Assignment #23 - Wes Davis - POV: You're a hollywood starlet in the 1950s, and this is your story

You've dreamt of the big screen and red carpet since the first moment you saw a motion picture. Back then they were just silent films, but now the film industry booms with talkies and musical spectaculars. After moving to California, the heart of the industry, your story begins.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland - You're a Hollywood-hopeful with dreams of a place where the grass is greener, or in this case, the carpet is redder. You're young and innocent. You're ready to put your past life behind you and pursue a life on the screen.

9 to 5 by Dolly Parton - Stardom doesn't happen overnight. Thus, you get a job at the local diner to help pay the bills while you get your foot in the industry. You pocket tips and any extra money to pay for headshots and screen tests with some of the biggest names in the industry. They see something in you, but you're nowhere near the top. You have to keep working your job to support yourself and your dream.

Let Me Be Your Star from SMASH- Screen test and audition rooms are your home. Casting directors and powerful people get to watch you shine. They see hundreds of Hollywood hopefuls every day, however, you shine brighter. You've got potential, you've got star power. You give yourself a new name and embody the powerful person Hollywood needs. You continue to get screen tests, and soon your heart is full of not just hope, but drive. You have proof that you have what it takes, and people can see it too.

Diamonds Are Forever by Sabrina Carpenter - You work one of your final days at the diner. While working, a man calls you over. He's blatantly flaunting his money, sporting a crisp suit and a watch worth more than any property in Hollywood. He's an agent in the business, and he wants to make you a star. Your name will be on marquees across the country, but only if you accept his offer. His "love" will make you richer than he will ever be, he tells you. His money will get you to the top. You accept his offer, but it comes at a price.

I Never Met a Wolf Who Didn't Love to Howl from SMASH - You're getting screen tests left and right. You've left your job at the diner and are making enough money to move to a much bigger apartment closer to the heart of the industry. However, your success hasn't come just from talent and a good agent. You've had to pull strings and spend extra nights at the casting couch. While you're not proud of what you've had to do to get here, it's been done. You're quickly becoming a star.

Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend by Marilyn Monroe - A Hollywood-hopeful is no longer. You've made it! You're a hot commodity and spend your days on set. The life you lead isn't as glamorous as you anticipated, but that's okay with you. As long as the money keeps flowing and your movies keep selling, you're content. You fill your aching heart with diamonds and expensive clothing. You have relationship after relationship and the press eats it up. Off screen, you yearn for the life you used to have. Despite this, you keep your spirits up for the screen that you can't seem to escape.

Back to Black by Amy Winehouse - Not everyone can survive the life of a Hollywood bombshell. You've lost the love of your life to the press. The person you love didn't want the life of a star. You promised you would protect them, but it didn't work. The media tears their life apart. Your lover turns to alcohol, and soon enough you lose them. The jewels and expensive clothing and lifestyle can no longer fill the void in your heart. You stop showing up to set, stop learning lines, and stop working. You fall deep into a depression you can't shake. Your reputation is ruined and your career is over. You've watched your dream come to fruition, and now you're watching it fall apart.


"Hollywood is a place where they'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss, but fifty cents for your soul." -Marilyn Monroe