Next Stop Hollywood (ATOM Study Guide)

Six Australian actors. Six weeks. Hundreds of roles up for grabs.

Hollywood is a place where dreams can come true but it is also a city that is both tough and uncompromising. Next Stop Hollywood charts the excitement, frustrations, struggles, fears and tears of six Australian actors as they compete for roles during the US television pilot season. Craig Anderson, Michael Clarke-Tokely, Alycia Debnam-Carey, HaiHa Le, Penelope Mitchell and Luke Pegler allow the cameras to follow their every move as they pursue their dreams of fame and fortune.

From January to around the end of April, the US studios cast many of their test television programs known as pilots in the hope the networks will commission full seasons for the following fall's schedule. The major US studios shoot over eighty pilots in each pilot season. Most of the casting takes place in Los Angeles. Hollywood is abuzz during pilot season, with hundreds of roles up for grabs. Trade publications announce new castings by the minute and talent agents furiously pitch their clients, while thousands of actors line up each day outside casting agents' doors, hoping for auditions. Securing a role on a pilot is a veritable golden ticket for any actor. But it is just the first step and relatively few pilots end up going to series. Some of the Next Stop Hollywood hopefuls arrive in Los Angeles fully connected to the industry with representation from agents or managers in place. Others are on the fringe and need to get connected quickly if they are to have a shot at reaching their goals.

Next Stop Hollywood portrays the ups and downs of pilot season with equal doses of humour and compassion, and takes a broad swipe at the myth of the overnight success story.

Next Stop Hollywood is produced by Matchbox Pictures in association with ABC TV.

Curriculum links This study guide to accompany Next Stop Hollywood, a six-part observational documentary series, has been written for middle and senior-secondary students. It provides information and suggestions for learning activities in English, Drama, Media and Theatre Studies in Years 9–12. Next Stop Hollywood is also a recommended resource for secondary schools that provide training programs for students interested in pursuing careers in the Performing Arts.

In English, Next Stop Hollywood can be used as part of thematic units and in particular to explore the context of Identity and Belonging. In Media the series provides students with opportunities to analyse media representations and how such representations depict events, people, places, organisations and ideas. Next Stop Hollywood can be used in the Performing Arts domain to develop students' knowledge and understanding of the performing arts as a profession.