Filmmaking Cities

If you want to eventually work in the big leagues, then it would seem to be l.a. Or NYC. I started out in Chicago, and there's lots of corporate work, but it's always been a second tier film town.if u want to do corporate, it's great, if you can break in. Problem is that it's a small pond with lots of fish.It helps to have cut your teeth elsewhere than Chicago. like L.A. Or N.Y.C? As for me, I left. You might consider S.F as well, as there's lots of corporate work there too, I hear. The two biggies are big ponds with lots of fish, and sharks, but with the volume of work there, you are more liable to build the networks to succeed, as long as you are flexible and have some talent. More likely to actually get some jobs, even small, that put u on real productions where u might get noticed. But it's not for the faint of heart. Lots of talented folks eaking out a living. I carved out a life in Seattle, but it's also second, maybe even third tier. Not much work worth anything, lots of strong competition. If a company has money, they go to L.A for the work. Good luck! I wish I were starting over again. it's the best time since the early 1900 s to be in "film"!
 
I am wondering the same thing about Texas. I am looking to get more involved in the industry and want to go some place where I can network and learn. One thing is for sure, Vegas doesn't have anything going on. You'd think it would, being so close to LA but most productions bring their LA crews with them, should they decide to come to town. I just have to do something. My years are going by and my resume is still a white sheet of paper. So, if anyone from Dallas can chime in about the industry there, that'd be great. I don't care for LA, but I will suffer for the cause if I have to.
 
ANGENOUX said:
I am wondering the same thing about Texas. I am looking to get more involved in the industry and want to go some place where I can network and learn. One thing is for sure, Vegas doesn't have anything going on. You'd think it would, being so close to LA but most productions bring their LA crews with them, should they decide to come to town. I just have to do something. My years are going by and my resume is still a white sheet of paper. So, if anyone from Dallas can chime in about the industry there, that'd be great. I don't care for LA, but I will suffer for the cause if I have to.
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jscottprice said:
Come to DALLAS! Austin gets this huge rep for being so different and having this huge art following and for being the only major liberal city in Texas, etc., etc. But to be honest, Dallas has just as much to give, minus the hipsters.

Most likely you will not be supporting yourself by doing exactly what you want to do - make movies! - so you will need corporate gigs, contract pieces, small projects, and television work to fall back on. At least, I would assume so. You may hit it big or already have!

Several major companies have their headquarters here in Dallas or at least in the DFW area. One of them, Southwest Airlines, I am interning with over the summer, shooting and editing all day and getting paid!

We have two TV shows being filmed in Dallas - Chase and The Good Guys. I know several people - Grips, PA's, - who work on those shows, and I've managed to gain some connections through them.

DFW has several major studios here for television, and some have been used for film: Studios 121 and The Studios at Las Colinas are the first that come to mind.

There are a ton of universities in DFW that have film programs, which means there are projects and people you can get connected to.

The Dallas International Film Festival is here (which starts next week, I believe).

There is a huge movement right now to revive parts of Dallas, and The Arts are definitely at the head of that movement.

Compared to LA, the living expenses here are very affordable. You don't have to live in the heart of Uptown Dallas to find work. I live 10 minutes north of DFW International Airport and I have no problems making it over to Studios 121 in Fort Worth, shooting a photo gig in downtown Dallas, while working and studying at UT Arlington (right between Dallas and Fort Worth).
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!
 
Jitup said:
What about Portland, Oregon? I have heard that it is pretty good for freelancers up there. Don’t know first hand yet, but will be moving there in early April so I will let you know. Don't come to Cleveland, Ohio though. Detroit is the one place worse than this city, but at least they have a decent film buzz going. Cleveland has a few major movies that come in because of the tax bracket, but they all bring in out of town crews for the shoot. You are lucky if you can somehow manage to get a job as a PA out here. For boring corporate stuff it is pretty great here though. Lots of Hospitals. Cleveland dose have a pretty good community of indie filmmakers, just hardly any jobs that pay more than a pat on the back. Cleveland has some great people, but that is it.
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Portland's on the up-up, it seems like there would be a heavy amount of freelance stuff and very little paid work. I hear it's a beautiful city though.
 
Atlanta, GA...?

Thinking of moving here in the fall (non-filmmaking related, but it's a plus)! Terrible traffic, good weather, lots of filmmaking resources and growing every year. VERY business friendly, the best travel hub in the world, not too expensive if you aren't in the city itself (almost half the cost of living as LA), etc.
 
BennyWhiskers said:
Thanks for the input about Dallas, I heard rumors about that place but nothing detailed like your post.

Also - "most liberal city in texas - minus the hipsters." Sorry but that statement doesn't make sense, how can your city be uber-lib w/o hipsters?
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I guess I was unclear. I mean Austin is the only dominantly liberal city in a very conservative state. Dallas is not very liberal, by comparison, and the DFW area is far from it. Austin just gets this rep for being...well...weird...and it is.

Politics are irrelevant to my post, but I was just making a point about Austin. I hope that clears that up.
 
BennyWhiskers said:
Portland's on the up-up, it seems like there would be a heavy amount of freelance stuff and very little paid work. I hear it's a beautiful city though.
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True is my guess. It's been like that for decades.
Portland is a good city to be from. Not many Corporations a small amount of ad agencies, so not a lot of base work. like a smaller Seattle. I would bet a lot of work still leaves town. I rate it third tier.if you can survive ther, great, but....am I wrong? Would it be any different from Vegas?
 
ANGENOUX said:
LOL @ Ryan. That's all.
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LOL I wanted to say the same thing.


Any word on actually living and working in chicago? I'll be moving up there soon. Currently in central indiana and have traveled to chicago for a couple paid gigs in the past, have a somewhat reliable network up there, film and otherwise. What should I expect living there full time?
 
I'm based in Los Angeles, and Baton Rouge + New Orleans + Salt Lake City + Asheville + Honolulu + Chicago + Atlanta + Boston + Philadelphia + NYC + Dallas + Montreal + etc...are all places I get calls to go to, as locations.

Draw your own conclusions. In terms of the work/liking-the-place balance, I'll stick with Los Angeles.
 
Sad Max said:
I'm based in Los Angeles, and Baton Rouge + New Orleans + Salt Lake City + Asheville + Honolulu + Chicago + Atlanta + Boston + Philadelphia + NYC + Dallas + Montreal + etc...are all places I get calls to go to, as locations.

Draw your own conclusions. In terms of the work/liking-the-place balance, I'll stick with Los Angeles.
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la's the place to be, too bad it's a poophole.
 
I don't know. Depending upon where in the LA area you live, it can be very nice indeed. I'm particularly partial to Silverlake (where I used to live until last summer) and Garfield Heights in Pasadena (where I am now...)
 
Sad Max said:
I don't know. Depending upon where in the LA area you live, it can be very nice indeed. I'm particularly partial to Silverlake (where I used to live until last summer) and Garfield Heights in Pasadena (where I am now...)
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Old town Pasadena is really nice and clean; feels very much like a small-ish mountain town and reminds me of Santa Barbara a bit. I like Silverlake, but it's not the place to go if you want to avoid 'hipsters'--I think Silverlake and Williamsburg, Brooklyn are neck and neck on that front. Echo Park has much of the coolness of Silverlake but is a bit more low key. I'm partial to Magnolia Village in Burbank, Downtown Burbank (though it's very difficult to drive through), Melrose, Downtown (as featured in 500 Days of Summer), and then the more far-off rural areas like Topanga Canyon.

It's really difficult to get a feel for L.A because it's sooo different from area to area.
 
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