HOW TO MAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD BEFORE YOU MAKE IT is an intimate glimpse of ten relevant and very different emerging artists in Hollywood, all at different stages in their careers.

Short Synopsis:

In 1970, there was no internet, cell phone, VCR, DVD player, or cable television. All of these things factor into the equation of making it in Hollywood today. Rather than listen to movie giants talk about how they made it thirty years ago, or what it’s like working with big movie stars, HOW TO MAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD BEFORE YOU MAKE IT is portrait of 10 emerging artists on the frontlines of Hollywood, running the gamut from actors, writers, producers, dancers, singers and songwriters, all at different stages in their careers... “Just about to break out, maybe they just broke out, and hopefully they will break out.”

Lisa Heile has sung background with countless stars, yet she herself is not a star; Ken Cosby has a famous name, yet he has no fame; and after nine years of options, David L. Watts had his spec script “My Greatest Mistake” turned into a major Hollywood release, but when the movie came out, he did not receive a screenplay credit. A star in Hollywood is exactly that – a star. But it’s people like Lisa Heile, Ken Cosby and David L. Watts that make up the majority of the players in Hollywood. They are people who work, make some money, but aren’t yet a household name. A Lisa Heile, Ken Cosby or David L. Watts today, is a Hollywood star tomorrow. HOW TO MAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD BEFORE YOU MAKE IT.

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Long Synopsis:

Christopher Odom, The Executive Producer of HOW TO MAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD BEFORE YOU MAKE IT, went to a big film school and got a big degree, but when he graduated, he got a big surprise – nothing but a warm feeling inside. There was a finite supply of opportunities in Hollywood, but an infinite supply of opportunity seekers. So instead of seeking opportunities he decided to create opportunities for himself and for others by writing, producing and directing HOW TO MAKE IT HOLLYWOOD BEFORE YOU MAKE IT. After nearly 7 years of film school and 8 years of struggling in Hollywood, Chris had enjoyed access to some of the most powerful people in Hollywood until one day when he had an epiphany.

Auggie is an ex-con, but today he’s a paid up member of SAG. In Auggie’s own words, “I guess you could say I’m lucky.” Auggie’s first acting gig was a non-union extra part in the feature film “Mystery Men”, which turned into a three-week SAG part, earning him his SAG card his very first time right out the box.

Lisa Heile has sung background with countless stars, yet she herself is not a star. Tired of appearing on everyone else’s album, Lisa produced her own EP and sells it herself whenever she performs.

Ken Cosby has a famous name, yet he has no fame. A professor of screenwriting at USC, Ken has optioned over six screenplays and had a teleplay produced for “Cosby Mysteries”.

After nine years of options, David L. Watts had his spec script “My Greatest Mistake” turned into the Disney release “Max Keeble’s Big Move”, but when the movie came out, he did not receive a screenplay credit.

Yolanda Cruz, a Native American from Oaxaca, Mexico, produced and directed her first short as a class project in the Master of Fine Arts Directing Program at UCLA. When her classmates didn’t like her film, she stayed true to her passion, dropped a copy in an envelope, and shipped it to Sundance, where they aptly accepted it and screened it during the 2001 Sundance Film Festival.

Nessa Laverty came to LA as a trained Jazz and Hip-hop dancer, but somehow found herself dancing in the Swing dance scene, dancing her way into a SAG card, and dancing her way into a musical, where on opening night she had to cover for the lead - the lead’s lines and the lead’s solos.

Annie Lee’s family formed a production company to produce her dad’s first feature, but when her dad couldn’t find a Korean actress that was right for the part, Annie soon found herself producing and starring in her first feature.

Brock Mitchel definitely has no self-esteem problem, and some might think he likes to exaggerate. But one thing Brock Mitchel definitely has, that many people in Hollywood don’t, is a produced feature in the can. It might not be “Casablanca”, but it is the result of taking an idea from concept to completion, a skill that many folks in Hollywood have yet to prove.

LAnce Moseley has danced in the NBA doing stripteases, hosted a show with 25 million viewers on the Playboy Channel, and even self-produced his own quasi-reality feature. He literally “self-produced” it. He was the cameraman, writer, director, talent and editor. While trekking across the country on a spiritual journey with his girlfriend, LAnce videotaped over 70 hours of footage of his own life from auditions, to promotional marketing gigs, to modeling jobs, to breaking down in the grand canyon, to balancing his chakras in Arizona.

Beverly Neufeld went to a big film school, won some big awards and even scored some big gigs, but she still found herself dawdling at her keyboard alone. Not really knowing where her next gig would come, she called up a few classmates and formed The UCLA Cartel – The Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting Program Alumni Association.

Ten very different artists. Ten very different paths. One common goal: HOW TO MAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD BEFORE YOU MAKE IT.

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“Never Give In. Never Give Up. Dreams Do Come True.”

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