FAQs

  • Hollywood CPR offers programs for people at different stages of career readiness.

    1. Readiness Programs

    Hollywood CPR’s approved community college pipeline programs are the primary starting point for people who are still building:

    • Hands-on craft skills

    • On-set work experience

    • Relationships with working IATSE professionals

    • Professional references

    • A digital portfolio

    • A competitive application for the Emerging Crew Program

    These programs are generally open-access. They are designed to help participants build enough skill, experience, and professional trust to begin earning income in their craft and compete for more selective Hollywood CPR opportunities.

    2. Emerging Crew Program

    The Emerging Crew Program is for applicants who already have baseline craft skills, on-set experience, and professional workplace readiness.

    Emerging Crew is not an introductory film program. Participants are expected to understand basic department roles, follow professional direction, work safely, and contribute at the entry level in their selected craft.

    Opportunities may include:

    • Studio-based craft training

    • Production labs and simulated work environments

    • Skills assessments

    • Industry certifications

    • Evaluations by working IATSE professionals

    • Opportunities to strengthen professional references and demonstrate job readiness

    Applications open based on industry demand, available instructors, and pathway capacity. Cohort size and program activities may vary by craft.

    Participation in Emerging Crew helps candidates prepare to apply for the Working Crew-Rotation Program and paid traineeship opportunities. Completing Emerging Crew Craft Training does not guarantee acceptance into job placement rotations, union membership, or advancement. 

    3. Working Crew-Rotation Program

    Emerging Crew members who have demonstrated traineeship readiness and received a sign-off from an active industry professional within the last calendar year may apply for the Working Crew-Rotation Program.

    Working Crew may be considered for paid, on-the-job training opportunities when productions request trainees and appropriate placements are available.

    At this stage, participants:

    • Gain experience on union productions

    • Build working relationships with crew members and department leaders

    • Receive evaluations based on actual job performance

    • Demonstrate whether supervisors are willing to hire or recommend them again

    • Begin transitioning toward independently securing contract-based work

    Participants are expected to build their own professional network, pursue available work, and take increasing responsibility for sustaining their careers.

    4. Alumni Crew

    Alumni Crew supports participants who have completed one of Hollywood CPR’s Union Career Pathways.

    Opportunities may include:

    • Continuing education and certifications

    • Networking and industry events

    • Employment and career-outcome tracking

    • Long-term career support

    • Access to an ongoing professional community

    Movement through the pathway is based on demonstrated readiness, professional recommendations, available jobs, and employer demand. Completing one stage does not automatically guarantee entry into the next.

    Complete Our Interest Form to be contacted about upcoming application cycles and readiness training.

  • If you are interested in training to become an entry-level crew member in television, films, and live events, Hollywood CPR may be for you. To be a strong candidate for Hollywood CPR:

    Emerging Crew Program

    • select one of the following crafts:

      • Grip Trainee

      • Set Lighting Trainee

      • Utility Trainee

      • Props Trainee

      • Set Dressing Trainee

      • Costume Trainee

      • Hair & Makeup Trainee

    • more than 300 hours of hands-on experience and/or specialized training in the craft you are applying, verified by call sheets, pay stubs, or other records.

    • digital portfolio featuring projects you’ve worked on

    • personal statement

    • recommendations from industry professionals in your pathway

    • reliable transportation

    • availability for on-demand training and placement

    • the ability to follow industry standards on a working set

    Readiness Programs

    Hollywood CPR partners with Los Angeles Community College District to help interested candidates build their readiness for our Emerging Crew Program.

    Please enroll in FLM PRD 100 at a LACCD campus near you to get started. Please direct any questions related to prior experience and transfer credit to the college staff.

    Trade Tech Certificates

    • Costume (Take FLM PRD 130 - Fall Only & FLM PRD 100)

    • Cosmetology Degree (add FLM PRD 100)

    • Construction Degree (add FLM PRD 100)

    West LA College Production Certificates

    • Grip (FLM PRD 115 + FLM PRD 100)

    • Lighting (FLM PRD 140 + FLM PRD 100)

    • Camera Utility / Assistant (FLM PRD 120 + FLM PRD 100)

    • Set Dressing / Property (FLM PRD 110 + FLM PRD 100)

    Complete Our Interest Form to be contacted about upcoming application cycles and readiness training.

  • Hollywood CPR trains for roles that lead to employability. Film school can provide useful education and production experience, but the degree itself does not determine readiness for Hollywood CPR’s Emerging Crew Program.

    What matters is whether your prior experience helped you build:

    • At least 300 hours of hands-on work experience in your selected IATSE craft pathway 

    • A record of safe, reliable performance on set that has led to paid work opportunities in your IATSE craft pathway 

    • Working relationships with experienced IATSE professionals 

    • References from IATSE professionals who have directly supervised your craft work and would recommend you for a trainee position on their next union production

    Applicants whose education did not provide substantial craft experience or relationships with working IATSE professionals related to their pathway can access one of Hollywood CPR's approved production certificate programs built in partnership with Los Angeles Community College District. 

    Hollywood CPR Approved Production Readiness Certificate Programs - All application, enrollment, and financial aid is handled directly by each individual college.

    • Grip Technician - West LA College with G. Dagg, Local 80

    • Lighting Technician - West LA College with C. McIntyre, Local 728

    • Camera Assistant - West LA College with R. Creasy, Local 600

    • Set Decoration, Prop Making, and Property - West LA College with D. Cannon, Local 44

    • Finished Costume - Los Angeles Trade and Technical College get started with FLM PRD 130 (Fall only) with M. Lorenzana, Local 705 and FLM PRD 100

    • Hair & Makeup - Los Angeles Trade and Technical College get started with FLM PRD 100 with I. Coleman, D.G.A. or V. Reyes, Local 44

    • Set Painting - Los Angeles Trade and Technical College get started with FLM PRD 100 with I. Coleman, D.G.A. or V. Reyes, Local 44

    • Prop Making / Construction - Los Angeles Trade and Technical College get started with FLM PRD 100 with I Coleman, D.G.A. or V. Reyes, Local 44

    IMPORTANT: Please direct questions directly to the college to avoid delays in your progress.

    LATTC Welcome Center

    WLAC Welcome Center

    Please reference WLAC’s Production Certificate programs when speaking with staff to avoid confusion. Student workers or support staff may not be familiar with how it prepares candidates for HCPR’s Emerging Crew Program.

    • Location: Technology Learning Center (TLC) Building, 1st Floor 

    • Where to Park: TLC is located in Lot 5 https://www.wlac.edu/about/map-and-directions

    • Phone: (310) 287-7251

    • Hours: Check website for hours and office closures

    • Inquiry: Ask how to enroll in FLM PRD 100 or FLM PRD 115 (Grip), FLM PRD 120 (Camera), FLM PRD 140 (Lighting), or FLM PRD 110 (Set Dec/Props)

  • Readiness Programs

    Through our LACCD partners, all first-time, full-time California residents qualify for the LA College Promise. This helps you complete pipeline partner requirements for free or low-cost while you prepare to apply for HCPR’s Emerging Crew Program.

    Students will need to apply for the LA College Promise.

    • Read all of the requirements here.

    Out-of-pocket tuition is typically $48 per unit for residents, or approximately $576–$1,296 for a 12–27 unit program. Additional college fees, books, materials, or equipment may apply.

    Emerging Crew

    While the program is free, living in Los Angeles and the tools required to be a successful contract-based worker are not.

    • You’ll need a plan to obtain your own vehicle, drivers license, and the costs of upkeep.

    • Live within 50 minutes or 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles is recommended for the long-game.

    • Stable housing, tools, and gear add up.

    Other Costs to Consider:

    • Ability to prioritize required non-paid full-day training sessions scheduled in advance during the work week.

    • Ability to volunteer at industry events with little notice.

    • Ability to be placed on job for 6 to 20 weeks with less than a weeks notice.

    Calculate your anticipated cost here.

  • We’re an industry-embedded training hub in Los Angeles, which means your training won’t happen in one static classroom.

    One day you might be in Downtown LA at 4pm, and the next you might need to be in Burbank at 5am. That’s why we stress having reliable transportation.

    If you don’t have access to reliable transportation, start there.

  • Productions take place at multiple locations across Los Angeles, often with early call times or late wrap times when public transit is limited. To succeed in the program, students must be able to:

    • Arrive on time to training, set builds, and productions (sometimes as early as 3:00 a.m.)

    • Transport required tools and materials for their craft

    • Travel between production sites and networking events as needed

    Reliable transportation is essential to meet the professional standards of punctuality and preparedness expected in the entertainment industry.

  • Hollywood CPR programs were designed for Angelenos and Californians who are often first-generation college students and do not have direct pathways into union entertainment careers.

    Hollywood CPR’s Readiness Programs, offered in partnership with the Los Angeles Community College District, are open-access to students who meet the college’s enrollment requirements.

    Applicants interested in the Emerging Crew Program to qualify for paid placement opportunities must also be legally authorized to work in the United States and meet any employment eligibility, identification, background, payroll, or studio access requirements established by participating employers.

  • Hollywood CPR has trained thousands of Angelenos in below-the-line entertainment careers since 1997.

    80% of alumni across 10 IATSE Pathways remain active due-paying members after 5 or more years of joining their Local as of 2026.

  • Readiness Programs: Please reach out to your LACCD college welcome center directly for timely responses.

    Emerging Crew Programs: Complete our Interest Form to be contacted about future application cycles.

    Donations or Partnerships with Hollywood CPR: info@hollywoodcpr.org