New job = new savings account!

I'm going to need a much bigger jar...

Alright alright, so it’s not a new job, it’s a job. I haven’t worked for some time, so I guess it wouldn’t be fair to say I’ve changed jobs, unless, of course, playing guitar, reading books and playing Call of Duty can be considered a career investment. Oh man, I wish it could be.

Anyway, congratulations to myself, as of yesterday my persona is officially labeled “Payments Administrator”. Somehow, without any degree or any experience in this sort of field what-so-ever, I have jumped up the career ladder one step higher, and didn’t have to start at the very bottom, which is very weird (it’s probably my Eastern European charm). Who knows, maybe after a while I’ll change my mind and give up my acting career goals for this one?.. … …made myself laugh there a little bit. It’s a good pay though, not the best schedule, but manageable, and it’s going to be great source for my “Move to LA” savings account (yes, that is how I actually named it in my online LLoyds bank account) for the year to come.

For every actor out there, bear in mind guys, that from what I hear, as soon as you come to La-La-Land, first thing you have to do is find a job. It doesn’t matter what job is it – cleaner, waiter, manager, banker or Governor’s consultant – just any source of income! Try to spend as less money from your savings as possible, those should be left there for darker times, when they’ll arrive (and don’t worry, they WILL strike down upon thee, with great vengeance and furious anger!)

Another thing is that it isn’t easy to find a good, and especially flexible job in Tinseltown. The main reason is because every actor out there is after this kind of job, and as you probably know (if you have done your research, which you should’ve) there is a lot of them. One thing that is going to be asked from you is experience. Yes, same old “how do you get experience without getting a job” – well, don’t start screaming in that sarcastic voice, because we are all in the same boat, and most of us somehow manages to get a job or two. So it’s doable. What I would suggest (and what I did), when you are still in a planning stage of moving to Angeltown and have an opportunity to pick what kind of job you’re after, try to get something that you would like to work later too (acting excluded). I myself was trying to go after one of the two – bartender or customer service. I couldn’t get bartender, but I got something similar to CS, so I hope to hold in there for as long as I need to, and then bring the experience as well as letter of recommendation, reference, with me to City of Angels. Hopefully that will put me slightly above anyone without what I’ve got, and that’s half a battle won there.

I guess the best way to spend your free time out of work and training before going to your dream city is to research, research, and then research more. “Knowledge is power“, as Sir Bacon said, and it definitely applies here.

In other news, I’m now listening to some classical Vivaldi and Beethoven and loving it. Can’t get enough of “Four Seaons”, damn!

February 7th, 2012.

Moving forward...

This is the day. The day, when I notice, that nobody is actually reading this blog. Oh well, lets just hope that YOU, who’s currently reading this post, is looking it up in the history, because the blog itself has finally become popular. Yes yes, remember this day my son, 7th of February, 2012 is when I, while still being young, got my Green Card. Yes yes, it was such a magical feeling, to finally realize that I could still keep dreaming, to not settle for what I’ve had at the moment and push myself forward, hope for better times, great parts and recognition; oh yes yes! Also, to stay poor, spend money for acting classes, voice teachers, headshots, casting websites subscriptions and the rest of the charade.

You see, my boy, when the thought of me not getting Green Card crossed my mind, which would mean I’m not acceptable in US, and then it’s nearly impossible for me to get any other kind of visa too, I got depressed. It used to be my dream, and it’s still is, but now – nobody can take it away from me. After the words: “Welcome to the States”, the motivation was back, and so was I! That was also a great day for this blog, as I decided to keep posting in here more often for people to follow my journey and to find inspiration to follow their own dreams, and I never stopped. Never. Yes yes.

13 days left…

…to find out if I am going to become a successful actor or not. So, just a quick one, more for myself rather than actually for anybody out there.

I’ve created this blog and wrote 2 posts very enthusiastically, planning on making this a guide for everyone who’s ever going to pack his bags for the same kind of journey I’m going on now. Unfortunately, from some inside source, I’ve received a terrible “hint” – I might not be given a green card after all, even though I’ve won and paid for everything, etc. Why? Well, it’s inside information, so lets leave it this way, especially because it’s not a fact, as is me getting a green card wasn’t a fact too.

Let’s wait and see. If you won’t hear from me ever again – you guessed right, I have hanged myself, as every dedicated actor who’s dream has been ruined would do. However, if I’m blessed with everything that is wonderful about this world, I will update this blog the same day and keep freaking-world-news-website update rate. Honest!

So, just a little less than 2 weeks left to find out, and this is one of those times I wish I would believe in God, but what the hell – he’s screwed me over too many times in the past anyway. Later!

Motivated actors

I very often ask myself (not out loud) if acting is what I really want to do for the rest of my life? Is it something that’s worth quitting University, living off bread and water to save up money, to avoid further education and experience that might possibly be useful when looking to get a better paying job, etc? Yes – I give the answer to myself – without having a reason to support this answer. I’m not going to lie – I don’t answer in an instant, I think for a second or two, and I do have my doubts and the realist inside of me sometimes won’t let me go off easily. I guess that might be the “reasonable” part of my brain talking to me, because I always used to be a rational person, always seeking for something that’s scientifically proved rather than having a lot of unreasonable support from “believers” (yes, a religion reference).

According to SAG, there’s like 90% of unemployed actors in Los Angeles. If I would call myself a person with a rational mind, I wouldn’t be going after this occupation, would I? So this is the only exception, where I feel that my ambitions, my motivation, my desire and my passion for accomplishing this lifetime goal is greater than any rational mind, any reasonable thinking and especially statistics. Or I’m just ignorant, because I chose to be.

Motivation is what drives every actor forward, pushing him/her to get out of home and do something for the better of their future career when they just finished 12 hour night shift at Starbucks. I personally seek inspiration constantly, every day, throwing some more wood into the fire – it allows me to always have passion within myself, to never let the fire fade away, to keep accomplishing smaller goals in life that lead to bigger ones. If it’s something that you really want to do, finding something that inspires you is very easy: quotes, motivational audios, films, blogs, biographies, songs, books, scripts, activities, documentaries… I can go on and on with this list, even though these are more or less forced motivations. Still, it takes very little to set yourself up for something great.

“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” ~ Zig Ziglar

That motivation that you force upon yourself probably isn’t going to be working if you use that constantly. It’s like caffeine – it pumps you up for some time, but then you get used to the feeling and it barely affects you. Motivational things mentioned above should be used once in a while, in between actual “bathing”. We get natural motivation from just relaxing, breathing, thinking about life, what we did and what we are going to do, what is happening at the moment – and if that drives you forward, doesn’t make you want to quit, you can almost be sure that you are destined for this (not that I believe in destiny, but it seems like this word fits in here), and basically – YOU CAN DO THIS.

And fuck statistics, most of them aren’t accurate anyway!

Introductions!

So here we are, 1st of January – new year, new resolutions (as usual). First things first: I’m a 22 year old guy from Lithuania, looking to break into the so competitive industry of show business. That’s about as much info as I can give you, but it should be enough to get as all started with this blog and see where it takes us.

So my New Year’s resolution was to start writing this blog that will accompany me on this journey to Tinseltown (a.k.a Hollywood) in the City of Angels (a.k.a Angeltown, La-La Land, LA, Los Angeles). This should be fairly easy as long as I have some stuff to write about or any questions I’d get or ask myself.

I’m a pretty laid back fella and might end up writing here anything that’s on my mind if my identity isn’t known. Yet. The plan of becoming a working actor (not necessarily a star of any sort) has been in progress since around 2006 only. I didn’t grew up thinking I will become an actor, this ridiculous dream locked me in much later.

As for experience, I’ve done loads of school plays and some community theater back home in Lithuania, as well as quite a few student films. Nothing commercial or serious though. I’ve always been more of a jock than an artsy person, so didn’t devote enough time to actually seek acting experience, which I now regret massively. In 2009 I moved to UK – because USA was out of the question without a visa – and began studies on my Acting degree. Another mistake, by the way, which I do not regret as much as I got quite a lot out of it. I’ve studied for 2 years, finished with good grades, and then quit. Why? To act. Yes, you do not get to act much on the course, which was really boring; so I just stayed in UK, found a job and began doing some amateur plays and student films during every second of every day of my off-work time.

The most important part, which will also answer the question “How are you going to move to LA then?” is that I won a Green Card. First try, won twice (as the first draw was voided). I guess that’s destiny, haha. I have an interview some time in the upcoming months in the US embassy, in Vilnius. I don’t worry too much about that, as I’ve been told it’s just a formality.

So, let’s see what life throws at me during this journey towards achieving the dream. Feel free to subscribe or check this blog once in a while, especially those who might have a similar goal in life. I’m planning to share as much information as I possibly can!