Hollywood or Bust

A couple of years ago I was very blessed to have my first book released. It was a collection of my daily blogs from 2011 and 2012 when I arrived in Los Angeles to pursue my dreams. Here's how it all began.

LA, HERE I COME!!!!! 9th February 2011

Heathrow Airport, London, Terminal 3 08:44 hrs

So here I am, the adventure begins and I travel to LA with nothing but positive thoughts. Purchasing the extra baggage space was a wise move. No queue at bag drop, and before I know it I’m sitting in the departure lounge, laptop open, watching Smallville season 9, found in HMV and hastily grabbed. One day it WILL be my name in a starring role on such a series, I visualize it regularly. Anyway, the gate opens at 10:10 so just sit back and relax.

Gate 21 10:17 hrs

Getting ready to board but for the first time bought some items to take with me. Found a great red tie and braces for the new suit, a couple of Brit things for Min, and some London shot glasses for Bob Rosen, The TNA Ring Supremo. Feeling really relaxed and looking forward to the flight.

Los Angeles LAX, 16:10 Pacific time

As usual it was a great flight with Virgin Atlantic. Their in-flight entertainment system really is the best. I collected the hire car and just headed off to Gregory Avenue.

5853 Gregory Avenue Apt 8 19:00 hrs

Well, talk about deception. This place is horrible. It’s nothing like I was led to believe in the ad, but I guess it’s a bed (if you can call it that). I have one cupboard for my stuff, about 8ft by 4ft as a living/sleeping space and a set of rules that are truly weird. This lady is a grade one fruitcake by the looks of it. Anyway, made the gesture and invited her out for a dinner on my first evening in LA.

She keeps the freaking lights on all night, I have to sleep behind curtains, and she’s constantly up all night and sleeps until late, which means I have to be really quiet when I wake up and grab breakfast. She has 2 cats, one who’s really cute (Boo Boo), and the other who runs a mile when I get anywhere near (Buster). For some reason she’s spraying a bug killer around, which I hope doesn’t mean a flea infestation. That wouldn’t be good. Ah well, my first day begins!

Do or do not - There is no try!

My New Manager 23rd February 2011

The past 2 weeks have been very eventful as I settle in to my LA way of life. I HATE 5853 Gregory Avenue with a passion and can’t wait to find another place. The only saving grace about this place is that as I walk out of the door I see the Paramount Studios water tower, but I find myself leaving early in the morning and arriving back late just to get out of the place and away from her and her cats and that damnable spraying she does.

Today I signed with a manager. I met Debra in the networking week and she told me to make contact when I returned, so I did. She asked me to do a monologue and a script read, after which she basically said, “If you want me, I want you,” so we shook on it and I’m signing the papers tomorrow.

After seeing Debra I went to one of my favourite haunts, Universal Studios, and as I was waiting in line for the studio tour, Debra called me and asked if I could get to the Odyssey theater in an hour, to which I replied “Yes”, left the park and jumped into a cab. MUST GET A CAR!! That cab ride cost me $50. Anyway I read for a non-paying theater role with Steven Berkoff. What an honour that was, and what a lovely chap he is. Just gotta wait, I suppose, but apparently rehearsals start in a few days.

One of my other loves here is Arclight Cinema in Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard. That’s the way a cinema experience should be – absolutely magnificent. A few yards away has got to be the best music and DVD store ever, Amoeba music. I could spend hours walking around that place, and with so much time to kill, that’s what I’m doing a lot of. Fortunately she’s in University on Tuesdays and Thursdays so I do get the place to myself where I can practice my American dialogue, and update all of the internet stuff. It is truly scary how much stuff you have to do to be able to access the whole of the acting industry and be seen, but it’s all necessary. I’m getting there and hope to be doing some student films soon while I’m waiting for my visa to come through.

Do or do not – There is no try!