I'm not sure what question you're asking, or why you'd want to post it here. No matter who you talk to, you can be sure that most of them will tell you a story about how hard it is to break in... how impossible it is to compete against so many other actors... how you better just give up now and save yourself the trouble. I get tired of hearing that BS.

A friend of mine has been "trying" for about 10 years to become a television writer and he still hasn't made it. I think he keeps waiting for his luck to turn around and for something to just fall into his lap. The fact is that he just didn't want it bad enough. I don't think he ever realized that you have to make your own luck.

I say if this is really what you want to do, you should just do it. If you want it bad enough, and you're willing to eat shit and work harder than the other aspriring actors in this city, then you can succeed. There are a lot of LAZY actors in Hollywood, so don't assume they will always beat you just because they're better looking or younger or whatever.

I don't work in "the industry" so this is not an expert opinion. However, I've lived here a long time so I've talked to a few people on the inside.

 

My kids work in the industry and have been lucky (movies, tv series, executive producer, etc.) but all their friends are still waiting for it to happen.

I have heard it compred to Ivory soap - 99 and 44/100% don't make enough to eat.

As far as doing some local work first I agree except with this one proviso keep in mind that you resume doesn't mean sh*t if it doesn't have LA work on it. You are basically starting back at ground zero from a resume standpoint, but at least you do have some experience and you do know if you enjoy it.