I moved from Nebraska to LA and went to college and have been here ever since. If you do it right, it s certainly possible to make a living. Right now, rents are dropping because so many people are moving out of the city due to our high unemployment rate. To be a cosmetologist, you have to assist for about a year but then you could get your own station and build your own clientele.In terms of Culver City, my sister lives there. It s been really revitalized, has a great downtown area now with wine bars and restaurants and shopping and they re currently building a train that will go from there to different parts of the city to bring people into the area. It s getting progressively better. For a while, it was a little sketchy but with the high end restaurants and the Fox Hills Mall renovation, the area is improving. It s true that everything is more expensive in L.A. from food to car insurance to rent to everything else. For a while I worked three jobs while I was trying to get school debt paid off and be able to just live. But if you re willing to make that sacrifice-- and if you re from the midwest and have the midwest work ethic-- you can do it. And it will all pay off in a few years.
You said you can t afford John Robert Powers. What about the Colleges in or near Kansas City? I know some of them have performing arts programs. You could get grants or loans if you have no money. And you must have some money saved or you wouldn t be considering moving to California. What acting have you already done? You don t mention any. Kansas City has many opportunities to become involved in theatre productions. If you haven t already taken the opportunity to study acting and do some performing I think you should stay where you are and try that first.
Coming to LA to pursue your dream as an actor ? It s a stupid idea. And I can say that because I live here, and see the consequences of the thousands of young people with the same idea, all because they had to pursue their dream . Trouble is, 99.99% of them come here unprepared, unrealistic, with no money, no experience, no skills, and no plan. You seem to be under the fantasy/delusion that you can just show up in Hollywood and be discovered . That s a myth. A fantasy. NEVER happens. EVER.Want to know how people get discovered ? It doesn t just happen overnight:1. Go as much experience as you can. That means practice, practice, practice, every day. Most people don t have the discipline to be any good. And this also means that you sign up for every singing workshop, musical theater production, and drama/singing camp that you can find.2. Next, you need contacts. By doing step 1, you ll start to get contacts. You need them in this town. Because the way you get a contract is when someone in the music or movie business hears about you. And they aren t going to sit in every karaoke bar in Hollywood to find you. (It s too painful, much like the opening rounds of American Idol).3. You need an agent. Because your agent will have your demo, your head shot, and he/she s the one with contacts in this industry. Your agent is the one that gets the casting calls. Your agent can set up the gigs in the really high profile places.4. You need money. Money to stay in LA while all this is going on. Money for workshops, camps, and classes while you improve your craft. Let s do the math, shall we?Unless you have mad skills and a killer resume, you ll make minimum wage, which is currently $8 per hour. If you are lucky enough to get 40 hours per week, that s 320 per week, or $1280 gross per month. And that s BEFORE taxes. Take home is probably $910. Now it s a hard economic fact that you should spend around 1/3 of your salary on rent or mortgage. One third of $910 is about $300, which is what you can afford. However, the average rent for a studio/bachelor/single apartment is about $1000, and a 1BR is about $1200. In order to afford that, you need to make at least $3000 per month. Looks like you re a little short.Expecting to come to LA and be discovered is unrealistic. Feel free to come visit and enjoy the sights. But generally takes months to make the right contacts so that you can get in on an open mic night or an audition.You know what happens to people like you from the midwest when they come out here? Many come here on the bus, with high hopes, some pocket money, no plan, and are doomed to failure. The Grayhound Bus depot downtown is the pimp and perv capital of the universe. Every day, newbies are helped by these people. They will give you a free place to stay, offer you some food, usually some pot or drugs, and all is well at first. Then you find out how free all that stuff is. They have you in their house, you have nowhere else to go, and that s how many wannabe actors wind up as sex slaves. Somehow you never earn quite enough to pay your pimp, let alone enough to strike out on your own. Your pimp holds all your money for you. They just busted up a ring out in the valley, where dozens were freed from virtual slavery. And frankly, those were the lucky ones. Too many wind up in the clutches of some sicko, lured by the promise of a free place to stay. Some get their 15 seconds of fame, on the 6:00 news. They re the ones covered up under the white sheet.If you wanted help, you got the best advice anyone can give you at this point. What you choose to do with it is up to you.Frankly, I don t care what you think of me. I m not posting this answer for points, or to be popular. But once you ve seen another wannabe actor strung out on drugs, or a dead one, this type of post becomes a public service message. Seeing one is enough, and I ve seen too d@mn many. This isn t Kansas, and it sure as heck isn t Oz. Stay home, Dorothy.