Should I move to LA?

F

fobers95

Active member
I have have a year to figure this out but I am wondering what the pros and cons of moving to LA are and if I should move to LA? I am thinking about moving to LA for about a year and in a half and try to get in contact with the business, if i can't do it within the year I want to go to film school. I want to try it this way becasue of how much film school costs.
 
Go to school or find an apprenticeship locally. LA is rammed full of dreamers & wannabes with little or no chance of making it.
 
How many movies have you made without moving? Because if it isn't impressive now it won't be any more impressive down there. And what does 'get in contact with the business' mean in your mind? Move to LA if you want to live in LA, not because you think it'll make you a star.
 
I just went through another tread where the poster was thinking about moving away from LA to Austin.

Ever heard the old saying... The grass is always green on the other side of the fence .
 
Everyone should experience LA. Even without the film connection, LA is an experience worth having. Especially if you come from the heartland. It will 'expand your mind'.

LA is a toilet. But it is a fantastic toilet. There is much there to experience. If you ignore the crime, pollution, and traffic, it is a fantastic place.

Go. Have the experience. What the heck, you might get lucky and make some connections. You will see film crews all over. Go there. Talk to them. Go to the studios. Take the tours, ask questions. Apply for low level jobs at the studios. One things for sure, your not going to make connections in Warren Ohio.
 
I've lived in LA for 11 years now and the biggest piece of advice I have for you is that living in any city is what you make of it. If you come here thinking it's a toilet, then that is all you will see. Personally I love this city, it's absolutely amazing. As with all things, stereotypes exist for a reason but they are not the whole story. I moved here at 23 and within 6 months I was running a camera on a reality show (which was one of the worst jobs ever) but it opened many doors. And on the other hand, I have a friend who never left Seattle and he now produces more content than I care to think about.

If you want to move here, then do it. I will say that 1 year is not enough time to really give a place and a business a chance. Most friends I have who have "made it" here (made it is a relative term, different for each person) took at least 5 years of hard grind, eating off the dollar menu, kinda terrified about paying rent.

The one big plus to being in LA is that there is just so much production going on here every single day. Not just films and TV shows, but commercials (there are so many commercials shot here that it's kinda crazy) and now a large majority of the web series world is centered here. Don't for one second scoff at webseries. No, there isn't a lot of money in it right now, but there is so much production going on in that sphere it's very much grabbing the attention of more established producers.

And once again, it's what you make of it. If you come here thinking it's going to suck, it will.
 
LA is a great city if you like filmmaking and make a good go at it.

First of all we have the ASC, DGA, Union HQ's, Mole Richardson, Panavision, Otto Nemenz, Clairmont, Abel, Paramount, Sony, Universal, WB, biggest post houses and likely the greatest number, major talent agencies, VFX facilities, Academy of Motion Picture Sciences, Kodak, finishing houses, color houses, sound facilities, prop houses, sets, studio stages and more camera rental facilities you can bat an eye at. There is good crew abound with even more gear. The awards are here, premiers are here, the big fish are here for the most part. Lots of events to learn and network.

The city is what you make of it. If you ever were to find a city that was so different by neighborhood, it might be LA. With surrounding areas like Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Burbank, Silverlake, Pasadena, Downtown, Mid-City, SantaMonica, Venice, Pacific Palisades, Marina Del Rey, Hermosa Beach, etc..... each one of those places is EXTREMELY different from the other. All have different socio-economical conditions and everyone can find a place and a people they like.

You can't write the city off with one ticket, it's too big and it's conditions too diverse over the course of the landscape. It would be like making a generalization of the United States. Say one thing about Alabama, but does that apply to Maine?! See what I mean? The city is the 2nd largest in America and probably will have over 20m people come next census, if counting some of the greater areas around the heart of the city.

Sometimes I forget about what other parts of LA are like. I don't go to Pasadena that often and am very happily surprised when I do. The opposite is true for the valley (hahaha!). Etc. My home turf is just south of hollywood, where the weird gets much less. It's different for everyone and that is what makes LA pretty cool.

However, you must find some success before raising a family here, in my opinion. Costs are high and some areas are less safe than others, especially if you worry about your kiddos. As an unmarried young man in his late 20's, I'm living large out here and having fun while making films. If I had kids, I would question many things much more harshly, considiering I was raised in suburban Ohio and it blows my mind to imagine my kids going to school in LA! That said, Pasadena, Pacific Palasaides, and many southern beach communities seem like nice places to raise a family, and are a bit more quiet in nature. So there really is something for everyone, I think!
 
Last edited:
Go for it! If not the thought will eat you alive...always wondering what if. What is your main goal? Write? Direct? Buy filmmaking books and read so you have some knowledge and get your train rolling westward.
 
Take enough money to live on for 3 months and stay out of the bad areas.

LA is a great big freeway, put a hundred down and buy car, in a week maybe two, they'll make you a star. Weeks turn into years, how quick they pass.
And all the stars that never were ... are parkin' cars and pumpin' gas.

Agreed go! before you get to old.

Cheers.
 
David W. Jones said:
I just went through another tread where the poster was thinking about moving away from LA to Austin.

Ever heard the old saying... The grass is always green on the other side of the fence .
Click to expand...
Sheesh, using my line, and no credit? LOL.

To the OP: You see a bunch of us LA'ites chiming in on this. What you have to realize is that yes, there seems to be more filmmaking done here, and on the face of it, there ARE more opportunities. But what you don't realize is that there are thousands of people that have your exact idea and are already here struggling and chasing your exact dream.

Where you are now may actually have more opportunities than here for you. You will do whatever you chose.....but LA is NOT the land of milk and honey. It is cutthroat, and extremely competitive. You will be competing for a gig against potentially 20-30 others for a low paying gig. And you will definitely need a job, because it ain't cheap to live here.

LA is a great big freeway, put a hundred down and buy car, in a week maybe two, they'll make you a star. Weeks turn into years, how quick they pass.
Click to expand...
A hundred down??????? Please tell me where that car dealership is, LOL!!!!!!!!
 
Last edited:
Doc Bernard said:
Sheesh, using my line, and no credit? LOL.
Click to expand...

Sorry about that, I have spoken to to powers that be, and we can offer you IMDB credit for the line, a copy of the line on DVD, sorry no funds to make BluRays, and free pizza. ;)


For what it's worth, I spent a number of years learning my craft and earning my keep working in LA, and it hasn't gotten any easier to get a foothold in the industry there. I'll tell you the same thing I told my son... Find a job there before you move, or chances are you will end up worse off than you are now in your current town. Nothing worse than moving someplace where the cost of living is triple to what you are paying now, and not having a job, friends, or a support system in place.

All the best!

Dave
 
Just wondering for you LAers that are chiming in... were you born in L.A or did you move there from somewhere else?

As for me, I was thinking about moving to L.A at first cause all I really want to do was learn the craft even at the cost of living under a bridge.. But it seems to me, things are booming in Austin and New Orleans so I might wait a few years to see what happen.
 
You can pick just about any major city, type that name into google followed by the word smog and find very similar pictures.
 
Yes, that's true. Most cities have days of appalling smog. But as a former Los Angeles resident, and visitor to many major cities, I have to say that almost nothing compares to the consistency and density of LA smog. I suppose Bejing and Shanghai have LA beat by a good margin though.

Everyday as I drove to work, it was always a bit disturbing that I could actually see the air I was breathing just looking a few blocks down the road.

It's just another thing to think about if you're moving from Ohio.

Don't get me wrong. I really like LA. It's a lot of fun with many great areas to live and work.
 
I am in the UK... But no matter what people say I want to go and give it a try... you won't know unless you do it... Life is all about taking the risk! :)

You're lucky cuz you're American... I'm Polish in the UK wanting to try the "Hollywood" thing imagine what I have to risk! You have nothing to lose, I got whole life here! But still... One day I will :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top