The Thousands

For every child actor who gets to witness a mob hit, see dead people or want some more, there’s a Hollywood slush pile of broken families and dreams. Dylan Nelson and Dan Sturman follow young hopefuls who’ve descended on LA to be cast in new TV pilots. As well as a fame fixation, the ‘complex’ of the title is the Oakwood, where kids and their families stay, paying big bucks to fall prey to hucksters.

Some have been coming here since age six. At 13, sweet Shanna from Colorado is naively wading through the morass for the first time. But brash, nutty Megan and her equally OTT mum seem equally clueless about how the system works. They’ve been living permanently at the Oakwood for three years, supported by Megan’s dad back in Missouri. Then there’s soft-spoken James, the religious Casa family, and Ashley being overshadowed by her younger, cuter sister Savannah.

At times very funny, and with a clear-eyed view of Tinseltown absurdity, The Hollywood Complex is also sad viewing. Being in this doco might be as close as some of these kids will get to stardom; but they seem unlikely to heed its warnings.