>>106134364If you're making less than $40,000/yr you're struggling.
Middle class households have an income in the $150,000 range, largely because you're going to need to spend so much on rent/mortgage but also because everything costs money, people judge you constantly on appearances and you've got to drive everywhere. Also because there's likely to be more out of work years in an average LA career than say a plumbing contractor or a baker. Having said that you can raise a couple of kids on that kind of income as long as you're bringing it in every year and putting away a big chunk as savings for later.
If you're in demand, it's easy to make a solid living, but you'd definitely be better off if there were anywhere outside LA within striking distance that was at all affordable.
If you've got the portfolio and you think you could be saleable, try agents on. Don't bug them about it, find one who does VA work, go through their preferred contact method (if they don't have one, cold call but keep it concise and polite, so remember all your details and get it all out in a clear, voice-over-like info dump that doesn't sound robotic), be upfront about you being outside LA, be prepared for them to be INSANE because agents often are and it doesn't really affect their work but it can be hard to deal with on a personal level, and if they say they can't help someone who isn't in/moving to LA (and if that's not something you're prepared/able to do RIGHT THERE AND THEN, because you're not getting any younger), then thank them, genuinely, thank them for their time and consideration, because they'll remember you a whole lot better if you're courteous, and that might help you out one day.
You could get lucky. Who knows, they might know someone who wants you to do union work down the wire or has a local studio. If it doesn't work out, remember it didn't work out for a couple of thousand other people this week and at least you're not sucking dick on camera for bus fare home.
