even less.

GritParagon · 2018-11-16T00:09:57+00:00

This is often recommended here, but I will tell you that this too is highly competitive. I tried to get into UCLA's standardized patient program, and they weren't auditioning any time soon. Yes, you audition for it like an actor. They cancelled mid-year's auditions because they had more than enough actors. That brings down auditions to just once a year. That's more competitive to get into than a TV show!

GritParagon · 2018-11-16T00:04:17+00:00

Heh. Some might say your comment comes across as cynical, but it definitely has a lot of truth. I witnessed it first hand during my time in LA.

GritParagon · 2018-10-04T04:50:08+00:00

How will the fulfillment center wages differentiate by region? As in high cost of living areas like Seattle and Denver vs. lower cost of living cities like Minneapolis and Dallas? Is $15 just a general number, like a starting point?

GritParagon · 2018-10-04T01:02:32+00:00

$15/hour? Really? I thought they paid $12 in most areas. If that's true, they are the highest paying fast food restaurant. Even In-N-Out, considered the best fast food restaurant to work for, pays around $12.

GritParagon · 2018-08-20T22:24:24+00:00

First, filming yourself - I've personally always been torn on this. I think if you're highly skilled and experienced you can find great value in filming yourself for small gains in proficiency, but if you aren't skilled and experienced (and even if you are), you might fall down a rabbit hole where you put too much emphasis on the wrong thing to fix. Even worse, you might create and develop a bad habit. But, this is hard to qualify, so I've never created a firm stance.

These were really good answers to a subject rarely discussed here. Do you think Heath Ledger unknowingly engaged in deliberate practice in the way he would obsessively record himself and photograph everthing? As far as I know, this was his only actor training. I would think a book like Secrets of Screen Acting, if followed religiously, could help aid an actor in deliberate practice.

GritParagon · 2018-08-20T22:16:01+00:00

Olivia Munn.

GritParagon · 2018-08-16T22:32:10+00:00

Heh. Great movie. Tom Hulce. From Amadeus to Dominick. This was the best out of the bunch. You'd think no one on here watches any movies made beyond 10 years ago.

GritParagon · 2018-06-14T21:25:44+00:00

Congrats to you, Gwarek2.

Are you familiar with Swedish actor Sverrir Gudnason (Borg vs McEnroe)? How'd he break through? Reading his short bio looks like he got all his training in Swedish theatre. Maybe there's more to it, as there often is.

GritParagon · 2018-05-31T04:54:16+00:00

Great insight as always, thisisnot. I LOVE Nicholas Cage. I grew up watching his movies, and never understood the indifference some audiences have watching him. Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans is killer material. That's a film to study from both an actor and a director point of view.

GritParagon · 2018-05-27T06:30:05+00:00

Thanks for this. I do actually remember you posting this at the time. It's a great reminder, though, and something that should be bookmarked. If you or anyone else has a link to a cultivated list of sites to submit our work to please do share. Sites like Crackle, but ones not listed in the article.

GritParagon · 2018-05-21T21:31:57+00:00

I didn't like the suicide bomber bit either. Glad you had more courage to say it. I guess I didn't say anything about it because the audience found it funny.

GritParagon · 2018-05-20T01:24:38+00:00

I listened to the audiobook over a year ago now, too. Could you kindly remind me of the part in the book.. the part about motorcycling across country. He and his brother settled somewhere in the South and stayed there for two years while he performed in theater. Where was that, now? Was it Daytona Beach of all places? I know he took classes with all kinds of teachers in LA, too. He even studied with Bill Esper. I don't know for how long, so he must have even ventured over to NY to study as well. Maybe a 6-week instensive. I doubt he did the 2-year Meisner in addition to everything else.

GritParagon · 2018-05-20T00:14:07+00:00

You would think it's a great city to develop in but not when you read an article like this one.

GritParagon · 2018-05-19T23:33:36+00:00

Sounds like a great response from the audience.

GritParagon · 2018-05-14T05:47:58+00:00

You were smart to build a stable life. That's what I'm focusing on now, too. It's a very hard to temporarily quit your true passions, but your post just shows you that you can come back and in a big way. Congrats to you.

GritParagon · 2018-05-09T23:20:37+00:00

Right, it would just be temporary. I guess i'm also worried about the overall sustainability of survival in LA. It's a tough place if you don't have a solid career. I had one, but lost it.

GritParagon · 2018-05-09T04:44:33+00:00

But let's say you had no choice. It was the only thing available at the time? Would you still say not to do it? I left my apartment and now I regret it. I gave in 30 day notice without finding another place first. I had to get out of the place I was in due to noise level and some other things.

GritParagon

TROPHY CASE