The Inevitable Question...

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  • The Inevitable Question...

    Advice greatly appreciated.

    Here's the general idea. I'm 23 years old, 24 next June, living in the UK (which seems a million miles from LA-LA Land) and screenwriting is what I want to do. It's what I am doing ... writing, and writing, and praying that ICM or WMA will come knocking on my door with a nice golden cheque from 20th Century Fox for a cool $1 million.

    Well, I can dream.

    Anyway, here's the inevitable question. Should I move to LA or not? I'm sure it probably ranks as the number 1 question asked, but I thought, what the hell...

    Like I said, I'm 23 and I've got quite a bit of savings in the bank that would probably tide my over for a while if I did make the move. And, like I also said, screenwriting is what I want to do. And, LA is the place to do it, right? I mean, that's where the action is. If you want to be in the middle of it, it's the best place to be, correct?

    I have no real commitments here in the UK. No spouse or kids. Just parents and younger sister who support my ambitions and dreams. I have a job that I could do without. Basically, nothing is really keeping me here.

    But, is it worth packing up my belongings and travelling 4000 miles? Surely there must be hundreds, if not thousands of other people in the same position as me. But, I believe in myself and believe in my writing to think I could make it (I'm dreaming now, right?).

    Anyway, there you have it. Like I said earlier, any advice from people who have made the move, or hell, any advice from anybody would be very much appreciated.

    Thanks,
    Doubler
    Last edited by ComicBent; 10-14-2006, 07:26 PM.

  • #2
    Re: The Invetiable Question...

    At 23, with no kids or other commitments, you should make arrangements to come to LA ASAP. This is the time of your life to have a great adventure. Meet new people, have new experiences, make things happen. You may end up finding something you prefer doing to screenwriting. Anything is possible.

    Go for it.
    If you really like it you can have the rights
    It could make a million for you overnight

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: The Invetiable Question...

      I agree. If you don't do it, you'll always wonder. Just have a PLAN B ready.
      Felicitations, malefactors! I am endeavoring to misappropriate the formulary for the preparation of saleable screenplays. WHO WILL JOIN ME!

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: The Invetiable Question...

        Seems like you're in the perfect position to make the move. I think you've already made your decision.

        What if a hundred people come on here and post their horror stories of moving to LA? Or their success stories? Those hundred people aren't you, so really their advice is useless. You know what's right for you.

        I don't play the lottery. It's not for me. I know it. I know a guy who won six million - see him all the time at the gym. I don't want to be him or win the lottery, I just know it's not my fate. Doesn't matter how many people tell me I should or shouldn't play the lottery, I know what's right for me. You know your fate too.

        Make sure you have something to fall back on - you've heard that before. See? You already know everything you need to know.

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        • #5
          Re: The Invetiable Question...

          Originally posted by doubler83 View Post
          Like I said, I'm 23 and I've got quite a bit of savings in the bank that would probably tide my over for a while if I did make the move.

          Doubler
          Not enough $$$ to survive is probably the biggest reason we all aren't in LA. If you have that covered, I don't know what you're waiting for.
          Never mistake motion for action. ~Ernest Hemingway

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          • #6
            Re: The Invetiable Question...

            Can you actually write? Have you ANY meaningful feedback that gives you any indication that you aren't just another wanabee starlet off the bus who ends up as a call girl?

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: The Invetiable Question...

              Have you ever visited LA?

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              • #8
                Re: The Invetiable Question...

                What about immigration and work permit issues? My understanding is that the US is kind of testy about people just moving there - you'd need a green card (which apparently is harder to get than smallpox) so that you could work at something else when you run out of money.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: The Invetiable Question...

                  Come. Soon. Have a great time.
                  People will LOVE your accent. That will get you a lot of interest even if you can't write worth a lick.

                  "Until the Lion writes his own story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter." -African Proverb

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                  • #10
                    Re: The Inevitable Question...

                    What would double83 *do* once in LA?

                    Start writing? Knock on doors? Mailshotting? What is happening that requires double83's permanent physical presence? Is there a special thing that needs to be done in LA that can't be done elsewhere?

                    double83, have you a list of specific reasons for being in LA

                    Perhaps the idea is to arrive and be recruited for a paid writing job, or to photocopy your script(s) many times, and then start pushing them on people you have in some list?

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                    • #11
                      Re: The Inevitable Question...

                      It's not mentioned in your original thread doubler83, but as boski mentioned, how many scripts do you have ready?

                      If you go out to LA, you can only go as a tourist and stay for 90 days. What do you plan on doing in that time? Make a sell? And with what material?

                      I think you're putting the cart before the horse here.

                      Work on your craft. Get Skype, and get a 310 number, if you want to give the impression you live in LA.

                      Just work on your scripts, and you can make those connections from the UK. Heck, even Deus recently did it from Canada. Why can't you from the UK?

                      You'll be naive to think you can just pack-up and 'move out there'. It's simple, you can't - from a legal POV. America is not in Europe, and America isn't part of the EU

                      EJ
                      Last edited by EJ Pennypacker; 10-15-2006, 01:51 PM. Reason: 313 whoops, mean't 310. Thanks Marine66

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                      • #12
                        Re: The Inevitable Question...

                        If you take EJ's advice, I'd suggest a 213 (Downtown) or 310 (Westside) area code, or, if you must, an 818 (The Valley). We wouldn't people thinking you live in Detroit.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: The Inevitable Question...

                          Just a small suggestion:

                          People break in all kinds of ways, however--

                          If you don't know working writers and others in the industry, you can write all you want on your own and not be getting anywhere near commercially viable material.

                          A lot of new writers learn important aspects of the craft from people they meet once they come out here.

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                          • #14
                            Re: The Inevitable Question...

                            To me, the notion that it's important for a beginner to be in Hollywood to learn how to write a commercially viable spec script is like saying that an aspiring novelist should live in New York in order to learn how to write a publishable novel.


                            EJ

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                            • #15
                              Re: The Inevitable Question...

                              But here's a guy who has the freedom to come to LA now.

                              He can join groups of writers, take classes, go to seminars...network his head off.

                              Get a job in the industry. Learn the business. Get his work looked at by lots of people. He can learn about production, maybe work on some films. Get involved in the active indie film culture here.

                              He can write those "two scripts" while he's here doing all that.

                              Sure, people break in all the time (into features, at least) from other places. And some people can develop the ability to write commercially viable material by reading scripts, and get feedback from people they meet online and such.

                              I'm not saying people have to move to LA to sell screenplays.

                              It can make things a lot easier for some people, though.

                              But -- if there's no reason not to come here? Why write two spec scripts from someplace else when he could be writing them here? If, indeed, the two spec scripts yet need to be written?

                              People always get very argumentative and defensive on the topic of moving to LA. But it's like a lot of things: there's no right or wrong.

                              But there is easier.

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