Leaving Los Angeles: Where Else Can You Go to Start Making Movies
The industry isn't stuck in one spot anymore, so neither is your future.
For a long time, the pot of gold (or the idea of it) at the end of the rainbow of a creative career was in Los Angeles or New York. This is no longer the case.
Moviemaker magazine put together a list of the best places to live and work as a moviemaker. That list is pretty obvious, though the rankings may surprise you (or incite some arguments among the denizens of our major metropolitan areas).
The really interesting one is this list of small cities and towns.
To me, this is just more evidence that people need not migrate to the coast to accomplish their industry goals. We live in the era of uploading content for countless eyeballs at any moment with just a smartphone. That means soon creators won't have to worry about where they live at all.
But even if we're talking about finding work on a set, the options have grown. This is a list of cities that have burgeoning film business activities, but it's also an actionable resource. It can help you get somewhere to both do the work, and have a good quality of life.
Moviemaker ranked the cities based on the number of productions but also on things like the number of film schools and FX houses. So these locations can help you connect to jobs, but also to learning opportunities, and a community of like-minded creators. That used to come with the premium of rent in LA. Those days may be coming to a close.
Though I doubt it will help the traffic on the 405. That seems permanently beyond repair.
But for now, let's focus on the positive! Where else in this country can filmmakers grow and thrive?
Here is MovieMakers ranking of big cities:
3. Vancouver, British Columbia
Here is MovieMakers ranking of small cities and towns:
Any of these cities near you? Any city you know of with a lively and developing filmmaking community and ecosystem? Share the knowledge in the comments.
Source: MovieMaker Magazine
