Expert: Peter Messaline - 8/4/2007

Question
HI Peter, having read the site im hoping you can help me as it seems you know alot. Im an actress from England, and I am looking to move out to LA in a year or so, and wondered if it was better to get a working visa and then apply for roles etc or is there a specific visa if you are part of Equity etc (which I am). Also, I notice another british actress raised the question on headshots and if they need to be more glamorous in the US as I have both kinds and need to know before I post them out.

I hope you can help and thanks in advance.

Sonja x

Answer
Contact Equity about the visa question. They will have the latest UK/US information.
I don't believe you will get a visa before you go: you'll have to have a job offer and then scramble to get legal.

If you Google "headshot LA", you'll find endless photographer sites with hundreds of shots. My guess is that they would be using the current hot styles to present their work.
Here are some fragments from the Canadianactoronline discussion group (www.canadiasnactor.com)

<< http://www.dylanramsey.com/docs/Friendz-Oct06.pdf

<< If you want to go to LA and try for your "Big Break" I think you should go for it. You don't want to look back and wonder what might have been.
But be aware:
1. If you're caught working without a visa you could be expelled from the U.S. for life.
2. Because you're beautiful, watch out for major scam artists, who could lead you down a very slippery slope.
3. Make sure you have people around you that you can trust and will give you moral support.

<<The Actor's Workshop was pretty good. It's got a solid rep and they give good advice/networking opportunities (although that end works better if you have a green card, which I didn't!). Friends of mine studied with David Kagan and loved him.

This is a very rich collection of materials. Bonnie Gillepie is an LA casting director, and has a huge web presence. Follow her links:

http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice/archives/000181.html


As a synthesis, I believe that you shouldn't move unless you've got an excellent résumé in the UK. Preferably an agent who can provide some referrals, or links, at least. Preferably contacts with some of your peers in LA, to have someone to talk to

A tax client told me that her first three months there in pilot season was successfully busy, with auditions but no work, terribly lonely, days of nothing but collecting the auditions and sides for tomorrow, eating alone in her room, up early, driving hither and yon with a back seat full of costume and make-up, and back to the agency at the day's end.

Big move, good that you're thinking this far ahead. If you don't take the risk, you'll never be able to put it aside. Don't go with an expectation: go with what you are, and see what your best shot gets you.