The Biz (Touchdown Edition)

Chapter 1: Hollywood

Isn’t it amazing how technology and innovation have changed the world? As one newspaper article noted, “Inventions in recent years are having a profound effect on the way people live. Remarkably, we can now work or play at almost any hour of the day or night! This new century is only a few years old, but it promises to be the most thrilling era in history.”

Wait ... you didn’t think that article was talking about right now, did you? If you assumed that it was referring to things like Wi-Fi, text messaging, and GPS, you would be wrong. That article was written more than 100 years ago! It was talking about the last century. Back then, around the early 1900s, people were very excited about modern technology. Electricity had just recently been invented. So had telephones, airplanes, cars, air conditioners, and hundreds of other things that revolutionized the world.

One of the significant innovations that would have a lasting effect on popular culture was developed by famed inventor Thomas Edison. He called his invention the Kinetoscope. It was a camera that could record movement, or motion. This might be where the phrase “motion pictures” comes from. Early versions of devices like the Kinetoscope were fairly basic, but it wasn’t long before these cameras improved and were able to create a smooth visual experience. The movie business was off and running.

At first, most film directors were located in New York. Over time, though, some of them headed west to Los Angeles. That was the beginning of the modern movie age. Early films were not made like they are today. As a matter of fact, most of them were short films, or “shorts,” some lasting as little as 10 or 15 minutes.

Drawn by the favorable weather and friendly people, filmmakers started flocking to Los Angeles. As it turned out, a tiny village northwest of downtown LA ended up becoming even more popular. Eventually that village, which was called Hollywood, became the symbol of filmmaking all around the world. By the middle of the 20th century, television stations and record companies had also set up shop in Los Angeles, making it the entertainment capital of the United States. This is a distinction it still enjoys, although New York remains an important industry hub as well.

There is an allure about Hollywood that has been attracting people from all over the world for a long time. Some of them go to visit the many landmarks that celebrate the rise of the entertainment industry. Universal Studios provides a fascinating and informative behind-the-scenes look at how modern movies are made, while Grauman’s Chinese Theater is one of the most famous movie theaters in the world. (Where else can you go and see the actual handprints and footprints of celebrities such as Adam Sandler and the cast of the Harry Potter movies, among hundreds of others?)

Millions of visitors have enjoyed trips to Los Angeles over the years. Miles and miles of sandy beaches are a perfect fit for a city that enjoys bright sunshine all year long. After a relaxing day at the beach, many people head to trendy restaurants that reflect the diverse cultures of the second largest city in America. After a nice dinner, those people lucky enough to have tickets to a Lakers game hit the freeway and cruise to the Staples Center—joining celebrities such as Chris Rock, Denzel Washington, and Jack Nicholson.

It’s very easy to get caught up in the exciting vibe of such a historic city. Tour buses shuttle visitors through the pristine streets of Beverly Hills, as tour guides point out which celebrities live in the beautiful mansions they pass. Another tourist hot spot is the Hollywood Wax Museum, which is home to hundreds of wax figures of former and current movie stars.

The list of things to do in Los Angeles is endless. Some people try to catch a glimpse of a celebrity having a “power lunch” at The Ivy. The term power lunch refers to Hollywood insiders conducting business over a fancy lunch—often discussing the next movie a famous actor will star in. And The Ivy? It just happens to be one of the restaurants favored by some of Hollywood’s most important people. Photographers are usually camped out across the street, just waiting for a celebrity to show up!

In addition to the thousands of tourists, there’s a completely different category of young people who come to Los Angeles each year. They not only hope to see or meet a superstar—but they also hope to become one. They are aspiring actors and actresses, writers, directors, and producers. They want to get involved in the business of entertainment—commonly known as The Biz. When they gaze at the historic Hollywood sign, a monument that towers above Los Angeles, they imagine themselves joining Hollywood’s elite.

Trying to make it in the entertainment industry is a huge challenge. The movie business is unique and unlike most other fields. A typical film requires the commitment of millions of dollars. As a result, only a limited number of films are made each year. This leads to fierce competition. As an example, there are more than 100,000 registered actors. Each one of them is looking for the same thing—the opportunity to snag a role in a hit movie or TV show.

It’s clear that a career in show business is completely different from a more traditional career in such fields as engineering, architecture, medicine, or education. An ambitious and hardworking young person who chooses one of these fantastic careers can almost guarantee success for himself or herself. By contrast, the entertainment industry doesn’t have nearly the same degree of certainty. The harsh reality is that the vast majority of people who chase this dream don’t become movie stars or respected directors. It’s similar to professional sports—there are a lot of gifted young basketball and football players, but it’s simply not possible for all of them to make it.

Regardless of the odds, anyone who has a dream in life should go for it. Most young actors or directors set their sights on becoming the next Will Smith or M. Night Shyamalan. But even for those who fall a little short of their goals, all is not lost. There are hundreds of outstanding careers in the entertainment industry that are available to people who aren’t superstars. As a matter of fact, many people who start out with the idea of becoming famous end up doing these other great jobs, which include everything from set design to stunt work!

One of the thousands of teenagers across this country who is preparing for a career in the entertainment industry is Mark Mayfield, of Atlanta, Georgia. Mark has big dreams, which he pursues every day. That’s why he’s always writing a script, acting in a play, directing a short film, reading something online or in a book, watching new movies, or checking out hit TV shows.

Besides being talented and ambitious, Mark is also smart. He knows how tough it is, even for someone with a lot of potential. That’s why he has a solid and sensible plan for success: learn the entertainment industry from top to bottom. Mark wants to be a famous actor and director, but he’s also been gaining experience in many other aspects of moviemaking. They include cinematography, lighting, and film editing.

That’s a very small list; there are hundreds of other jobs.

The sky’s the limit for Mark, who just turned 18. He hasn’t even scratched the surface yet, and his career is off to a flying start. He’s already directed four short films! They reflect his diverse interests and unique view of the world. Love All, a story that uses tennis as a backdrop, explores the developing relationship between a boy and girl who meet by chance. Exposed is a clever study in crisis management, when a young filmmaker (played by Mark) must cope with everything going wrong around him. A dark yet heroic view of the world is expressed in If the World Went Deaf, a story about waking up to find that people can no longer hear one another. Finally, Ruff Season, Mark’s acclaimed short film, tells a hilarious story about how each of us deals with frustration in our own way.

Besides the four films he’s directed, Mark has also been involved in dozens of other productions as an actor or a writer. That’s in addition to the work he’s done behind the scenes, which fits nicely into his plan to learn every aspect of the entertainment business. He’s always eager to work on another project.

The next step in Mark’s long-range plan is to attend college—and with a perfect 4.0 GPA, he’s well on his way. “The cool thing is that I know college will prepare me for life, as well as a career in the movie business. Then it will be time to take my shot out in Los Angeles.”

Ah, yes, Los Angeles. For Mark, and countless others, that’s where the dream officially begins. By the time they reach the city of sun, stars, and surf, they will be ready. They will have done the acting classes, the high school plays, the writing of scripts. But once they get to LA, they’re playing for real. They know it will be unbelievably competitive. They have heard the stories about people who try and fail, or even worse, become discouraged and turn to alcohol and drugs.

That’s not going to happen to Mark. He’s an intelligent and well-grounded teenager who knows how to keep things in perspective. He isn’t afraid to go for something that matters to him. And this really matters to him. Mark is shooting for a career in The Biz, and he knows that there’s only one place to make it happen: Hollywood.

He’s already visited there, but one day soon Mark will make the trek from Atlanta to California to settle down permanently. He can take comfort in knowing that he’s not the first person from the state of Georgia to make that journey. Julia Roberts did. So did Ryan Seacrest, Usher, Raven Symoné, Chris Tucker, and Ty Pennington. And too many more to even list. At one time or another, these celebrities, all of whom were born or lived in Georgia, threw caution to the wind and headed west. They decided to take their chances in that magical land where deals are cut, movies are made, CDs are recorded, TV shows are filmed, and dreams come true. They all headed to Hollywood.

Just like Mark will one day.