Introduce Yourself : Moving to LA Soon – Looking for Advice from Those Who’ve Done It by Jose Harmon

Jose Harmon

Moving to LA Soon – Looking for Advice from Those Who’ve Done It

Hey everyone,

I’ll be moving to Los Angeles in the next couple of weeks (or sometime this summer), and I’d love to hear from people who have already made the move while pursuing acting.

I’m curious—what jobs helped you stay afloat while still giving you the flexibility to audition and work on projects? It doesn’t have to be acting-related. I’d love to hear what worked for you.

Also, if you have any recommendations for reputable agencies, managers, casting resources, networking groups, or any connections that helped your career, I’d really appreciate it. Even if it’s just general advice or something you wish you knew before moving to LA, I’m all ears.

Thanks in advance! Looking forward to hearing your experiences.

Vital Butinar

I've got a good friend that lives in LA most of the time, he's actually on Stage 32, but I don't know how active he is lately. He does Uber and Lyft a lot of the time during projects.

Another friend who's a writer is also there but he has a separate business sustaining him.

Xochi Blymyer

I agree on the Uber and Lyft or Uber Eats if you prefer not to drive people. not sure where you are choosing to live but the valley in my opinion is less cost and more accessible to the studios. also, signing up w Central Casting as background actor may get you on shows, get to know some people in set and you also have flexibility to go on auditions as the bg work is day to day. all the best to you!

Laura Hammer

Wishing you all the best on the move Jose Harmon - I highly recommend volunteering in LA, especially for film festivals, it is a great way to meet people and connect to jobs. Retail and temp office jobs can be a flexible way to work. Also, background actor work - register with Central Casting.

Zoltan Varga

Wishing you the best with the move! One thing I'd recommend is focusing on building genuine relationships from the start. In this industry, the people you meet today can often become your collaborators a few years down the road. Good luck in LA!

Jose Harmon

Laura Hammer Thank you so much for the response, Laura! I was actually just invited to a film festival, so I'm definitely going to check it out. I also registered with Central Casting, so thank you for that recommendation. I'll definitely be looking into temp jobs as well. I really appreciate the advice!

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