Survey Says...Time to Film!

Filming a TV show is not always confined to a sound stage. Location shoots happen all across the city of Los Angeles and these shoots involve the arrival of film crews, equipment trucks, actors, security and blocked roads.

A TV show filming in a building near you can be a surprise if you're not paying attention to signs posted in the area near the location shoot. I'm not talking about signs that are posted the day of the filming. There are signs alerting people to the upcoming production posted anywhere from a few days to a week in advance of the filming dates.

One of the signs/notifications is a filming survey and it looks like this:

This filming survey was posted in the lobby of our building a few weeks ago. The form is not the one used to request the approval of filming activities. It is posted so the company that coordinates filming permits for on-location shoots will know if anyone has any concerns about the proposed filming location, dates or times.

The amount of complaints or concerns they get varies per production and neighborhood. Some people just don't care because location filming is a part of daily life in Los Angeles. It can be a pain at times because traffic can be stopped and parking can become an issue thanks to the production trucks. Overall, it is not that big of a deal.

However, some people HATE filming that takes place on their street. They don't like the extra vehicles and activity and they seem to view it as a major inconvenience to their lives even though most film crews go out of their way to be respectful to those that live in the impacted neighborhood.

The only time I hate having film crews on our street is when they take a lot of the extra parking spaces.  We have two parking spots in our building but we have three vehicles.  I park on the street because I want Dana to be able to easily park in our garage and enter our building since she leaves early in the morning for work (and it keeps her safe). I let Zach park in the other spot because he is coming and going at all hours thanks to school, acting, stand up gigs, auditions and hanging out with his friends. I don't like the idea of Zach having to find parking late at night and walk through the neighborhoods to get to our building.

We live in a nice area but I am concerned with keeping them safe.  Plus, they both drive nice cars and I feel the odds of someone stealing my truck with 160,000 miles on it are pretty low compared to their vehicles. I can usually find a spot close to our building but there have been times that I've parked three or four streets over thanks to a large number of cars in the neighborhood.

FYI...The production crew did film some scenes for "Good Girls" near our home. It wasn't too bad because they were on Ventura Blvd in a restaurant so they were already filming on a really busy street. The production trucks didn't make that much of a difference in the daily traffic of the neighborhood because is is already a busy area thanks to restaurants, retail shops and grocery stores in the area.

I've never watched "Good Girls" but I might have to start so I can see our neighborhood on TV.

This actor has been on location many times for TV and movie shoots.

Revisiting The Secret Origin Of This Blog

If there's one thing I don't really "get" on social media, it is "Way Back Wednesday", "Throwback Thursday" and "Flashback Friday".

Don't get me wrong. I find it amusing to see old photos featuring bad haircuts and questionable fashion choices. I understand that people want to look back on their younger days. However, I rarely feel the need to post old items on my accounts. I am much more interested in where I am going instead of where I have been in the past.

Having said that, I've spent a lot of time in the last 48 hours talking about the journey that led us to Hollywood.  We've been working on a project spotlighting the three of us and part of the process has been interviews done separately and together. Sorry to be vague but I don't want to give too much away until the time is right.

The interviews inspired me to look back at some of the oldest posts on this blog. These old posts reminded me that the name of my blog was nothing more than a joke that happened to stick in the minds of friends and people that found my posts online.

Secret Origin of a Dadager:

When Zach and I were getting ready to move to Los Angeles, I did research about managers and agents to try and get a better idea about the business in general. I kept running across stories about fathers who were also the managers of their kids. The fathers of Michael Jackson, Lindsay Lohan and Beyonce kept appearing in search results as examples of fathers who were way too controlling and overbearing. As a joke, I decided to call myself a "Dadager" and the nickname stuck as time passed.

What started as a way to keep friends and family updated on Zach's career has turned into an outlet for insights into the business of acting. I've been contacted by many readers who want more information about certain show business topics and those who just want to say "thanks" for the info.

Looking at my old posts made me realize how little I knew about these topics when we arrived in Los Angeles:

• Casting directors
• Auditions
• Headshots
• Comedy clubs
• Acting classes
• LA traffic
• Callbacks
• Set life
• Pilot season
• Episodic season
• Stage Parents
• Improv at Second City and other venues
• Casting workshops
• Running lines before an audition

I am still amazed at the new info I learn on a weekly basis.

I really appreciate the support and feedback over the years. Your readership has meant a lot to me as my family has navigated the Hollywood machine for the last 5 years.

Plus, looking back at my old blog entries has taught me that a little "Flashback Friday" isn't a bad thing sometimes.

This actor makes each day an adventure in Hollywood.

How To Get Ready For An Auditon

While preparing for an audition might seem like an easy process, there are many steps to follow once the email hits your inbox.

Don't believe me?

Here are the steps Zach Louis took this week during his latest audition process.

Step One
Zach received an email on Monday for an audition from his commercial agent.

Step Two
Confirmation of receiving the email and then letting his manager know he had an audition.

Step Three
Reading the character breakdown to see how many lines he had to learn as well as determining what wardrobe to wear to be "in character" while still looking like a real person to the casting director

Step Four
Practicing any lines and getting the body language down for the character

Step Five
Take a look (again) at the location of the audition in order to determine how long it takes to get there, if there is street parking and the time of day the audition is being held

Step Six
Make sure the resume on the back of his headshot has the logo and contact info for his commercial agent instead of his theatrical agent

Step Seven
Properly hydrate and get eight hours of sleep (or try to get that much sleep)

Step Eight
Go to audition and impress the casting director with major acting skills

Step Nine
Go home and hope for a callback

Step Ten
Get a callback and jump for joy

Step Eleven
Make sure the clothes you wore to the first audition are clean and then wear them again since the casting director liked your look in that outfit

Step Twelve
Repeat steps two though nine and hope to repeat step ten

No word yet on whether or not Zach is moving through to the next round of auditions. If he does get another callback, he will refer to the steps outlined above to properly prepare for it!

Think Good Thoughts For This Actor And His Callbacks.

An Audition Road Trip Story

Most of Zach's auditions take place in and around the Los Angeles area. However, he had a recent commercial audition that required a road trip to San Diego. The amount of money for the role was enough to make the trip worth our time so we hit the road to the former home of the Chargers. 

The only areas of San Diego I've spent much time in are the downtown area and Point Loma. Both of these areas can be reached by driving the 5 from our area of Los Angeles. I decided to use the Waze app to monitor any traffic issues, Imagine my surprise when the app decided to not put me on the 5 going to San Diego. My journey took me from the 101 to the 134 to the 210 to the 71 to the 15 to (briefly) the 79 and then back to the 15. 

In other words, I had no idea where I was going in terms of getting to San Diego. 

It was a fun drive because I got to see parts of California I didn't know existed as well as the locations of a few casinos I had heard of but didn't know where they were located. The trip took about two and a half hours which isn't bad for a drive to San Diego.

We found the audition location in the Sorrento Valley area of San Diego. Zach entered the building and came out about 15 minutes later drenched in sweat. He explained that part of the improv audition involved acting like he was passing out and having water thrown on him in order to revive him. He seemed to feel good about his audition and I left the studio with a wet kid in search of food.

Even though I didn't know it at the time, that is when I made my big mistake of the day.

There is a place in San Diego that has tofu with a great thai peanut sauce. Since I was in town, I didn't want to pass up the opportunity to eat there. The restaurant was about 10 minutes away from the audition location which took me just far enough away from the 15 that Waze decided to put me on the 5 going home. 

Good news: Easy to navigate all the way home

Bad news: Traffic on the 5 is often a nightmare

Remember how I told you it took me two and a half hours to go the 135-140 miles to San Diego? It took me almost double that time as I spent over four and a half hours driving the same distance on the 5. On the plus side, it gave me some serious bonding time with Zach in the truck. 

Whether or not he books the commercial, it was nice spending the day with him since he is always off on an adventure at school or a comedy club or acting or with his friends. He even stayed awake and talked with me the whole way. A teenager talking to a parent for more than 5 minutes! What are the odds of that happening???

New Zach Louis headshots on his IMDb page.

How To Survive Pilot Season

Pilot season is underway and you can feel the tension across the city. Everyone is comparing the amount of auditions they've had so far, what parts they went out for and wondering why they didn't get the call for certain parts. While pilot season is an important part of the year for actors, they also need to learn how to stay sane and survive the next few months. Here are some tips to help actors remain calm during pilot season:

• Keep Your Focus - Pilot season is busy and you could be driving to multiple areas of town in one day or multiple times during the week. Stay focused on your work and don't stress about Los Angeles traffic. Stay in the moment with your acting and don't worry about your agents or managers of any other "business" aspects of the television industry. Your agent and manager help you get in the room but it is your talent that will get you a callback for a project.
• Find An Outlet - Pilot season is more than going to auditions. It is also keeping track of new projects, submitting yourself for parts besides the ones your agent and manager handle, making connections and getting your name out there even more than you normally do during the year. It's a nonstop process but you need to make time to relax and let your mind rest. Go to the gym. Meet friends for dinner. Go hiking once or twice per week. Give yourself time to take a deep breath and think about something other than acting.
• It's Not Always You - There are a dozen or more reasons why you might not book a part. Your acting ability might be the last reason you don't book a pilot. They might have been searching for a "certain look" and you didn't match what they had in mind. The part might have been rewritten to be an older person or the opposite gender or even written out of the show completely. It might have been budget reasons. It's certainly disappointing if you don't land the role you were after but keeping it all in perspective is vital to staying sane during the pilot season casting process.
• Be Prepared - The art of being prepared is more than just knowing your lines and being off book. You will often be given a copy of the entire pilot script. Read through it so you know what the show is about beyond the part you hope to land, Showing an interest in the entire script and knowing how the characters interact with each other will go a long way in making you stand out in the eyes of the casting director. Being in the room is your time to shine and show you have what it takes to play the part as well as be an important part of the acting ensemble. 
• Don't Let It Define The Rest Of Your Year - Don't let the success or failure you have in booking a pilot define the rest of your year. Pilot season is only a few months out of the year. If you don't book a pilot, it doesn't mean you will be unemployed for the rest of the year. Keep your eyes and ears open for new opportunities down the road. It might seem like the end of the world if you don't book a pilot but it can also mean there is something better waiting for you later in the year. Stay positive and keep your eyes on the goal of being a working actor.

This actor has had a couple of auditions in the last few weeks.

It's The Most Tolerable Time Of The Year

It's the middle of December and there seems to be a change in the air. Traffic isn't as bad as normal and auditions are slowing down. That can only mean one thing:

Welcome to the holidays in Hollywood.

Even though we've had an abundance of 70-degree days and sunshine (until the rain event on Thursday night), there are fewer people around town to enjoy it.

Question: Why do so many people leave town during the holidays?

Answer: Many actors move here to break into the entertainment industry so they go back home to see family and friends during the holidays.

The entertainment industry slows down as 2017 grow closer on the calendar. The week between Christmas and New Year's Day is really the one time of year actors can leave Los Angeles without being afraid they will miss an audition or booking a job. When Zach and I lived here before Dana moved to California, we would visit her as much as possible. There were many times I would get a call from a casting director asking if Zach could work a job for them. Of course, the job would always be the next day. It would never be next week or next month. It would always be the next day. No matter how far ahead we planned our trip while letting as many people as possible know that we would be out of town, there always seemed to be someone who needed Zach to work the day after we left town.

However, this is the time of year that the entire industry starts to shut down With few productions, auditions and workshops going on during this time period, actors can leave town without the fear of missing a gig.

It's also the time of year that reminds me that many people still consider somewhere else to be their home. As I write this entry, Zach is eating with one of his friends who is leaving town for 3 months to see family and friends. Many actors that leave town in December don't come back until February when pilot season is happening. They stay home to save money as well as see their loved ones.

It's not easy living in Hollywood away from your family. The people in California miss their family as well as the joy of being home. The people back home don't see their family that often and they also miss being involved in the daily lives of those chasing an acting dream.

We were a "split family" for a little under a year until Dana landed a job in Los Angeles. We've left town to visit family but we (thankfully) live together in Los Angeles.

Even though Christmas is around the corner, there are still some folks not in the holiday mood. I had the crosswalk signal in my favor the other day as I was walking to the gym. I started to cross the intersection when a van driven by a lady who looked like Mrs. Claus decided to stop waiting on me so she turned at the light. She zoomed past while barely missing me and then flipped me off as she drove away to her destination.

All I could think was, "If I get hit by the wife of Santa Claus, does she get a pass on the naughty or nice list?"

I'm looking forward to a fun holiday with this actor.

Answer The Question!!!

One of the main parts of the audition process happens after the actual audition. More than one person is going to ask you a series of questions including:

• How did it go?
• How many people were reading for the part?
• Who was in the room? (Was it the casting director or an assistant?)
• How many times did they have you read the lines?
• Did they like your performance?
• What were the other actors wearing?
• Do you feel like you have a shot at it?

You can walk out of the room feeling like you nailed it and then instantly be hit with doubts once you're questioned by family and friends. They don't mean any harm with the questions. Your support system is asking because they want to see you succeed and book a part. However, they don't realize that this series of questions can cause you to pick apart your performance and doubt yourself.

I've been guilty of the "too many questions" game with Zach. He had an audition yesterday and I asked him all of the above questions when he got home. I try not to bother him too much before auditions because I don't want to distract him from his acting process. I do figure out the logistics of the audition to make things easier for him. I've been to about 90% of the places he goes for auditions. To make it easier for him, I determine in advance:

• The area of town where the audition is located
• Parking issues (Street parking on a major road, neighborhood parking, any parking restrictions I know of near the place)
• Time of day of the audition to determine when to leave because of traffic
• Best route to get there (Trying to avoid the 405, 101, etc.)

The audition yesterday was on La Brea so the logistics to keep in mind were:

• The audition is during rush hour traffic so is taking the 101 or the Canyon better?
• The audition location has parking meters that are not available 4p-7p because of rush hour traffic so where should he park?
• Two-hour neighborhood parking is available until 8pm so that gives him a good option
• What time should he leave to beat traffic?

These are all small things but they help keep him focused on the task at hand which is the actual audition. Don't waste your time overthinking things or trying to take in every detail of the audition experience so you can answer questions later. Just focus on your performance and doing your best in the room. The best answer to any question asked by your family and friends is "I booked the part"!!!

This actor felt good about his audition yesterday.

What Skills Does An Actor Need In Order To Succeed?

Acting is certainly an art but it's also a business you need to learn how to navigate. It takes a combination of luck, business skills, talent and common sense to make your way through the business of being an actor. When it comes to finding success in Hollywood, what skills does an actor need on a daily basis?

• Read the sides - Zach and I were reminded of this simple skill just a few days ago. He auditioned for a sitcom and the role was for a kid who thinks he is a punk rocker. The sides specifically said not to dress as a punk rocker but to have the attitude associated with that type of person. Zach got to the audition and the first thing he saw was a room full of kids dressed like punk rockers. Zach instantly stood out from the crowd because he read the sides and followed the instructions.
• Read the room - This simple piece of advice means paying attention while waiting for your turn to audition. Are the auditions going fast or slow? Can you hear the people in the room? If so, are they happy or cranky or asking lots of questions? Reading the room before you enter for your audition means you will have a better idea of what to expect when it is your turn to read for the casting director.
• Don't be late - You wouldn't want to be late for work or a business meeting. Since that is the case, why would you be late for your audition?  The times for audition appointments are scheduled to get the number of actors they want to see through the room on time. Don't be "that guy" and be late for your audition. You will definitely make an impression on the casting director but it might not be the type of impression you want to make that day.
• Don't make excuses - Stayed out too late and didn't get up in time to learn your lines? While you might get a little bit of sympathy, the majority of the cast and crew don't care. There are plenty of actors ready and willing to take your place so don't make excuses for not knowing your lines. Be professional and ready to perform!
• Don't improvise your lines - Want to find the easiest way to offend a writer as well as the director? Make up your own lines in a scene. The script you get each morning on set is the final product and it's not your job to improve or change the dialogue.
• Get out there and work it - "Working it" can be anything from attending a play to working on your own script to taking an acting class to networking at a casting workshop. There are many avenues available for you to be seen and meet others in the industry. You have to make the effort to get out there and give your career the boost it needs to rise above every other person in Hollywood who wants to be a working actor.

This actor can work a room as well as a crowd at a comedy show.

Math Is Easy...Getting To Class Is Hard

Zach had an audition recently that, in theory, was at a great time, The audition was scheduled for noon at a casting studio in Los Angeles. It was the perfect time in-between two college classes. Plus, they had an open audition window until 2:30pm so Zach didn't have to be there right at noon. One class ended at 12:10pm and the other class started at 1:40pm

Like I said, this was a good audition time in theory. It still worried me a little bit because the distance between the two locations was 12 miles. He would also have to take care of all these steps in that 90-minute window:

• Walk to the parking lot nowhere near his class after the first class ended
• Drive to the audition
• Find a parking space in an area where there is only street parking 
• Do the audition
• Drive back to college
• Find another parking space nowhere near his class
• Walk to class from the distant parking lot
• Be in the classroom at 1:40pm

The 8 steps listed above offered way too many chances for something to go wrong. The three of us discussed a plan of action and decided the best solution was me driving him to the audition. He would drive himself to school that morning and I would pick him up at 12:10pm and start the race to the audition.

I left for Glendale around 11:30am to give myself plenty of time in traffic. I arrived at 11:50am and proceeded to completely fail at getting him some lunch. The first fast food place I drove to was out of business and the second place had a line all the way out to the street. I pulled into a gas station and got him a bag of potato chips and a drink so he would have some sort of snack on the way. (Dad of the Year material)

I knew exactly where the casting office was located but wasn't sure about the best way to get there from Glendale. I don't know where Google Maps thinks I am in America but it informed me that we would arrive at our destination in 13 hours. I didn't have time to determine the problem so I decided to get the Waze app. My phone then let me know that service was not available at that moment. I finally pulled out my old school Garmin GPS and entered the address. It gave me one route that seemed way too complicated so I restarted my phone and was able to get service as well as Waze.

We headed off down the 2 to Glendale Blvd and then Waze helped us beat traffic with a scenic tour of some neighborhoods, a dog park, skateboarders, a photo shoot, a guy dressed as Ben Franklin and what I can only assume was a demonstration on how to cook meth in public. We eventually hit the 101 to Santa Monica Blvd to our destination. We arrived at 12:40pm which gave us plenty of time for the audition and the drive back to school.

I sat outside and did some work on my computer while waiting on him. The minutes were ticking by as actors that arrived after us entered and left the building before Zach came back outside. Was he having a great audition or were the casting people having him read the lines over and over again until they were happy with it?

While he did end up having a good audition, it took so long because the camera broke and the casting folks had to find a new one before they could record his audition. Our time that we had to spare on the drive back to Glendale had vanished. We were now going to arrive 15 minutes late to class. We jumped into the truck and made our way past Hollywood Blvd, the Ford Theatre and Forest Lawn Cemetery (final resting place of Bette Davis, John Wooden, Morey Amsterdam, Michael Clarke Duncan, Paul Walker and many others). I quickly switched lanes way too many times in a vehicle that size in Los Angeles traffic, honked at cars and generally drove like an idiot but I made it to the 134 and the last leg of the trip to school. 

We arrived at the college at 1:38pm. I pulled up to the drop-off lane and kicked Zach out of the truck. The class started at 1:40pm and he made it only a few minutes late instead of the 15 predicted by Waze. I can't say I'm proud of my behavior behind the wheel that day but nobody got hurt and I beat the clock to get him there on time.

While I certainly hope he gets the part thanks to his acting ability, there should be extra credit with the casting director for our successful trip to and from the audition!

We're waiting to hear about the audition and his math test results as well.

Sometimes The Artist Is Such A Teenager!

As Zach continues to get older, we are letting him take the lead on certain aspects of his career.  He writes all of his own stand-up material, chats with his manager about YouTube activities, pays for his acting class and sometimes drives himself to auditions.

The decision on driving himself depends on where the audition is located. It's not so much distance to the audition as much as ease of parking once he gets to the location. I took him to an audition near the Beverly Center because it was an area of town with little street parking and too many daytime parking restrictions in the surrounding neighborhoods. I didn't want him to deal with the stress of finding parking when he needed to focus on the audition. However, there are other audition locations where it is easy for him to park near the casting office.

Dana took him to an audition on Friday in Santa Monica. Her office closed early for the 4th of July holiday so she had time to get him to the casting office. While he was waiting to see the casting director, he discovered his buddy Jake was at the callback. Jake and his parents live near us and they offered to give Zach a ride home so Dana wouldn't have to kill time waiting outside.

Great!!! This was around 3:30pm and Dana was eager to avoid as much Friday rush hour traffic on the 405 as possible. What could go wrong with this fantastic plan?

Flash forward to 4:50pm. Zach called and was close to being dropped off at home. He had a stand-up gig at Flappers that night and had to get ready for his show. He did have one problem to take care of before getting ready for the show:

He left his acting folder at the casting office.

Plus, the role he was trying out for had him dressed in athletic gear so he had to put his wallet in his acting folder.  This meant that his driver's license, debit card and all of his acting paperwork was in Santa Monica. On a Friday. At 5pm. In rush hour traffic. On a holiday weekend.

We quickly called the casting office and hoped they weren't closing at 5pm that day. Thankfully, they were still casting for other projects and would be open until at least 6pm. Zach couldn't drive back to Santa Monica because he had to get ready for his gig and be at the club by 7pm. Plus, he didn't have his license and I didn't want him to risk getting a ticket.

I jumped in the truck at 5pm and hit the 405. Santa Monica is a great city but it is also a giant pain to get in and out of on a daily basis. From Sherman Oaks, you have to take the 405 to the 10 or the 405 to Wilshire or Pico or Olympic to get to Santa Monica. It's one of those destinations where all routes seem to be backed up at all times. This was not going to be a short, or easy, drive to the casting office.

I quickly discovered I was going against the flow of traffic and was actually making pretty good time. The drive that took Dana 65-minutes earlier in the day took me 30-minutes on the nose. Traffic going home looked to be a nightmare but at least I was going to make it to my destination and get his stuff before they closed.

I walked into the casting office and was greeted by the sight of about a dozen guys all over 6-feet tall wearing tight athletic clothing to show off their muscles. I was wearing a baseball cap and a t-shirt I've owned for about 4 years. I was definitely the answer to "one of these things is not like the other" from Sesame Street.

I walked over to the girl who appeared to be in charge and said I was there to get a folder they were holding for my son.  She looked at me with relief and we had the conversation below:

(Girl): "Thank goodness you made it here to get the folder."
(Me): He couldn't drive here because he has a stand-up gig and his license is in the folder."
(Girl): "His license is in here?" (Looks in the folder) "Is that his wallet????"
(Me): "Yes it is."
(Girl): "Wait...Is that all of his paperwork?  Coogan account and Legal 18 paperwork???"
(Me): "Yep."
(Girl): "How could he forget all of that and his wallet????"
(Me): "I guess you don't have a teenager or you would know the answer to that question."
(Girl): (Hands me the folder while laughing) "Tell him the folder was lost! That would be funny."
(Me): "I'll just steal from the wallet and tell him the cash was already gone when I picked it up."
(Random Guy In The Room): "That's a great idea!!!"

My adventure was only half over as I had to figure out how to get back to Sherman Oaks in less than an hour because Zach needed to leave by 6:30pm to make it to Flappers by his 7pm talent check-in time. I left the casting office and was able to get a good view of the 10 which was completely stopped. Rather than relying on Google Maps, I decided to make it up on my way home.

I went from the casting office to Pico and made okay time as I passed McCabe's Guitar Shop and other landmarks. I was getting near the 405 but there was a large backup to get to the exit. I randomly decided to turn left to see where it would take me and I ended up passing Cotner Ave. Cotner took me to the same 405 exit I had bypassed by turning left but in half the time. I was now on the 405 and it was around 6pm. Traffic crawled along and I could feel myself losing the battle to make it on time. Once again, it was time to try a different route so I made a last minute exit on Moraga Drive and headed down Sepulveda Blvd. I raced down Sepulveda and made it back to my place at 6:27pm!

Zach got his wallet and headed to the comedy club. I still had time to go inside and get ready. Everyone made it to Flappers at their expected arrival times. He had a good set and I was able to brag to our friends at the show that I made it to Santa Monica and back in just under 90-minutes.

I would have been out of luck if it hadn't been for traffic being off a little bit thanks to the holiday. Having said that, I'm glad I was able to help the kid as well as beat the clock during rush hour on a Friday!

I did not take the money out of the wallet of this actor.

How Do Actors Get Around Los Angeles Without A Car?

Now that you've moved to Los Angeles for pilot season, it's time to make your way around town. Learning the ins and outs of the 405, the 101 and the 5 as well as when to take surface streets to avoid traffic jams is essential to saving time going to auditions. But what if you come to town without a car? How is an actor supposed to get around town???

One of the major factors that determines how easily you can get around town without a car is where you live. For example, Santa Monica has the Big Blue Bus that can get you from Santa Monica to as far as Beverly Hills or as close as Venice. Public transportation (or what counts for public transportation in LA) is the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority or Metro. On the plus side, Metro can get you somewhere for a couple of bucks. However, the stations are scattered and, at best, are few and far between. Planning trips around town is not very practical if you don't live near a Metro stop. Having said all of that, living near a station means you can take advantage of the trains that run about every 10 minutes or so during the day and around 20-25 minutes at night. Metro also has bus service if you'd rather not take a train.

How about riding a bike? It's great exercise and there are plenty of bike lanes in Los Angeles as many people choose to bike instead of drive. The danger of riding a bike is being the super sweaty actor at an audition.

As with any major city, there is Uber and Lyft to get you around town. There are definite advantages to these car ride services as they save you the hassle of finding a parking space and are available 24-hours a day on demand. The downside is the rides are automatically charged to your credit card. Regular customers need to encourage their friends to use the services so they can get free rides. Otherwise, the charges to your credit card can become a large amount before you realize how much money you've spent on rides.

Like many actors in Los Angeles, you will more than likely have a regular job to help pay the bills. Although it can't be done with all jobs, living close to where you work is a goal for many in Los Angeles. Being able to walk or ride a bike to work is a big help in your life without a car.

If you do need a car in a tight spot or just to run some errands outside of your neighborhood, there is a car-share service called Zipcar that allows you to pay an hourly rate to use their vehicles. From auditions to job interviews to needing a vehicle to carry groceries home, Zipcar is a good alternative when a car is the only option for you.

You can always take a cab and spend way too much money if you enjoy that kind of thing. Cabs are easy to come by downtown and in many tourist spots around the area. Good luck finding one in the middle of the day in the Valley.

Finally, make friends with people who don't mind taking you places as long as you help out with gas money.

It's not impossible to exist in Los Angeles without a car during pilot season (and beyond). It is nicer to have your own transportation so you can drive to an audition at your pace. Plus, everybody in Los Angeles should have to experience going to the California DMV at least once in their life.

I can't believe this actor is old enough to have his own vehicle.

Where Are You Going To Live During Pilot Season?

The craziness of pilot season is just starting in Hollywood. When actors make their way to California, they are always concerned about having their resume and headshot and management in order. Many of them don't give enough thought to where they are going to live once they get to Los Angeles. Rentals are at a premium during pilot season because landlords and homeowners know they can make a killing renting out apartments and spare rooms.

Pilot season also creates a big demand for hotel and motel rooms. Besides the actors coming to Los Angeles for pilot season, there's also a big demand for rooms thanks to the number of awards ceremonies at this time of year. You can certainly find an apartment for rent but be prepared to pay a higher price since most apartments that offer short-term leases have already been booked. The remaining few can make big money since there is such a demand for places to live.

How do you go about finding a place? Two of the most popular online sites are Craigslist and Airbnb. Although you can narrow your search some by location on Craigslist, Airbnb is more focused as it gives you a checklist of items to search for in an apartment or rental property. There is also a very helpful online site from Westside Rentals that allows landlords to list properties that have opened in Los Angeles and the surrounding area. There is also the option of taking over an existing rental by subleasing it from a person who is moving before their lease is over.

If the actor coming to Hollywood is a child actor with a parent who is employed in the corporate world, there is always corporate housing rentals. This would require some coordination with the company that employs the parent but it is certainly worth checking into as a housing option.

The other thing to worry about when finding a place to live is LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION. There are dozens of casting locations that host auditions on a regular basis. A good number of them are in the Hollywood, DTLA and San Fernando Valley area. While you might find a rental place that has a cheaper price in Orange County or Simi Valley, the amount of time spent in traffic getting to an audition might make the idea of living further out not worth it in the long run. Many auditions are last minute so being in Long Beach doesn't make it easy to get to Burbank in 30-minutes to an hour for a time sensitive audition window.

Here's a few numbers to give you an idea of how crowded the acting field is in Los Angeles. Just taking the amount of adults out of the equation (since Zach is still in the teen category), the California Department of Labor issues around 50,000 entertainment work permits every six months. (The work permits for minors must be renewed every six months.)  The vast majority of these work permits are for minors working in the Los Angeles area. Add in the large number of adult actors also in Los Angeles for pilot season (much less year round residents) and you'll have a good idea of how many people are searching for housing in Los Angeles.

I'm not trying to scare you off from being a part of pilot season. I just want you to be prepared for the competition for housing that goes along with the competition for booking roles and the increase in traffic from the new (temporary) residents.

If you do decide to join us in California for the next few months, enjoy your stay in Los Angeles!

This actor makes the San Fernando Valley his home.

Where Did Everybody Go????

December is just around the corner which means less and less people are in Hollywood. While California might seem like an ideal place to be during the holidays, it is actually a time of year when it is easier to get around the Los Angeles area.

The answer to where everybody has gone?

Home.

The entertainment industry starts to slow down as Christmas and New Year's Day get closer on the calendar. The week between Christmas and New Year's Day is the one time of the year actors can leave town without feeling like they are going to miss an audition or booking. When Zach and I were living here by ourselves, we would try and go visit Dana as much as possible. I can't name the amount of times I was either visiting Dana or on an airplane going to visit her when I would get a call from a casting director:

Casting Director: "Can Zach work a Super Soaker commercial tomorrow?"

Me: "Not unless it's shooting in Missouri,"

The above conversation has happened to almost every actor at least one time in their career. However, the entire industry shuts down at the end of the year. With no productions, casting or workshops going on in that time period, actors can leave town without the fear of missing a gig.

It's also the time of year that reminds me just how many people still consider somewhere else to be their home. Many of Zach's friends are out here with one parent while the other parent and siblings are back in their home state continuing their jobs and lives far removed from Hollywood. He also has many older friends that moved here all alone to chase their dream of making it as an actor.

It's not an easy situation for a number of reasons. The people living in Hollywood miss their family and friends as well as the comforts of home. The people back home miss their family members but they also miss being part of the daily lives and experiences of the ones who left to chase their dream. It's not an ideal situation for any of the people involved.

We were in the "split living" situation for 9 months until Dana got a job in Los Angeles. Since then, we've left town to see family but we are united and living in Los Angeles.

As the holidays continue, the traffic on the 405 becomes more tolerable. In the spirit of the holiday season, there was about 50% less road rage and fewer sightings of the middle finger this weekend. The fact that traffic is more manageable during the holidays might be the greatest gift of all.

I Need To Do Some Holiday Shopping For This Actor.