Work With The Stars: Best Celebrity Creative Programs

Want to work with the stars? It’s easier than ever to get creative with some of Hollywood’s elite in the social media era. Here are the top 5 celebrity creative programs we’re all about…

Collaborate on a Song with Joseph Gordon-Levitt on hitRECord
In January, Joseph Gordon-Levitt launched a TV show about his now famous website HitRECord on Pivot, Participant Media’s new cable channel. JGL hots the series, which follows his company’s unique approach to cultivating music, short films, books and other creative projects from unknown artists around the world based on submissions from hitRECord readers. The actor founded the site in 2010 as a place where new talents can upload video, audio, images and text and collaborate with other artists on the site, including JGL. You can even be a part of the first season of the show if you get involved right now.

Act with James Franco at Studio 4
James Franco is a Renaissance Man, if ever there was one in 2014. The actor (not to mention director, writer, artist and professor, among other things) has teamed up with the Los Angeles branch of Playhouse West to create and run his own acting classes at Studio 4. Students will have the chance to not only present their work in front of Franco, but also get involved in some of his film and art projects. The school currently offers classes twice a week and has the odd special guest (read: Franco’s famous friends) on site for Q&As.

Intern for Ellen DeGeneres
Want to be a part of The Ellen DeGeneres Show? If you can describe why you’d be a good fit on the talk show host’s team in 1,500 words or less, the Oscar host’s next intern might just be you. Not a bad gig to put on the resume. Ask any creative how he or she got her start, and it likely started with an awesome internship. The lovable DeGeneres keeps we everyday people in consideration for a spot on her behind-the-scenes team by keeping an internship application open to all.

Write for Zooey Deschanel’s HelloGiggles 
Want to work with Zooey Deschanel? While she isn’t exactly holding open auditions for guest spots on New Girl, you can contribute to the actress’ website. Deschanel launched the website HelloGiggles with TV producer Sophia Rossi (The Hills) and former Gawker personality Molly McAleer in 2011 as a go-to daily news, lifestyle and entertainment source for smart, creative girls (along the lines of xoJane and the like). HelloGiggles publishes content from readers regularly and it’s easy to submit a piece for consideration.

Star in Zach Braff’s Wish I Was Here 
Want to be in a Zach Braff movie? You missed out on the first round, but it’s worth noting that the actor/director definitely paved new ground for the future of Hollywood movies and the possibility of regular people being a part of production. Zach Braff’s follow-up film to his directorial debut, Garden State, caused a lot of controversy last spring when he decided to turn to Kickstarter to crowd-fund his project instead of going the traditional big-backer route. Although some criticized Braff, who’s already a Hollywood star, for using his fame to garner money from everyday backers (which many felt should be a source of funding for the non-famous), he insisted he went the Kickstarter route to ensure he had as much creative control over his project as possible. In return for financial support, Braff offered to record outgoing voicemail messages for funders and gave away one speaking part (for a $10,000 donation), as well as background and featured extra spots. The way of the future? We certainly hope so.