Hollywood Rat Race

Hollywood Rat Race, Ed Wood, Jr, Four Walls Eight Windows Press, 1998

Known as the director of such films as "Plan 9 From Outer Space", Ed Wood, Jr, spent most of the 1960s writing this how-to on the acting biz. To local beauty contest winners or college drama stars who think that Hollywood is the logical next step, Wood's advice can be summed up in two words: Stay Home.

The first step in entering Hollywood is to get an agent, which, by itself, is not easy. Without one, your chances of getting past the studio receptionist are in negative numbers; with an agent, your chances are better, but not by much.

In all things, whether it's agents, producers or getting a screen test (another requirement to be seen by the right people), be double and triple sure that the person you are dealing with is reputable. Too many people are in this simply to separate you from your money.

Speaking of money, how do you survive between acting jobs in an expensive town like Hollywood?

Wood also explores such subjects as writing, the casting couch, making cheap movies and the porn movie biz.

This is a short book, but Wood packs in a lot. For anyone who has read too many movie magazines, and thinks that Hollywood isn't such a tough nut to crack, read this book first.