It’s a juggernaut. It’s unstoppable. In 32 days it has shot passed 500 million U.S. and eclipsed 1 billion worldwide. It’s laying other film openings to waste. Sherlock’s mystery wasn’t enough. I’m part of the cult. I went on opening weekend –actually, at midnight on Thursday- and have since seen the film two more times. I can’t help it; I love blue people and Marines with identity crises I must say though, this last time I strapped on the 3-D specs and took the wild ride to Pandora, something was different. Not that I didn’t like it as much, I did. And when I looked around at the audience I saw that they did too, immensely. As I saw the masses diving into their popcorn and simultaneously diving into the lush 3-D world, a sick thought jumped into my head…

Could the incredible popularity of Avatar be bad for cinema?

It’s been a week since James Cameron’s scifi otherworldly epic has been released. And If you haven’t seen it yet, you’ve been bombarded nonstop with opinions about it from everywhere. Friends are telling you to see it, bloggers are recommending it, reviews are glowing, and Digg is full of articles about the film.

At this point we figure most people have their interest piqued by this $250+ million scifi movie from the maker of Titanic. But most people are still asking what’s the big deal about a story with blue CG aliens that look like cats? The trailer didn’t really get you interested, you weren’t a super big Titanic fan, and all the growing hype around it seems a little too much. You might be on the fence about watching it in theaters, or wondering if you should just wait for it on DVD/BluRay or even (gasp!) download it.

Here’s 4 reasons we think you should watch it in the theaters.

Some of the best info you can have in your first year out here can be found in great hardcopy and online subscriptions. You’re also gonna need a solid support system. Get some folks who can help you out! Lastly, the person who is going to represent you to the casting world on a day-to-day basis is your Agent. Now is the time to get together with your agent and make sure that you are both on the same track concerning your representation. If you don’t have one, it’s also time to start looking.

While cleaning up my place the other day I came across the stack of scripts I have written throughout my writing career. While there were far more “Bridesmaids” than “Brides” amongst them I’m still proud overall of the accomplishment.

At the very bottom of the pile is the very first script I ever wrote. Its a hollow, mid-80s, “Miami Vice”-knockoff called “The Neon Runner” (::shudder::). Skimming through it there are some interesting visuals, a line or two of clever dialogue and a halfway decent action sequence. Other than that its pretty much dreck. Fewer eyes will lay upon it than Eddie Murphy’s last movie.

For most bands, good songs are essential. This is where the magic starts and finishes. Without a good song, all the marketing in the world will get you nowhere. Conversely, a good song can take a band from relative obscurity and put them on the map instantly.

There are several elements to think about when writing, listening back or running the track in the rehearsal room.

You speedily logged into ActorsAccess.com after reading my previous article listing it as the #1 place for LA actors to be online. Your salivary glands began performing their self-titled function, salivating, upon hearing me herald the bountiful opportunities available therein. You signed into the website, chock full of anticipation, and started bellowing into the ether “Oh my goodness! What must I do next? If only someone would write an article detailing how to do this effectively!” I heard you.

You are going to need certain tools to start and sustain a career out in LA; tools that you just can’t go without. And the number one tool: Your Headshot and Resume. These are crucial. And in order for you or your (soon-to-be) agent to submit yourself for projects, you have to be registered on the appropriate sites. Time to put your headshot to good use! Hardcopy submissions are still around but they’ve almost gone way of Black and White headshots (um, to the grave, that is) and I’m pretty sure 100% of commercial submissions are online now too.

So you’re a hardworking, talented filmmaker in search of the perfect composer for your film. The good news is that there are boatloads of composers, particularly in Los Angeles — highly experienced, less experienced, cheap, expensive, and everything in between. The challenge will be to find the one who can produce the right music for your film and who will realistically fit into your budget. So here are some tips on landing that person.

Alright. I’m gonna start these articles off with a caveat. These are by no means the secrets to instant success for a flourishing acting career, especially within your first year of arriving in LA. And I am not a coach or an expert on the “necessities” for your individual success. However, these are the things that I wish I knew when I first came to this town. Things that I’ve slowly learned and developed over the handful of years that I’ve been here. Many of them are basic. Some of them are obvious. But a few of them are crucial. We’ll be talking practical, applicable, and motivational.

If approached by someone to take a writing assignment on spec your initial knee-jerk reaction would more than likely be “Absolutely not! I am the greatest screenwriter that ever lived and I should be paid at a gold-bar-per word rate”. However there are times where accepting it could be beneficial to your career.