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Work and Careers

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This is probably the most important area of the site for those who are coming to LA for work. There are no "rules" to success, and, in this section, I give information on lessons that I have learned and issues that I have experienced. I have spoken to many people who came on business, this section will help you research the best time to come, otherwise you could be wasting valuable time.

More Information:

  • Where to find it

    As with many industries most jobs are filled by word of mouth. People always like to work with people that are known to them and they like, or that have been recommended by others.

    By networking you have a much better chance of hearing who is looking to hire. Networking is one of the most valuable skills in Hollywood. It can be expensive, crass and uncomfortable but it is the way forward.

    There are many places to network. However you should be aware of people "talking the talk" and of supposed "celebrity hang-outs" that charge a lot of money for food and drinks that are mostly populated with tourists.

    You may also be heading to LA to take part in a film festival. Do your research, just because you get invited by the festival and just because it is in Los Angeles does not make it a well organized or well respected festival. You should also check the calendar section of this website to make sure the executives that you want to meet will be in LA and not away at a festival or market.

    Be sure to have business cards and ideally it will have a local phone number. Overseas cell phones are expensive to call and if you cannot afford to buy a local cell phone with a local number make sure you hand out your number with full international dialing code. It is also essential that your voice mail works and you can access it.

    LA is home to the networking organizations, or "mixers" as they are sometimes known. You need to look and ask around but I am confident you will find at least one organization with people who have a similar background or things in common to yourself.

    There is a great website which offers much first hand insight into working in LA: www.filmindustrybloggers.com

  • Things to know
    • The Studios are:
      • Disney
      • Fox
      • Paramount
      • Sony
      • Universal
      • Warner Bros.
    • The big Agencies are; Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Endeavor, International Creative Management (ICM), United Talent Agency (UTA) and the William Morris Agency. The Gersh Agency and Paradigm are also well respected and are large size agencies.
    • The 'Trades' are; The Hollywood Reporter and Variety and Screen International.
  • Job hunting tips
    • "The Job List". According to industry insiders one Agency in particular provides a weekly job list that circulates to a select few via email. Find someone who receives the list and get them to forward it to you.
    • Internships are a necessary evil, but it could be the chance of a lifetime. Many people now working for high profile individuals and companies started as interns.
    • First impressions count. Never be late. It's likely your contact will make you wait, bear this in mind for your next meeting arrangement. Most executives have very little time to spare. Do your research, know some background on the company and the individual, ask pertinent questions and sound impressive to them. Make sure you have the correct pronunciation of their name and befriend their assistant, or you may not get that meeting. CARPE DIEM.
    • The first meeting. This is the city where the expression "died of encouragement" was born. Many executives will promise a lunch or another meeting as you say your goodbyes. This is a common way to end a meeting and one that does not always come to fruition. A title of a book written about the business is "Hello...he lied".
    • Executives are conscious of missing out on starting a relationship with someone who is being met elsewhere. You may have an edge by claiming to only be in town for a brief time. Bear in mind if you have something to offer, state it up front (meaning; references, money, scripts and or credits). By the end of the first meeting the executive will have decided if you have anything to offer and if they like you enough to help you out.
    • Leave a business card, making sure the phone number is correct, if it is a foreign phone number ensure the exact dialing code is clear. Follow up after the meeting with a thank you letter. NOTE: If you are sending a script make sure there are no spelling or grammatical mistakes. Do not send unsolicited scripts to anyone.
    • A second meeting with an executive is a good sign and this could be the start of a relationship.
    • On a practical level be sure you know where the meeting is taking place and the parking facilities. Traffic and distances are very important to be aware of. It is better to be thirty minutes early, than late. This is even more of an issue during rush hour.
    • Many industry people and executives attend the mid week receptions and events that take place. Most people will stay sober as they do not want to embarrass themselves in front of people they work with or want to work with. In addition to this people live all over the city and the drink drive laws are rigorously enforced. Come the weekend they tend to hide in theirs or their friends homes, holding dinner or house parties. These are some of the hottest tickets around!
    • However, that said there are many social animals that live and work here and parties and clubs can be packed every night.

Resources:

  • The Hollywood Creative Directory

    Known as HCD this is a very good source of contact information for people working in the industry. It is available in print (updated quarterly) or online at www.hcdonline.com The site allows you to have a weekly subscription. The site also includes a job section, and the job board pages are free to access.

  • Workshops and useful organisations

    Career workshops and seminars can be very useful. From a learning point of view and a networking opportunity.

    The AFI (American Film Institute) is also a great organization www.afi.com The organization runs film making courses and holds events, including the AFI Film Fest, LA's largest annual film festival.

    Film Independent (formerly known as IFP West) is an excellent resource for filmmakers www.filmindependent.org/

    Filmmakers Alliance also comes highly recommended www.filmmakersalliance.com

    Fireproof Careers holds workshops and one to one meetings on how Hollywood works and can focus on a specific facet of the film industry as per your requirements. www.fireproofcareers.com

    IFTA (Independent Film and Television Alliance) is a membership organization made up of film and television companies www.ifta-online.org Their annual film market known as The AFM is one of the worlds largest film markets.

    Women In Film is a membership organization (for a fee and with references) that puts on seminars and it is open to men as well as non members. www.wif.org

  • For actors

    Beware of people presenting themselves as agents or managers. Be sure to remember to interview them! Do not sign any documents without a lawyer or someone you trust reviewing them.

    Actors should be looking at Backstage West, as a good source of information. This is a daily newspaper and can be found at most books shops and news stands. It can also be accessed on the web http://www.backstage.com/bso/

    Acting schools and coaches can be found online. There are some great ones and some not so good. Exercise caution, and some courses will allow you to sit in on the first session for free. Internet searches should provide information on schools and classes and then check with people you know to see if the course is worthwhile. You could also see if the course is featured on the Los Angeles Better Business Bureau website at www.labbb.org

  • The calendar

    If you are coming to LA for a short trip, take note. LA is an industry town and therefore follows many of the festivals that take place elsewhere. Not all festivals and markets are well respected and offer networking opportunities, however there are some key ones.

    The industry is quiet during the following periods;

    There are also the standard public holidays

    Another quite period is the Jewish Holidays

    Pilot season for actors is end of December to April. It has been said things are starting to go year round, but if your hear this phrase, these are the dates it is referring to.

    On the other hand a great time to come is when one of the larger film festivals and events are taking place;

  • Day jobs

    On the financial survival front, you should expect LA to be expensive. If you are expecting to wait tables or tend bar you will need a proper work visa. The potential earnings of both these jobs are big. Hundreds of dollars a night in tips and the freedom to attend daytime auditions and interviews mean these jobs are coveted.

  • Further education

    There are many places for full time or part time education and many courses for all aspects of the entertainment industry, an internet search will provide information.

    The two most famous in LA are;