How to Make It in Hollywood

Co-authored by Melessa Sargent

Last Updated: April 18, 2024 Approved

You probably have that feeling in your gut that's telling you Hollywood is your destination. You've let it sit for a while, and it's only getting stronger. But how do you make it happen? Well, it's going to be work. It may even take years. Are you ready to make the leap?

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Building Your Career

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1
Get rid of your plan A. If you have a fallback, you're going to use it – point blank. So that boring data entry job you have? Don't fall in love with it. Don't type your life away, spending 60 hours a week inputting numbers and zapping you of any energy you have to go out and pursue what you actually want to pursue. This needs to be your only option, otherwise you might back out.
- There's a phrase when it comes to Hollywood: “If you can do anything else, do it.” The ones that make it in Hollywood never see themselves doing anything else. This has to be your future. Nothing else is possible.
2
Take classes. Whether you want to act, write, sing, film, or dance, take classes. True talent is all well and good, but you need skill. You need to meet people and work with similar ways of thinking. You need to learn from others and have challenges set in front of you with deadlines. You need to find out if this is something you're actually good at and enjoy.^{[1]
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- Take a look at the courses offered at your local community college or university. You can also consider classes at adult schools, community centers, or online. And if money is a big issue,you may have to be your own teacher.
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3
Put yourself on the Internet. Take advantage of today's technology and get yourself out there and potentially seen. Whether it's a film you wrote, directed, and filmed or a video of a dance you choreographed, get it in public for the world to see. You never know – you may be discovered.
- Need proof that the Internet can be all you need? Talk to Kate Upton, Justin Bieber, Bo Burnham, Kim Kardashian, or Carly Rae Jepsen. They were all discovered on the Internet, and that's just the names of people you can count on one hand.^{[2]
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4
Get any kind of experience you can. Do you have a friend who's in an acting class that needs to create an audition tape? Offer to film it for them. Does a local high school need a choreographer for their musical? Take it. It doesn't matter how small the opportunity is – if it's slightly related to what you want to do, grab it and don't let go. It's a step in the right direction.
- There's only one thing to consider: don't let it keep you from going. There's a fine line between building up your resume somewhere else and settling down. Give yourself a deadline. You'll work for the next year or so, and then you'll hightail it out West. This is just a pit stop, not where you end up.
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Keep on the lookout for opportunities. If you're just working away your life, spending the weekends drinking and in your pajamas, odds are luck isn't going to come your way. Those who make it are constantly working and looking for the next chance to do what they love. Spend your free time monitoring want ads (like Craigslist), meeting people who may need your services, and getting your name out there. Opportunity is not a lengthy visitor.
- Stay as busy as possible. This looks good on paper and gets you meeting as many people as possible. If and when those people make it, they'll already have your number. You can sleep when you're making the millions.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Getting Started in Hollywood

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1
Move to Hollywood. If you want to make it in Hollywood, well, you've gotta be in Hollywood. At some point, you're going to have to make the leap. It's expensive and not nearly as glamorous as it's pictured, so make sure you're going in with a healthy dose of reality. But it has to be done; what better time to bite the bullet than now? It'll help you feel like your dream is coming true, too.
- Alright, so "Hollywood" doesn't necessarily mean Hollywood. It means Culver City, Glendale, Los Angeles, Lennox, Inglewood, Hawthorne, and others. California is one of the most expensive places to live in the entire world and living in a smaller suburb will likely be cheaper than living in actual Hollywood.
2
Take whatever gig you can get. If you have the option to push mail at a talent agency, on a set, or for production company, take it. If you're practically scraping the scum off the bathroom floor, take it. For starters, you need a job. What's more, you'll meet people and get a feel for the environment. Everybody starts somewhere, and those bills won't pay themselves.
- Harrison Ford was a carpenter on the set of Star Wars when George Lucas nabbed him for the role of Han Solo.^{[3]
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  Research source} It might not be as easy as that in your case, but it is a step in the right direction.
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Get an agent if you are looking to perform. In order to be taken seriously and to have less work on your plate, get an agent. They'll get auditions for you and get your name out there – you just have to do the hard work of showing up and rocking it.
- A good agent is free. Never pay an agent before you get a gig – they should only get a cut of the gigs they nab you.
- There is sort of a catch-22 with getting an agent – they have to see you in something. So take whatever small gigs you can get and get them on tape. You can start creating a demo reel to submit to the agents you want. Apart from this, all you can really do is rely on word of mouth and networking.
4
Network, network, network. Is there a party on Friday that's supposedly going to be hopping, but you only know one or two people going, and that's only via Facebook? Go anyway. There will be drinking and laughter, and after a while, no one will remember that you're a stranger. You'll meet people, hear about their connections, and possible get a phone number or two to network with later. The more people you know, the better chances you have of getting recommended later.^{[4]
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- For performers, this will help you get an agent, too. After a few beers, B-rated sitcom star Bobby Whatshisname throws you his agent's business card and says he'll give you a heads up. Every little bit counts, and if you have to do some schmoozing to get ahead, so be it.
EXPERT TIP

Melessa Sargent
Professional Writer
Melessa Sargent is the President of Scriptwriters Network, a non-profit organization that brings in entertainment professionals to teach the art and business of script writing for TV, features and new media. The Network serves its members by providing educational programming, developing access and opportunity through alliances with industry professionals, and furthering the cause and quality of writing in the entertainment industry. Under Melessa's leadership, SWN has won numbers awards including the Los Angeles Award from 2014 through 2021, and the Innovation & Excellence award in 2020.

Melessa Sargent
Professional Writer

Our Expert Agrees: Attend as many networking events as you can because you never know when you'll meet someone who's working on a live set.
5
Get used to rejection. You're going to hear no's out your ears. You'll practically be swimming in rejections. Even the most famous of celebrities have been told they're not suited for a role at one point or another. Remember that casting directors reject candidates because the latter may not have traits the former are looking for. It's perfectly okay to feel disappointed upon rejection, but it's also okay to spend some time to de-stress, whether it be exercise, food and a drink, talking about it with someone you trust, or partaking in a hobby. You must also believe in yourself and never give up! You made it happen after all, right?
- The life leading up to the life of a star is rarely glamorous. You'll likely be poor, hate your day job, and consider the littlest of victories huge. And they are! This is a tough gig, but you have to believe that eventually it'll pay off.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Developing Your Stardom

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1
Support other people's dreams. How many people can you name who have made it and made it with their friends? Ben Affleck and Matt Damon? Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau? Often struggling actors, writers, and directors band together and inadvertently make each other famous. You'll probably know dozens of people in your same boat. Instead of hoping they fail, jump on their gravy train – they could be your ticket to win it.
- Keep in mind the people that helped you if and when you hit it big. They supported your dreams, so you support theirs, too, even if you've already made it. Hollywood is a surprisingly tight-knit circle, and getting in good with its residents is a wise plan for the future.
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Be overly confident. You know all those no's you're drowning in? You can't give 'em the time of day. If you do, you'll quit. Logic will take over, feelings of inadequacy will take over, and you'll abandon this road you've put so much work into. You've gotta believe that you're awesome that no one else has realized it yet. That's all there is to it.
- Those that make it in Hollywood might be viewed as a little crazy by those that have never tried. Day in and day out is going to be rough until you start realizing that things are happening. You get an agent, you land an audition, you get a bit part in a commercial, and it keeps you going. It may not be much, but it's a sign. Let these little things keep you afloat.
Beyoncé Knowles, Singer & Businesswoman

Be confident in your abilities. "Your self-worth is determined by you. You don't have to depend on someone telling you who you are. Do what you were born to do. You just have to trust yourself."
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Be patient. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither will your career be. These things often take years. There are few souls who move to Hollywood and jump right into success. It's like any other career – you gotta work your way up the ladder. And if you dedicate yourself, you will.
- Stick with it. You're going to have times when you think about how great you were at accounting or how easy it would be to move home and live with mom. Those are just fugacious temptations that will go away. Be patient and stick with your resolve. Otherwise you'll just be left wondering "what if" for the rest of your life.
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Put in the work. When you do finally start getting gigs, work hard. Spend hours getting your lines down perfectly. Throw back six cups of coffee refining your script. Attach your computer to your side like its your Siamese twin and leave practically no time for eating and sleeping. Each gig that you do your best at may mean another gig down the road.
- True, there will be glamorous red carpet moments, but it's work, too, after all – especially when you're just beginning out. You have to take the good with the bad. Putting in the work will make it easier to realize just how much you've earned this.
5
Don't listen to anyone. You're going to have people that tell you you're crap, even when you're at the top. You're going to have people tell you that you have to do it this way, that you have to suck up to these people, and that you have to jump through the hoops they tell you to jump through. But the truth? They're all wrong. There is no one way to make it but to keep trying. Don't listen to anyone, especially the naysayers. They're just out to bring you down or to make a buck off of you. They don't deserve a second of your time.
- There will never be a time when everyone is a fan of your work. We all have different tastes, and that's a good thing. It makes the world diverse. So even when you're at the top, ignore the naysayers. They don't really matter anyway. You have your success and happiness – who needs them?

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How do I know if I am good at acting?

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Acting begins in yourself if you can control yourself then you can act as others. If you can remove your characteristics or everything that describes you and play as other people or the role as given to you clearly and shamelessly. To the point where no one can recognize you as yourself. Then you are good at portraying and acting.

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How can I meet a director in Hollywood?

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You have to search for them on the internet. There are a lot of directors that need some actors to work in their films or whatever they are making, and the best way is to search for them on the internet and get in contact with them by calling or emailing them.

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If I'm Asian, can I still go to Hollywood?

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Yes, Hollywood welcomes people from all over the world.

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Hold on to your dreams and don't give up. Things will work out!

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Make sure you love what you do and really want to pursue this career.

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Try to act as your friend does (with their permission) Copy them and tell your friend to judge you and tell you how good or bad you were.

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