Arrival In L.A. For An Acting Job

My biggest hurdle in starting out was taking care of my personal basics - a place to call home, a reliable car, some money in my pocket and, most important, and some peace of mind. Without those I was only getting in my own way. - Kevin Michael Brown, Actor

Seasoned travelers admit that moving to a new city can be mind-boggling. Not some actors: they hit town Monday night, and by Tuesday morning they're running around on rubbery legs trying to pursue a career, making mistakes that may take years to repair.

Don't do that. Settle in. The only gun you're under is the one you hold on yourself. You're starting a career that's supposed to last into the next century. Spare about six months to get the lay of the land.



Don't get in your way either.

ARRIVAL

• By air: There are several airports in L.A., but you'll probably arrive at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), located on the west side of town.
  

Before getting your luggage, you might stop at the transportation information booth outside of your terminal to check options.

Cheapest way to finish your journey is by city bus - if you like suffering. Distances in L.A. are a whole other planet. Take the airport shuttle "C" to 98th Street and Vicksburg Avenue, then transfer.

Better is Airlink, if your destination is a major hotel downtown or in Anaheim, or the Van Nuys Flyaway, which takes you to the Valley. Both are inexpensive. No reservations necessary; buses depart regularly.

There are also van services which carry you (and others) directly home, and flat-rate taxis for splendid isolation. Rates vary by destination. Advice from your local paramedic: check costs before jumping in the back seat. Of course, you can rent a car. Liberty, Rent-a-Wreck, and Ugly Duckling car rental services are among the less expensive, though not all these can be rented at the airport. You might want to rent from a "major" overnight, then switch to a cheapie.

• By bus: Grey hound-Trail ways Bus stations are in downtown L.A., Hollywood, Santa Monica, Glendale and North Hollywood.
  
  
• By train: AMTRAK's main stop is Union Station in downtown L.A., but trains stop throughout the L.A. Basin.
  

TEMPORARY HOUSING

If you're only thinking about a stay of a few days to a week or so, the cheapest place we could find was, naturally, the Hollywood YMCA. They rent to men and women.

If you're thinking in terms of a month or longer, you might look into The Oakwood, which is sort of an apartment-hotel. They've got seven locations in L.A. Most centrally located (and among the cheaper rates) are the Hollywood, Mid-Wilshire and Sherman Oaks locations. Call their 800 number and they'll send you a brochure. It won't include prices; for those you'll have to call the specific location you've chosen.

If you prefer motels, shop around. You might find one that's not much more expensive.

FINDING/RENTING AN APARTMENT

Types of apartments:

1. Efficiency. One small room, bath and kitchen.
   
   
2. Single: One larger room, bath and kitchen (equivalent to a studio apartment in other parts of the country).
   
   
3. One bedroom: Two rooms, bath and kitchen.
   

Rent will depend on size, location and amenities. Be prepared to be hit up for the first and last month's rent, a security deposit, sometimes a cleaning fee. There may be no lease, a six-month lease or a one-year lease. You'll probably pay gas and/or electricity; they'll pay water. If you use air conditioning, heat up your electric bill. Some areas have rent control, others don't.

You'll find a greater selection if you stick to unfurnished apartments. These almost always include a stove. But often, of late, no fridge. That's right - no fridge.

If you don't mind driving, you can live anywhere you want. However, since most of the studios and casting offices are in the San Fernando Valley (called simply "the Valley") or the Hollywood area, we recommend the following locations on the basis of proximity:

• West Hollywood, Hollywood Hills: Most centrally located; not bad; rents vary, tend toward expensive.
  
  
• Hollywood: Central location, many seedy areas, but on the upgrade. Wide range of rents.
  
  
• The Valley: Includes Studio City, North Hollywood, Universal City, Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, Burbank, Glendale, and others. These areas get hot and smoggy; in summer you'll need an air conditioner. Rents vary.
  
  
• If you don't mind driving and have some money: anything west of West Hollywood (Beverly Hills, Westwood, Culver City, West Los Angeles, Brentwood). As you move west, the apartments and neighborhoods get nicer, cooler and more expensive. Best chances for bargains are Culver City and West Los Angeles.
  
  
• If you don't mind driving and want to live at the beach: Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach, Venice, Marina Del Rey. Rents on the high side. Santa Monica, though, has strong rent control. Renting can be cheap but finding an apartment is tough: folks move in and nail the furniture down. Really pricey: Pacific Palisades and Malibu.
  
  
• If you don't mind driving, period: Pasadena, Montrose, the West Valley, La Crescenta, Flintridge, etc. Generally, the farther out you go, the lower the rents.
  

Figure out where you'd like to live, then buy a neighborhood newspaper. Unless you want leftovers, find out when these papers hit the stands and be there to catch them in mid-air.

You could check with a real estate agency in the area, perhaps even an "apartment finders" service. The former probably won't charge, the latter will. The value of either is variable, and you can often do better on your own.

In fact, a good way to search for an apartment is just to drive around. Sometimes all the advertising that's done is a sign on a lawn.

When applying for an apartment, identify yourself by your other job: secretary, office manager - even writer if all else fails - rather than actor. Writers are respectable; they smoke pipes. Actors conduct black masses on the bellies of virgins.

Other tips:

" Get an apartment that includes a parking place.

" You want a washer-dryer on the premises. (The "corner" laundry may be a mile away.)

" To avoid air-conditioning, rent a ground-floor apartment. Heat rises.

" If money is tight, consider apartment-managing, house-sitting, and of course, the time-honored roommate. For all three, scan bulletin boards of colleges and the acting unions, the trade paper classifieds, or even take out your own ad. You can try a roommate-finding service, but add a non-refundable fee to your budget.

" L.A.'s Secret Law: there must be a Dragon Lady (of either sex) in every third building. To avoid him/her, size up the manager/owner - whoever lives on the premises - carefully. Lots of rules? Kill the deal. You're not renting a cell in Folsom Prison.

GETTING A PHONE

You'll probably be surprised at how cheap your monthly rate is; then bam! You get your bill and the "toll calls" would choke a horse. That's because your basic service only extends a certain distance from where you live (they claim it's about ten miles, we swear it's next door), and because L.A. is so big, you're going to place toll calls within the city.

Note your heavy toll-calling areas. Then pour yourself a stiff Perrier and call your phone company. General Telephone has the "Frequent Caller Program"; Pacific Telephone has "Call Bonus," "Community Plan," "Circular Plan," and "Wide Area Plan." "Plan" on asking them to explain these toll-call savings services about six times.

Other services:

• Call Forwarding: You're going out. You "program" your phone with the number where you can be reached. When someone calls, their call will be routed to the phone you're near.
  
  
• Call Waiting: Busy signal prevention. You're adding an additional line onto the same phone number, and can receive two phone calls at the same time.