Tell me about working in London

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Tell me about working in London

«‹›17 »

Yggdrassil: Mar 11, 2012; RAKANISHU!

Purple Prince posted:

Just had this pop up and thought of this thread -- might be useful to you.

http://migrantsguide.uk/

Thanks man, that will prove to be useful for sure!!!

# ? Mar 18, 2015 21:19

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? Apr 27, 2024 06:11

Car Stranger: Feb 16, 2005

I visited a friend in Berlin and, from an admittedly tiny sample size of evenings, it's so much nicer for a night out than what I'm used to in the UK. Beer is cheap and widely available but you seem to see obviously drunk people relatively rarely, even in clubs. It almost seemed like people went clubbing to, you know, enjoy music and dance rather than to get absolutely cunted. Was with two women and neither of them were accosted, which sadly is remarkable. There are lot of bars and clubs where you can openly smoke cannabis and nobody cares (also there is a lot of cannabis about). The trains are cheap and great. You can get a breakfast kebab at 7am (or whenever else). A+

# ? Mar 19, 2015 00:42

Tony Montana: Aug 6, 2005; by FactsAreUseless

That's it.

I remember in London someone saying to me about going out and 'getting wankered' and as an Aussie I had to laugh because that's exactly what it is. Much of that English drinking culture is in Australia.. certainly the smaller cities like Adelaide. Melbourne is much more multicultural but you'll see a group of lilly white drunk fuckwits stumbling over each other every now and then and generally trying to either start poo poo or slobber on every woman they see.

France on the other hand, and Italy was completely different. It's almost like the difference between adults drinking and teenagers with their first beers in their hands. Both in English and Aussie culture going out for a night on the turps and getting blind drunk is not only accepted but celebrated.. while in Italy and France people looked at you like the loving slob with a mental problem you are.

Dunno how it's for the US, I would suspect it's like Australia. Smaller cities and towns with more rednecks/bogans and drinking until you're throwing up on yourself is all in a nights fun.. while the bigger cities bring more of other cultures that really think it's disgusting.

# ? Mar 19, 2015 12:55

Lead out in cuffs: Sep 18, 2012; "That's right. We've evolved."

"I can see that. Cool mutations."

Tony Montana posted:

That's it.

I remember in London someone saying to me about going out and 'getting wankered' and as an Aussie I had to laugh because that's exactly what it is. Much of that English drinking culture is in Australia.. certainly the smaller cities like Adelaide. Melbourne is much more multicultural but you'll see a group of lilly white drunk fuckwits stumbling over each other every now and then and generally trying to either start poo poo or slobber on every woman they see.

France on the other hand, and Italy was completely different. It's almost like the difference between adults drinking and teenagers with their first beers in their hands. Both in English and Aussie culture going out for a night on the turps and getting blind drunk is not only accepted but celebrated.. while in Italy and France people looked at you like the loving slob with a mental problem you are.

Dunno how it's for the US, I would suspect it's like Australia. Smaller cities and towns with more rednecks/bogans and drinking until you're throwing up on yourself is all in a nights fun.. while the bigger cities bring more of other cultures that really think it's disgusting.

Canada also has this divide -- it's only really in the British parts of the country that you see the drunk fuckwits, not the French parts. I swear it must be a cultural thing.

# ? Mar 19, 2015 18:19

Pellisworth: Jun 20, 2005

Tony Montana posted:

Dunno how it's for the US, I would suspect it's like Australia. Smaller cities and towns with more rednecks/bogans and drinking until you're throwing up on yourself is all in a nights fun.. while the bigger cities bring more of other cultures that really think it's disgusting.

Broadly speaking, getting completely shitfaced to the point of staggering around, throwing up, blacking out and all that good stuff is something that American high schoolers and college kids do. Working adults doing the same would generally be viewed as irresponsible, immature, and displaying a lack of self-control (unless it's your birthday or a wedding or other big celebration, and even then). Don't forget the influence of Puritanism, the Temperance movement, teetotaling, Prohibition, etc on US drinking culture.

# ? Mar 19, 2015 19:23

Tony Montana: Aug 6, 2005; by FactsAreUseless

Lead out in cuffs posted:

Canada also has this divide -- it's only really in the British parts of the country that you see the drunk fuckwits, not the French parts. I swear it must be a cultural thing.

It's absolutely a cultural thing. Old pubs in Australia have tiles on the outside up to head height, so when all the Aussies came out at midnight or whenever the old curfew used to finish they'll all lean up against the wall and puke their guts out. The tiles meant it could be easily hosed down in the morning.

That poo poo wasn't there for the Italian or Chinese immigrant communities, I assure you.

Pellisworth posted:

Broadly speaking, getting completely shitfaced to the point of staggering around, throwing up, blacking out and all that good stuff is something that American high schoolers and college kids do. Working adults doing the same would generally be viewed as irresponsible, immature, and displaying a lack of self-control (unless it's your birthday or a wedding or other big celebration, and even then). Don't forget the influence of Puritanism, the Temperance movement, teetotaling, Prohibition, etc on US drinking culture.

That's how I found Italy, France and others. That's a compliment. Nothing to do with religious or moral beliefs in those countries, if you carried on like that people would just think what is wrong with you? I had a hard time growing up in Australia, Adelaide because my parents are both Italian and could not fathom the 'get shitfaced drunk' culture that I seemed to be growing up in. Australia is trying to change this now, just as we've successfully changed the perception about smoking. Smoking was cool when I was a teenager and having your pack of smokes was some right of passage, but with modern marketing and communication techniques and persistence this has been changed. 15 year olds now say 'why the gently caress would you smoke?' and 'ew, that's disgusting..' and even better it's more associated with the lower classes (which has always been the truth). Our attention has now turned to binge drinking with Government funded campaigns such as DrinkWise.

Buses and trams have huge ads about how to 'stay classy' and how 'being shitfaced is never a good look'. Cool comic styled Hugh Hefner characters in suits cradling a tumbler of scotch vs the off-tap bogan slurring his words and starting a fight. Targeting the girls too, because everyone knows the real problem is the youth and young guys will simply do whatever the girls think is cool to impress them.. so if you start with the girls and get the seed planted that they dont want a guy like that then the guys will follow suit.

We're getting there.

# ? Mar 20, 2015 00:29

Rude Dude With Tude: Apr 19, 2007; Your President approves this text.

Don't come, poo poo keeps catching fire

# ? Mar 21, 2015 20:06

nm: Jan 28, 2008; "I saw Minos the Space Judge holding a golden sceptre and passing sentence upon the Martians. There he presided, and around him the noble Space Prosecutors sought the firm justice of space law."

EB Nulshit posted:

You can get your own studio for about 804£ (~1208.97 USD) in London? Is that in a really bad area, or what? Everything I've heard about London makes it out to be more expensive than Manhattan.

Pw means per week.
Thats like 4000USD per month.

# ? Mar 21, 2015 22:07

Waci: May 30, 2011; A boy and his dog.

nm posted:

Pw means per week.
Thats like 4000USD per month.

Look at the ad again.

# ? Mar 21, 2015 22:43

Malcolm XML: Aug 8, 2009; I always knew it would end like ｔｈｉｓ．

Lady Gaza posted:

Also �5000 a month is a very high income, so that advice won't really apply here.

after tax?? poo poo man that's a lot.

# ? Mar 21, 2015 22:53

EB Nulshit: Apr 12, 2014; It was more disappointing (and surprising) when I found that even most of Manhattan isn't like Times Square.

Rolled Cabbage posted:

lol everything_that_is_wrong_with_london.txt

Hahaha they saw you coming with that rent.

P.S. OP if you're reading this, Tobin has singled out some of the most over-priced parts of London as 'affordable', don't listen to their advice.

Seriously? That's considered overpriced?

I make �4700/mo after taxes and pay �1672/mo for my studio in what is either the most or second most expensive part of NYC - and I actually got a good deal. The median in this area is �1939, but that median includes buildings 20 blocks away in much less convenient locations, so comparable stuff is probably well over �2000. I saw some people at work trying to rent to coworkers their 530sqft apartment near mine for �2407, and mine is only 40sqft smaller (490sqft). I wish I could pay just �900/mo for the place I live in.

I really have trouble believing that London is so cheap relative to NYC. Literally everything I have heard about it before this thread is that London is much, much more expensive to live in.

# ? Mar 22, 2015 01:15

opus111: Jul 6, 2014

Tony Montana posted:

That's it.

I remember in London someone saying to me about going out and 'getting wankered' and as an Aussie I had to laugh because that's exactly what it is. Much of that English drinking culture is in Australia.. certainly the smaller cities like Adelaide. Melbourne is much more multicultural but you'll see a group of lilly white drunk fuckwits stumbling over each other every now and then and generally trying to either start poo poo or slobber on every woman they see.

France on the other hand, and Italy was completely different. It's almost like the difference between adults drinking and teenagers with their first beers in their hands. Both in English and Aussie culture going out for a night on the turps and getting blind drunk is not only accepted but celebrated.. while in Italy and France people looked at you like the loving slob with a mental problem you are.

Dunno how it's for the US, I would suspect it's like Australia. Smaller cities and towns with more rednecks/bogans and drinking until you're throwing up on yourself is all in a nights fun.. while the bigger cities bring more of other cultures that really think it's disgusting.

one of those posts where you realise this forum is populated by total poindexters.

# ? Mar 22, 2015 03:23

Tony Montana: Aug 6, 2005; by FactsAreUseless

yeah brah! actually I just got back from living in the Italian Alps skiing everyday for 3 months, prior to that did the downhill season in Switzerland. I live in Australia and my girlfriend is a professional scuba diver. But hey, punch down another warm cider and hit up those hardbodies!

# ? Mar 22, 2015 05:02

opus111: Jul 6, 2014

Cool Extreme Sports Goon With Girlfriend Has An Opinion About London... And You Won't Believe What He Has To Say!

# ? Mar 22, 2015 06:09

Grand Prize Winner: Feb 19, 2007

My cousin lived in London for around two years before he got caught. One piece of advice he gave me: always keep enough money in an readily-accessible bank account to get a ticket home. He spent his 'trip home' money and after that was basically stuck there.

# ? Mar 22, 2015 07:09

Saros: Dec 29, 2009; Its almost like we're a Bureaucracy, in space!

I set sail for the Planet of Lab Requisitions!!

Tony Montana posted:

yeah brah! actually I just got back from living in the Italian Alps skiing everyday for 3 months, prior to that did the downhill season in Switzerland. I live in Australia and my girlfriend is a professional scuba diver. But hey, punch down another warm cider and hit up those hardbodies!

To be fair your European experience of apparently being a ski bum means you are so qualified to speak on european culture?

# ? Mar 22, 2015 08:32

Thrifting Day!: Nov 25, 2006

Tony Montana posted:

yeah brah! actually I just got back from living in the Italian Alps skiing everyday for 3 months, prior to that did the downhill season in Switzerland. I live in Australia and my girlfriend is a professional scuba diver. But hey, punch down another warm cider and hit up those hardbodies!

nice meltdown. i particularly like the part where you shoehorned the fact that you have a girlfriend into the post.

# ? Mar 22, 2015 09:26

pim01: Oct 22, 2002

Tony Montana posted:

yeah brah! actually I just got back from living in the Italian Alps skiing everyday for 3 months, prior to that did the downhill season in Switzerland. I live in Australia and my girlfriend is a professional scuba diver. But hey, punch down another warm cider and hit up those hardbodies!

Congrats on going on a long holiday I guess?

# ? Mar 22, 2015 11:30

TCD: Nov 13, 2002; Every step, a fucking adventure.

EB Nulshit posted:

Seriously? That's considered overpriced?

I make �4700/mo after taxes and pay �1672/mo for my studio in what is either the most or second most expensive part of NYC - and I actually got a good deal. The median in this area is �1939, but that median includes buildings 20 blocks away in much less convenient locations, so comparable stuff is probably well over �2000. I saw some people at work trying to rent to coworkers their 530sqft apartment near mine for �2407, and mine is only 40sqft smaller (490sqft). I wish I could pay just �900/mo for the place I live in.

I really have trouble believing that London is so cheap relative to NYC. Literally everything I have heard about it before this thread is that London is much, much more expensive to live in.

That place is 35-40 minutes from Piccadilly Circus by tube and over an hour by bus. Getting a studio in the heart of London would be much more expensive.

# ? Mar 22, 2015 12:26

Rolled Cabbage: Sep 3, 2006

EB Nulshit posted:

Seriously? That's considered overpriced?

I make �4700/mo after taxes and pay �1672/mo for my studio in what is either the most or second most expensive part of NYC - and I actually got a good deal. The median in this area is �1939, but that median includes buildings 20 blocks away in much less convenient locations, so comparable stuff is probably well over �2000. I saw some people at work trying to rent to coworkers their 530sqft apartment near mine for �2407, and mine is only 40sqft smaller (490sqft). I wish I could pay just �900/mo for the place I live in.

I really have trouble believing that London is so cheap relative to NYC. Literally everything I have heard about it before this thread is that London is much, much more expensive to live in.

To put it in perspective average wage in London works out at about �1700/m after taxes; Tobin is in the top 2ish% of the UK for income (he'd have to hit �99k to get to 1%). So I guess London is cheaper than NYC, but everyone is paid much, much less. Also Greenwich is not very central to London and quite spread out, with poorer transport links than some of its neighbouring areas. The council is very lazy and won't widen roads or extend bus coverage when new developments go up.

Conversely, I know family living closer-in, in a nice area, 5 mins from the tube on the river in a 2 bed penthouse in a gated block for �1500/m. For comparison a quick google also found me a 1 bed flat in the most expensive part of the UK (not just London, the whole country), for �1,500. For �600 more Tobin could live 10 mins from central London and have his own flat.

# ? Mar 22, 2015 13:21

dpack_1: Mar 23, 2009; Let another's wounds be your warning

It's also worth noting that when someone says they live in the 'Greenwich area' they probably mean somewhere like Plumstead or Woolwich, which are utter loving dives, they just happen to come under the borough of Greenwich but not Greenwich proper.

# ? Mar 22, 2015 13:32

Ex-Priest Tobin: May 25, 2014; by Reene

Rolled Cabbage posted:

To put it in perspective average wage in London works out at about �1700/m after taxes; Tobin is in the top 2ish% of the UK for income (he'd have to hit �99k to get to 1%). So I guess London is cheaper than NYC, but everyone is paid much, much less. Also Greenwich is not very central to London and quite spread out, with poorer transport links than some of its neighbouring areas. The council is very lazy and won't widen roads or extend bus coverage when new developments go up.

Conversely, I know family living closer-in, in a nice area, 5 mins from the tube on the river in a 2 bed penthouse in a gated block for �1500/m. For comparison a quick google also found me a 1 bed flat in the most expensive part of the UK (not just London, the whole country), for �1,500. For �600 more Tobin could live 10 mins from central London and have his own flat.

Greenwich is 10 minutes to my place of work - it's well-located if you're working in the London Bridge/Canary Wharf area, which is why it tends to be a bit pricier (I'm close to Greenwich town centre itself). To be honest, I do feel like I'm overpaying, but not by a massive amount - �700pcm is probably my ideal budget, so I'll look for a new place at the end of my current lease.

# ? Mar 22, 2015 13:35

sweek0: May 22, 2006; Let me fall out the window
With confetti in my hair
Deal out jacks or better
On a blanket by the stairs
I'll tell you all my secrets
But I lie about my past

Rolled Cabbage posted:

To put it in perspective average wage in London works out at about �1700/m after taxes; Tobin is in the top 2ish% of the UK for income (he'd have to hit �99k to get to 1%). So I guess London is cheaper than NYC, but everyone is paid much, much less. Also Greenwich is not very central to London and quite spread out, with poorer transport links than some of its neighbouring areas. The council is very lazy and won't widen roads or extend bus coverage when new developments go up.

Conversely, I know family living closer-in, in a nice area, 5 mins from the tube on the river in a 2 bed penthouse in a gated block for �1500/m. For comparison a quick google also found me a 1 bed flat in the most expensive part of the UK (not just London, the whole country), for �1,500. For �600 more Tobin could live 10 mins from central London and have his own flat.

That's not quite right, I think you might be talking about national averages?
According to the Office of National Stastics, the average salary in London is �35,238 ($53,000) (source), which comes down to �2,240 ($3,350) a month after tax.

London and New York's densities and population distribution are really quite different so it's hard to compare specific areas, but a 1 bedroom apartment would probably be between �1,600 and �1,000 a month about 30 minutes from Central Lonon.

# ? Mar 22, 2015 13:46

Yggdrassil: Mar 11, 2012; RAKANISHU!

How much time do you people usually spend going from home to work? If i were to live, for example, at zone 5, having to travel to zone 2 for work, how much on average would it take me to get there? (by tube).

Also, regarding work hours: full-time comprises 7 hours of work and 1 hour for lunch, or 8 hours of work and 1 hour for lunch?

# ? Mar 23, 2015 16:52

sweek0: May 22, 2006; Let me fall out the window
With confetti in my hair
Deal out jacks or better
On a blanket by the stairs
I'll tell you all my secrets
But I lie about my past

Yggdrassil posted:

How much time do you people usually spend going from home to work? If i were to live, for example, at zone 5, having to travel to zone 2 for work, how much on average would it take me to get there? (by tube).

Also, regarding work hours: full-time comprises 7 hours of work and 1 hour for lunch, or 8 hours of work and 1 hour for lunch?

Not that much point talking in zones - if you're near a line that takes you to the right part of town for you, you can have a very short commute even from further out (for example, Surbiton (z6) into Waterloo (z1) in 20 minutes). If you need to change lines multiple times and get across central London a commute from zone 1 to zone 2 can easily take over an hour.

# ? Mar 23, 2015 17:19

dpack_1: Mar 23, 2009; Let another's wounds be your warning

Yggdrassil posted:

How much time do you people usually spend going from home to work? If i were to live, for example, at zone 5, having to travel to zone 2 for work, how much on average would it take me to get there? (by tube).

Also, regarding work hours: full-time comprises 7 hours of work and 1 hour for lunch, or 8 hours of work and 1 hour for lunch?

As said above, not really easy to answer as it depends on all sorts of things, but it's not uncommon for most people to commute over an hour each way.

As for working hours, you'll be doing shift work, not regular stuff, so could be anything from a 3 hour shift to a 12 hour shift. In those kind of industries you can sometimes spend up to 16 hours including commuting and 'cleaning' (some places insist you work after hours, off the clock, as in completely unpaid, to help with cleaning / locking up etc, if you don't wanna do that, tough luck, you do it or you don't get given any more shifts).

# ? Mar 23, 2015 17:51

Yggdrassil: Mar 11, 2012; RAKANISHU!

dpack_1 posted:

As said above, not really easy to answer as it depends on all sorts of things, but it's not uncommon for most people to commute over an hour each way.

As for working hours, you'll be doing shift work, not regular stuff, so could be anything from a 3 hour shift to a 12 hour shift. In those kind of industries you can sometimes spend up to 16 hours including commuting and 'cleaning' (some places insist you work after hours, off the clock, as in completely unpaid, to help with cleaning / locking up etc, if you don't wanna do that, tough luck, you do it or you don't get given any more shifts).

I'll mostly be looking to nail a call center job that requires spanish skills or something like that. I see that many of these jobs are listed as permanent & full time. Is that different to what you just described? Also, what you stated there is a standard example of a zero-hour contract, am i correct?

# ? Mar 23, 2015 18:19

dpack_1: Mar 23, 2009; Let another's wounds be your warning

Yggdrassil posted:

I'll mostly be looking to nail a call center job that requires spanish skills or something like that. I see that many of these jobs are listed as permanent & full time. Is that different to what you just described? Also, what you stated there is a standard example of a zero-hour contract, am i correct?

Yep.

Call centre work will often be performance based, make X calls within Y time. If you meet that mark you don't get a bonus or anything, they just go "Well done, next week make X+1 calls within Y time now!", and repeat that til it's actually impossible to meet that target and then be dragged into a performance review to discuss why you aren't meeting targets and why you're getting put on probation.

Lower end jobs are so poo poo over here.

# ? Mar 23, 2015 20:43

Yggdrassil: Mar 11, 2012; RAKANISHU!

dpack_1 posted:

Call centre work will often be performance based, make X calls within Y time. If you meet that mark you don't get a bonus or anything, they just go "Well done, next week make X+1 calls within Y time now!", and repeat that til it's actually impossible to meet that target and then be dragged into a performance review to discuss why you aren't meeting targets and why you're getting put on probation.

Lower end jobs are so poo poo over here.

I guess some companies are better than others. We'll see how that turns out to be.

# ? Mar 23, 2015 21:04

opus111: Jul 6, 2014

If you don't mind being a phone jockey than look at sales instead. Way more potential to earn and you more likely be treated better.

PS if you're working normal hours the secret is to use buses, not the tube. Its far better for your metal health.

# ? Mar 23, 2015 22:51

Purple Prince: Aug 20, 2011

opus111 posted:

PS if you're working normal hours the secret is to use buses, not the tube. Its far better for your metal health.

Hey, some of us like smelling strangers' armpits while trying to avoid any form of contact between you and any of the other 20 passengers in the vicinity! It's like Operation but with awkwardness instead of a flashing red siren.

# ? Mar 23, 2015 23:50

Yggdrassil: Mar 11, 2012; RAKANISHU!

opus111 posted:

If you don't mind being a phone jockey than look at sales instead. Way more potential to earn and you more likely be treated better.

PS if you're working normal hours the secret is to use buses, not the tube. Its far better for your metal health.

In my experience Callcenters vary A LOT depending on the place you work at, i've been to one that was basically hell on earth, and the one im working at now which is the exact opposite. It's just a matter of luck...

Thanks for the advice

i guess buses are punctual there, right? There are some days in Buenos Aires where the bus takes 40 minutes to arrive. And if you go by bus you get to see the city

# ? Mar 23, 2015 23:54

Saros: Dec 29, 2009; Its almost like we're a Bureaucracy, in space!

I set sail for the Planet of Lab Requisitions!!

You are way too optimistic and cheerful to be a Londoner, im sorry it's just unnatural.

# ? Mar 24, 2015 00:06

opus111: Jul 6, 2014

Yggdrassil posted:

In my experience Callcenters vary A LOT depending on the place you work at, i've been to one that was basically hell on earth, and the one im working at now which is the exact opposite. It's just a matter of luck...

Thanks for the advice i guess buses are punctual there, right? There are some days in Buenos Aires where the bus takes 40 minutes to arrive. And if you go by bus you get to see the city

nah mate the buses are a mess -dont rely on their stated times - but they're very frequent and you've usually got like 4-5 options so you can just stand around at a stop and something will come up. if you're working in central and you have an oyster card you can also do stuff like get a bus into town and then just do 1/2 tube stops to work. i used to get the 4/19/38 and go straight to sleep, good times. minimal noise, get to sit down, can breath actual air...

# ? Mar 24, 2015 00:38

Yggdrassil: Mar 11, 2012; RAKANISHU!

Saros posted:

You are way too optimistic and cheerful to be a Londoner, im sorry it's just unnatural.

As long as i remain optismistic and not delusional, I'll be fine

opus111 posted:

nah mate the buses are a mess -dont rely on their stated times - but they're very frequent and you've usually got like 4-5 options so you can just stand around at a stop and something will come up. if you're working in central and you have an oyster card you can also do stuff like get a bus into town and then just do 1/2 tube stops to work. i used to get the 4/19/38 and go straight to sleep, good times. minimal noise, get to sit down, can breath actual air...

Yeah, thanks for that info man! A highly frequent bus system is alien to me

and I would be able to enjoy the view!

# ? Mar 24, 2015 13:55

Figaro: Feb 21, 2006; Hi, I've come to apply for the doctor's job. I can assure you my credentials are top-notch, I've just graduated from Harvard College Yale. I aced every semester, and I got an 'A'.

When you moving? I'd be interesting to read about your adventures once you relocate to London.

# ? Mar 27, 2015 20:54

Yggdrassil: Mar 11, 2012; RAKANISHU!

Figaro posted:

When you moving? I'd be interesting to read about your adventures once you relocate to London.

Arround mid june

. For sure, i'll be updating this with the details of my trip! Is the least i can do for all the help you've given me

# ? Mar 27, 2015 22:06

Goldskull: Feb 20, 2011

Chiming in with my two penneth, albeit late.
I do wish you luck, but as many others have stated, you're simply not going to walk into any acting parts here, at all. 3 of my friends have been in the trade for years and all have full/2 part time jobs to stay afloat, despite having bit parts/extra work in things like Guardians of the Galaxy/Thor II/bit part TV work: it's just that competitive. You'll also note that most of the successful British actors of recent years are all from money, which you aren't.

And as for freelance design work (my trade), unless you've got some outstanding chops or a big list of major clients you've worked for on your CV, rather than 'I did a logo design for my Uncle's business once' , again you've no chance - it's as murderously competitive as acting is and there are 25000 other folk all going at the same opportunity.

Personally I wouldn't cycle around London - too many horror stories from friends getting knocked down/near misses. Others have said the Oyster prices but for example when I was working in Chiswick last year (Z3 West london) travelling from Highgate (Z3 North London) was around 1h 20, a bus and 3 train changes. Me & my wife pay just over �1k a month plus bills for our 1 bedroom shoebox flat, but that rent hasn't gone up in 3 years - a 2 bed in Wood Green we looked at last year was �1300 a month + bills.

All the best with your move and intentions, but I don't think we're all being overly harsh over the last 7 pages. I loving love living here, but don't expect your dreams to pan out like you're expecting.

# ? Apr 11, 2015 15:41

Yggdrassil: Mar 11, 2012; RAKANISHU!

Goldskull posted:

Chiming in with my two penneth, albeit late.
I do wish you luck, but as many others have stated, you're simply not going to walk into any acting parts here, at all. 3 of my friends have been in the trade for years and all have full/2 part time jobs to stay afloat, despite having bit parts/extra work in things like Guardians of the Galaxy/Thor II/bit part TV work: it's just that competitive. You'll also note that most of the successful British actors of recent years are all from money, which you aren't.

And as for freelance design work (my trade), unless you've got some outstanding chops or a big list of major clients you've worked for on your CV, rather than 'I did a logo design for my Uncle's business once' , again you've no chance - it's as murderously competitive as acting is and there are 25000 other folk all going at the same opportunity.

Personally I wouldn't cycle around London - too many horror stories from friends getting knocked down/near misses. Others have said the Oyster prices but for example when I was working in Chiswick last year (Z3 West london) travelling from Highgate (Z3 North London) was around 1h 20, a bus and 3 train changes. Me & my wife pay just over �1k a month plus bills for our 1 bedroom shoebox flat, but that rent hasn't gone up in 3 years - a 2 bed in Wood Green we looked at last year was �1300 a month + bills.

All the best with your move and intentions, but I don't think we're all being overly harsh over the last 7 pages. I loving love living here, but don't expect your dreams to pan out like you're expecting.

Thanks for the data. The thread has totally convinced me that im not going to be able to sustain myself with freelance work. My expectations are pretty much living in a shoebox for the next 10-15 years and eating pasta/whatever is cheap there almost all the time, thou those expectations come mostly due to what i know about the actor's living standards :P

# ? Apr 11, 2015 17:10

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? Apr 27, 2024 06:11

pim01: Oct 22, 2002

Yggdrassil posted:

thou those expectations come mostly due to what i know about the actor's living standards :P

I've wanted to say this for a while now - it's 'though'

# ? Apr 11, 2015 18:38

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Tell me about working in London

«‹›17 »