Saw your post and was impressed with two things: It was really well thought out and written, and I fully agree with your observations about how the Arts are considered unimportant to people in Politics. Withouth the Arts we wouldn't be able to function. But, to answer your question about how to go about getting involved in courses or getting work, I'm afraid that the answers are not going to please you. You need to get involved in small, local theatres but they often require that you pay them for the "honor". And, the amounts they require are not always inexpensive. It's a messed up system, admittedly, but that's the way it is. What you may want to do is take an Extension Theatre Course at UCLA (the University of California at Los Angeles) to get involved with other theatre people. As for work, you really need either a great resume or an agent and then contact as many theatres as you can find, online, and look for work. Hopefully, some of what I've suggested has been helpful. I've lived in L.A. for 51 years and written three musical theater works, and one ballet and I know how hard it is to get noticed by Theatre Directors. As far as things to see and do, may I recommend the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens in South Pasadena, a day trip to Santa Barbara (which is 90 minutes away by car but has a vital theatre community), a weekend trip to Palm Springs (a two hour car trip), and biking or hiking through Griffith Park which is the larget urban park in the World. The city of Santa Monica also has a lot of theatres, as does Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. You can actually walk down the street from theatre to theatre from Fairfax Avenue to LaBrea Blvd. Have a great time in L.A. but stay away from the "trendy" spots where people are as deep as a pie pan, and take things that people tell with a grain of salt. They'll promise you the moon while taking the shirt off your back. Do your homework and research things to make sure that what you're being told is correct.

Hi Tom

I hope your time in LA works for you in the long-term and I think Ardecy
offers good advice in terms of being realistic. I just wanted to comment on a
couple of things you've said about the arts scene here in WA:

I believe Perth has an excellent nurturing climate for people aspiring to a
career in the arts, for example, the public schools, John Curtin and Governor
Stirling, Curtin Uni and WAAPA and while it’s true that one probably does have
to move, to further an arts-based career, it also remains true of most cities –
Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe may have houses here in Australia, but their
professional lives are based in the States. We have great golf and tennis tournaments,
great motor races etc, but our top athletes (in those disciplines) also move
overseas to further their careers.

I do think the Premier should have attended the PIAF opening night
festivities, but in his defence, he’s has never demonstrated an avid interest (or,
for that matter, dislike) in the arts, he's very much a mining / industry person.
In reality, that's probably what we need at the moment - someone who can
oversee the long-term economic future stability of the state (which is not for
one minute to infer the Labor party couldn't, or wouldn't do the same thing). Make
no mistake, it is the resource-based companies that will continue to be the big
arts donors and realistically, there is no “government incompetence” – well, perhaps
the Police Minister – now there’s a wonderful comedy act for somebody to
develop, “Ello, ello, ello! Is that someone else’s Lamborghini you’ve got there
son? We’ll have that! Tell the innocent owner he’s bloody nicked! Oh look,
there’s a Mini, we’ll have that. Oh! She looks hot doesn’t she, what about a
strip search then? Can’t be too careful! ”  - the postcards are already on display at
Planet Books!

I don’t wish to be seen as a political apologist, however I think you will
find that the WA Minister for the Arts, John Day,
is widely acknowledged as having a long-term very genuine interest in and love of
the arts. Yes, it would be wonderful to have unlimited money poured into the
arts (on all levels) -  many would argue
that the Art Gallery is the most deservedly needy of an urgent injection of
funds), but currently, it’s a battle for even hospitals to have enough money to
survive and we’re in better financial shape than much of Australia, let alone
the rest of the world.

So my young friend, I wish you well in following the dream to Dream City,
but I do think our vibrant home has done pretty well to bring you to this
stage.

Cheers

Greg Ross

I have recently returned from a trip to LA, and I agree with Ardecy, it full of opportunities, and full of disappointments too, As part of my trip I had contacts with a couple of small independent production companies which I met with over a screenplay I had written,and I can tell you that was a steep learning curve for a start.

Ulitmately my efforts went nowhere, but I am gratified I gave it my best shot to have a go.

The people in LA have the attention span of a gnat generally, and it is often the case of people promising the earth and not delivering.

Every second person you meet is an aspiring actor, and some of the most stunning looking people in the world are in LA, both natural and "enhanced" there is always someone younger, better looking or more talented around every corner, and make no mistake there may be more opportunities, but competition is fierce!

At the moment as an Australian Citizen, you can stay a maximum of 90 days in the States, I met and spoke with some people that had been there for decades and were only just getting to the point of finding some small measure of success, as Ardecy so rightly pointed out in speaking of his experience.

If you do "make it" then there is the prospect of being allowed to work there, for which you need a green card, its true they have categories for people involved in the arts, but like all categories its pretty hard to get, something else you may want to consider.

If you have any stars in your eyes about LA and Hollywood, you will be brought back to reality with a loud hard thump after spending time in LA, make no mistake about that.

However that is not to discourage you to go there and try your luck, if its something you really want, its better to at least know you tried, rather than coming to the end of your life and saying "What if?".

Personally, I'm glad this is a hobby, I have no career aspirations in an industry with a 99% unemployment rate and is probably the biggest "chew em up and spit em out" business, I am quite happy not to be a part of it.

I wish you all the best Tom, wherever this may lead you to.

Regards

R.

Beleive in yourelf man.
I'll admit I'm not expecting much but don't be so negative about it. If you have no hope you'll never succeed.
It's not a Wolf, It's an Alaskan Malamute.

Politics 101- some basics for the aspiring and cynical artist alike.

Guys, as someone who works as a professional on stage and as a muso, who has worked in the govt funding sector, worked in arts organisations at various levels of admin, a community theatre supporter (when time allows), and who by most measures has had a fairly successful career based here in sunny Perth, I understand at many levels the frustration of money.My percussion group just went full time to have a crack at this thing properly (after 14 years of relative success- 7 international tours, 3 recordings, many more tours around OZ etc.), and are working our butts off selling our stuff to national and international festivals and venues, as it is necessary to tour to make enough money to survive if you're based in Perth. That said, I have no intention of ever leaving. I created my market if you will where it didn't exist. Admittedly you poor sods with dreams of film careers will find that much harder to create than I did.

However, I did want to point out a truism of politics and funding.
Politicians are in the job of being reelected. So they will do what they see is needed to do this.
The arts industry is simply not important to enough people out there to make it a voting issue, therefore a politician will only do what is necessary to fulfill the basics (e.g. WASO, WAO, WAB, Black Swan and a few other 'key' organisations) and stuff the rest of you.
Us simply telling them won't change this, and us simply telling everyone who cares enough to listen won't either. Until a large % of the population cares enough to tell their local member, and the industry itself lobbies hard to show this constantly, nothing can or will change.
No matter what your minister wants (supportive of the arts or not), he or she must convince cabinet to make the spend, and each member of cabinet is doing the same thing.
and guess what the people want?
Police, health, education. Thus the enormous spend in these areas.

I harbour a not so secret belief that when we can create the convincing case that people who engage with making and participating in art are healthier, less likely to engage in crime/antisocial behaviour, generally eaiser to educate and more creative, and most importantly, likely to become and remain happy and effective contributers to the economic welfare of society in general, THEN we will see funding reflective of the true costs of our industry.

(and in this- you will find that the business community will ALSO start pumping more money, as they will too see the benefits)

So stop blaming the pollies. Convert a friend, convert a hundred. Then all of you write letters to your local MP (local, state and federal), regularly. Be the sand in the oyster and one day we might see that beautiful pearl.

Nev

ps- Isn't Colin a former Arts Minister?! Or at least former shadow arts minister? I could be wrong here- anyone?

It's the simple things stupid...