Over the next few weeks, HTLA is bringing you a series of stories produced by journalism students at USC: L.A. On The Margins. The series profiles Angelenos who have struggled with things like mental health, food insecurity and homelessness.

In this first episode, reporter Liv Kelleher follows the journey of a young performer as he tries to “make it” in Hollywood — with a nearby Panera Bread as his office, a Planet Fitness as his shower and his car as his only home base.