I don’t detest L.A; I love it.
I can’t drive, but I don’t mind cycling through. Let’s save the environment, burn me a few calories and get around. You say I can only live in Santa Barbara or somewhere like that? Even better. I love that town. (Seriously, I’ve been there. It’s gorgeous!)
Except, it’s not as easy as packing up my car and driving there. And before you rush to comment on how expensive the city is or how difficult to survive in LA, or leaving loved ones behind, I’ll do you one better:
I need to leave everyone behind in a different country.
And I don’t mind.
As much as I love my friends and family, I’ve wanted to be involved in making film in Hollywood since I was a little kid.
I don’t even have to develop skills like freelance writing or managing social media to support myself. I’ve got those.
Two polished scripts, a manuscript that can easily be turned into a script and a fully-developed idea for my next project? And a few more concepts that need some work on? Oh, I have that too.
What I don’t have however is a clue on how to get the right visa that will allow me to live and work in the States permanently. (I’m currently researching. I started with D’ALESSIO LAW GROUP because I caught a webinar from them through Stage 32, and they seem to know what they are doing.)
The USA might not welcome illegal immigrants, but it’s not exactly making it peachy for folks who want to come legally either.
I need one hell of a resume for O1, but the kind of work that will give me that resume is in LA in the first place. Talk about a Catch 22.
Of course, I can try and sell the script from here, whose process I’ve already started. But screenwriting deals rarely happen fast. And I can’t seem to agree with script consultants on some stuff. I’m all for improving my script, but not compromising what makes it the story I want to tell.
I don’t want to have the money and connections to move to L.A. when I’m 50. I want it now. I’ll take that PA job people seem to be hating. I can write on the side.
So next time, I’d love to see more posts on how people made it to Hollywood without having born in the States, having relatives in the States, won the green card lottery, married someone there or worked for decades in their own country before making the jump.
I’m 30. I’m ready.
So really, tell me how to get hired to work there from here. Then I can share those tips with the rest of the world’s enthusiastic filmmaker.
I do want to move to L.A. The mindset is there, even some initial savings to get me through the first couple of months.
When will L.A. have me?
