There are many actors that arrive in Los Angeles with enough money to last them 3-6 months. They believe that's more than enough money because they'll land a film or TV role soon after they arrive in town. Their career will take off and they'll be set in the entertainment industry.
That fantasy does work out for some people...Just not very many of them.
When we first arrived in town, Zach's manager told us how long it takes to make any headway in the business. She has been completely right about the amount of time necessary to gain some momentum. In fact, I'm sometimes amazed at how accurate she's been on her timeline prediction.
Are you ready to learn how long it takes to "make it" in Hollywood?
If so, then keep reading. If not, thanks for stopping by and I'll see you in my next blog post.
Still with me? Great!
The plan is quite simple...It's the "3-5-7-Year Plan".
What???
How can it take that long to succeed in your chosen profession of being an actor???? Let me explain to you why it's called the "3-5-7-Year Plan".
1. It will take you 3 years before you start making headway with casting directors.
When you first arrive in town you'll want to find casting director workshops to attend. These are a great way to get in front of casting directors (or their assistants) and receive feedback about your acting skills. You'll perform a scene for the CD and he (or she) will give you honest feedback.
The CD will also ask you a few questions in order to learn more about you and your personality. It's also a way for them to determine where you are in your career. Are you now a local resident building a life in Los Angeles? Are you staying with friends or at an extended stay hotel? Are you here "for a few months looking to see what happens"?
Whatever you do, don't tell them you live at The Oakwoods! Made famous in the documentary "The Hollywood Complex", The Oakwoods is famous for being a gathering place for those not willing to commit to living here long term. There are many people who will warn you to never tell a manger, agent or casting director that you live at the Oakwoods. It's seen as a warning sign that you're not committed to living here long term.
One thing to remember about casting directors? They meet lots of people. I mean LOTS of people. It takes more than one meeting to make you memorable to them. Also, the more times you see a CD the more they realize you live here on a permanent basis. They'll eventually see you as a professional and not as a person dropping in to chase a dream.
The first 3 years are filled with background work, casting workshops, freebies for friends and anything else you can do to get your name out to others in the business. It's also an expensive time filled with money spent on headshots, acting classes, workshops and promo postcards to send to casting directors,
Zach is in the middle of Year 3 right now and he is starting to see the connections and chance meetings of the last 3 years start to pay off for him. Some of the roles he's booked in recent months have come directly from folks he's met on past projects.
2. Year 5 is when the pieces start to come together.
You've been here for a good amount of time. You've networked with others and built a solid foundation of friends and coworkers. You've also (hopefully) built a good resume of on-camera work that you can spotlight in a demo reel.
Year 5 is also the time that you'll have your first chance at landing a permanent role on a TV show. All of the guest shots, networking and hard work come together and take you to the next phase of your career.
If you last that long in Los Angeles.
3. Year 7 is a year of transition.
The final year of the plan is the year you're supposed to be doing so well that you leave your old manager behind. It's the year you get so busy and so successful that you need a new team to help guide your career.
We haven't hit Year 7 yet but it will be a good problem to have in the future.
The big question is....Will you be here for Year 3 or Year 5 or Year 7?
As I mentioned at the start of this post, many aspiring actors come out on the 3-6 month plan. That's not nearly enough time to lay the groundwork for a successful career in front of (or behind) the camera.
Some people give up when they don't achieve instant success. The fact that you're the star of your high school play doesn't mean you have great talent. It means you're a bit better than the other actors in your school.
Some people give up because they can't take the constant rejection of not landing a role. I understand that it's not easy to be told "No" every week. Do you have what it takes to prove the casting directors wrong?
Others go back home because they miss their friends and family. This is a fun town but it's also a hard town to love without the support of your family. There are many families here that consist of one parent and a child while the other parent and siblings stay behind. Not everyone can make the complete sacrifice and have all of the family members move to Los Angeles. Some parents have a job that can't be transferred to another city. The siblings might not want to leave their friends or school behind to support the dreams of the actor. There is also the expense of paying rent twice a month since you live in two cities. That double expense can quickly drain your bank account.
We got lucky because Dana and I were both able to find jobs in Los Angeles so we could be together all the time. We did the first 8 months apart. I landed the better end of the deal because I had the kid with me and the California sunshine. It's not that bad a prospect to be thrown into a completely new environment when you know that you're escaping the Midwest winter!
It really comes down to each individual actor. It doesn't matter if you're a child/teen actor or an adult chasing your dream. Are you willing to put in the time, money and effort it takes to navigate your way through Hollywood? Is your drive to succeed enough to help you stand out from the thousands of other actors out here trying to live their dream? Are you sure you want to be an actor or are you willing to experience a really long and expensive vacation which ends in you heading back home for good?
These are hard questions that only you can answer for yourself. Once you know the answers to your questions, your best path should be right in front of you.
This Actor Is In Year 3 Of His Continuing Artistic Journey
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