In 1979, 17-year-old Matt Sweeney left his home and headed to Hollywood with dreams of making it big as a filmmaker.

It didn’t happen. Film production jobs never quite materialized, and Sweeney made ends meet by working in local photography shops. He spent his free time and weekends riding the bus and wandering the streets of West Hollywood with his Nikon F2, honing his visual instincts by shooting street photos on cinematic Kodachrome slide film.

After four years chasing the dream, Sweeney decided to move on. He sold his equipment, but held on to the images he shot. They form a gritty and colorful record of life on the outskirts of the red carpet, of people who, like Sweeney, didn’t quite "make it."