Recent College Grads Navigate The SAG Strike (And Other Headlines)

The strikes in Hollywood are impacting and hurting folks all over the industry — actors, writers, contractors, agents — and the recent acting grads who were hoping to break into the business.

Recent grads anxious about industry

“[The strike] does add a little bit to my anxiety,” said Christopher Amador, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in theater arts from Cal State Long Beach.

“I was always a little anxious, a little nervous going up to graduation because I know that this industry is a hard one to get into, hard to find an agent, hard to find auditions, hard even just to get a role somewhere,” he said.

About 1,700 students graduate with degrees in acting each year, according to one count. So as things in Hollywood began to slow down in the winter, professors began warning students and preparing them for the ugly truth: There might not be a job waiting for them when they complete their schooling.

“Guess what, this is a pretty wacky landscape, but this is the landscape right now,” USC acting professor Kate Burton said she told students.

But there are still a lot of things actors can work in that don’t violate strike rules, like certain voice-over work and work on indie films. Some recent grads like Amador — who is now recording voice-overs — have turned to other venues of income to stay afloat.

“I was sort of preparing while I was in school, getting soundproofing, microphones, figuring out how to do everything on my computer,” he said.

Read more about what recent grads are doing to navigate the transition from school to an industry with limited jobs.

And here’s a list of resources for those who are impacted by the strikes. My colleague Caitlin Hernandez found grocery help and financial aid, along with free meals.

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• After months of miscommunication, veterans with disabilities can move into 19 new apartments built for them on the West L.A. Veterans Affairs campus. My colleague Nick Gerda’s reporting last week led to that result, and now you can read more from him on what city officials got wrong at LAist.com.
• Four years ago, legal battles in Orange County over homeless encampments led to a long list of provisions to protect the unhoused population from mistreatment — including assessments by outreach workers and temporary housing solutions. My colleague Jill Replogle reviewed what’s changed, and looks at the lessons L.A. county can stand to learn.
• ICYMI: Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner restarted service yesterday — right in time for San Diego Comic-Con. Landslides in the San Clemente area disrupted service through South Orange County over the past few months. Now, Orange County and San Diego are connected by train once again.
• Solar power developments in California’s Colorado Desert are helping the state and country meet its renewable energy goals, but they’re facing one big challenge: having enough water. Local wells have dried up because of the development and, according to Inside Climate News’ Wyatt Myskow, may stop future projects from existing.

• AI has been a key sticking point in the strikes across Hollywood. Now, authors are joining in. Thousands of authors like Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid’s Tale), signed a letter from The Authors Guild asking AI companies to stop using their work in their generative applications. Chloe Veltman covered The Authors Guild’s advocacy for NPR.
• According to a new analysis from California’s Legislative Analyst’s Office, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to overhaul the state’s mental health system is likely to take $720 million away from services provided by country governments. Critics say the governor’s plan lacks justification and fails to consider how it may impact existing services.
• L.A.’s picket lines have seen support from federal, state and local politicians. But, in recent weeks, Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto’s office has been quietly advising politicians from joining protesters, issuing a warning that they may have to recuse themselves from votes on related issues.

Intern Eden Teshome wrote this news section.

Wait... one more thing

Get out and volunteer with your family!

Five youth volunteers for Santa Monica Mountain Fund in Thousand Oaks, CA

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Courtesy Santa Monica Mountains Fund

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Apologies for the copy/paste error in yesterday’s email for this section. It was supposed to be the text below, but I was moving quickly. Damn those sticky fingers. — Brian

A few weeks ago, a reader wrote to us asking, “Any family oriented community service projects going on this summer for Angelenos?”

Last week, How to LA gave you a teaser of the list we were working on, and asked for some suggestions. You all came through, and now I’m happy to announce the full list is up on LAist.com.

The activities range from gardening and harvesting to habitat restoration to environmental cleanups. There’s plenty of fun to be had for all ages, young and old.

Heal the Bay’s opportunity caught my eye. The aquarium on Santa Monica Pier hosts monthly beach cleanups with a new beach each month. Held every third Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., you can volunteer, grab lunch, and still have plenty of time to hit the beach — hey, you’re already there so… why not? This seriously sounds like an ideal Saturday to me.

Check out more of our suggestions here!

A word to the wise: Most of the opportunities are outside. While we’re all excited for the sun to finally be out, don’t forget to layer on the sunscreen and stay hydrated.

Have fun, keep safe, and give back!