Thanks for the reply. So what did you do immediately when you came to LAX? Did you have a friend there for you who showed you around, or did you look at some craigslist listings for writing, take a course, etc?
Seems like you enjoying it there. Weather must be nice 24/7
Well immediately, I made sure I busted my ass so that I can take care of the rent lol. I'm from Virginia, so all I would hear is how expensive Cali is and how impossible it is to live. So when I first got here I stayed in the crib a lot working crazy hours just to cover myself. Kept my expenses to a minimum.
I breathe easier now and am more social and whatnot, but I still don't have a TV or cable and get online using my phone's wi-fi hotspot. Best thing I could have did, because I'm not ballin but I'm not struggling either. I'd advise anyone to start small and humble and then expand when doing something like this.
I found the crib I'm in by apartment hunting for like a week. I basically used web listings and straight drove around looking for cribs until I found one that was in my price range and available for when I was trying to move in. I pay $950 for a 1 bedroom in a decent area. Could be worse.
By coincidence, a person I used to work with moved out here like 3 months before I did. We weren't that close at work, but hang hard now and kinda act like a support system helping each other out.
As far as writing goes, my goal right now is to get staffed on a TV show. In order to do that, I'll have to have a nice portfolio of spec scripts (scripts written for existing shows) and original pilots. I have a really solid spec, but before 2013 is out, I plan to have two more specs, an original pilot and a screenplay (writing with a friend) under my belt. It's basically all about writing every day and putting yourself on deadlines.
On trying to break into the business, the biggest thing I've done is apply for the new TV writer fellowships that networks have. What you have to do for those is submit a spec script and fill out the application. Most don't cost anything, but this can literally give you a career. I was fortunate enough to have my spec script get me a finalist spot in a writing program that Bill Cosby sponsors and like I said, was ranked in the Top 5% for the Warner Bros program. While these could be considered failures, they've given me the chance to interview with people that run these programs, make some contacts by getting invited to the WB thing since I was ALMOST good enough and just validation that my writing is solid and will pay off with some seasoning.
These TV writing programs are typically geared toward minorities or "diversity." I'm working on a House of Lies (Showtime show) spec script now that I'm submitting to Nickelodeon. Their deadline is the end of February. Throughout the Spring, there are also writing fellowships open through ABC, CBS, NBC, Warner Bros and maybe a few others. I'm applying to every last one of them. Knowing I have these deadlines, it makes it easier to keep on task and write, since this isn't what I do for a living yet.
I also attended a meeting of the Organization of Black Screenwriters to network, and got a chance to meet the woman who runs the Nickelodeon writing program. We chopped it up and I told her I applied last year, and mentioned that it got me ranked highly with WB and the Cosby Program, but not with them lol. It really is like that sometimes. You'll have certain people fall in love with your script while others don't care for it.
Oh yeah, another point of validation was that a woman that spoke to us at the Warner Bros thing that the Top 5% people were invited to remembered my script when I told her the premise. She loved it and told me to definitely keep writing and not to become "Hollywood", because I need to keep my perspective and way I see the world instead of blending in with everyone else.
I also do a little standup, hitting open mics out here. So yeah breh, I'm basically trying to break in any way I can. I'm going to be writing my ass off this year and will have some solid scripts to show for it. With these scripts I can keep networking and begin approaching agents.
I've never taken a course, I basically read through a few books/blogs/message boards to get a feel for the do's and don'ts, downloaded Final Draft from a Torrent and got writing. One thing that I was told is whether you're writing something completely original or writing for an existing show, make sure it's a story that you can draw upon and have fun with, because if you're having fun with it, it'll show on the page.
What kind of goals do you have? Are you looking more toward movies or TV?
. It's expensive but not a nightmare if you make the right decisions. I moved out here with my wife with whatever I was able to stuff into my car. Before buying a fridge, we were eating fruit and vegetable trays out of a cooler, lol. But it was worth it.
