[modernview]

Hello my friends, i have been following this website for quite some time now. It seems to me that most members are serious providing great posts. Well i need your help :)
I am looking for a job in the production field(tv/film) i have worked in Los Angeles before, but right now the economy there is terrible. I am looking for a place where i can get more experience and "meet the right people. Maybe working with smaller production companies that have solid connections with the big studios in L.A and NYC. I've been reading a lot about cities outside of CA and NY that are striving in the film and music industry. Nashville, Chicago, Atlanta, Shreveport, and Austin seems to be good places. Does anyone here knows which of those cities would be the smartest move?By smartest i mean the one with the greatest amount of productions and studios.
Also if you know of any other city please let me know.

[seaskyfan]

Vancouver.

[djlx2]

Hello my friends, i have been following this website for quite some time now. It seems to me that most members are serious providing great posts. Well i need your help :)
I am looking for a job in the production field(tv/film) i have worked in Los Angeles before, but right now the economy there is terrible. I am looking for a place where i can get more experience and "meet the right people. Maybe working with smaller production companies that have solid connections with the big studios in L.A and NYC. I've been reading a lot about cities outside of CA and NY that are striving in the film and music industry. Nashville, Chicago, Atlanta, Shreveport, and Austin seems to be good places. Does anyone here knows which of those cities would be the smartest move?By smartest i mean the one with the greatest amount of productions and studios.
Also if you know of any other city please let me know.

I don't know how much I can help, but I'm popping in here because I've had similar things on my mind and will offer my thoughts in case they are useful. Getting more experience and doing so with the right people is obviously key: you can do this in a variety of locations, but it's how you do it. Working with smaller production companies is useful: I know that both Nashville and Chicago have many of these. I know the Chicago ones are pretty friendly (though I personally don't want to move back there, because there's also a definite Chicago-style, which for me was creatively stifling, and also the winters are brutal). I do know that Nashville is less expensive, which can be useful if you want to get started on projects without worrying constantly about money.

On that note, though I don't know much about working in the other three, here are other practical concerns I would be focusing on: first, what is the creative vibe like there in terms of the type of productions you'd like to be working on? You obviously want to be collaborating with very like-minded people, but it's also important to be working somewhere where the general environment suits your long-term productivity planning. The poster above mentioned Vancouver, for example: that seems like a cool place, partly because I've definitely heard that it does have a lot of production studios and a good aesthetic landscape. But then I've never visited so it would be good to get some input as to the economy and job opportunities there. Living and working in cities abroad for a little while would be cool too, though probably not practical as a long-term solution.

I'm searching for more info too...does anyone else have thoughts?

[the urban politician]

You should move to China like this guy did:

http://www.quantafancydresshire.co.uk/photos/chinese_man.jpg

Source (http://www.quantafancydresshire.co.uk/photos/chinese_man.jpg)

[urbanactivist]

I'd add New Orleans to the mix. Some great tv production is going on there and a steady stream of films as well.

[Omaharocks]

You should look into Albuquerque, NM. Seriously - it would probably be your best bet outside NY and LA for film production.

[modernview]

I don't know how much I can help, but I'm popping in here because I've had similar things on my mind and will offer my thoughts in case they are useful. Getting more experience and doing so with the right people is obviously key: you can do this in a variety of locations, but it's how you do it. Working with smaller production companies is useful: I know that both Nashville and Chicago have many of these. I know the Chicago ones are pretty friendly (though I personally don't want to move back there, because there's also a definite Chicago-style, which for me was creatively stifling, and also the winters are brutal). I do know that Nashville is less expensive, which can be useful if you want to get started on projects without worrying constantly about money.

On that note, though I don't know much about working in the other three, here are other practical concerns I would be focusing on: first, what is the creative vibe like there in terms of the type of productions you'd like to be working on? You obviously want to be collaborating with very like-minded people, but it's also important to be working somewhere where the general environment suits your long-term productivity planning. The poster above mentioned Vancouver, for example: that seems like a cool place, partly because I've definitely heard that it does have a lot of production studios and a good aesthetic landscape. But then I've never visited so it would be good to get some input as to the economy and job opportunities there. Living and working in cities abroad for a little while would be cool too, though probably not practical as a long-term solution.

I'm searching for more info too...does anyone else have thoughts?

I have lived in Chicago, as i matter of fact i was an extra on TNT's Leverage. It is a pretty cool city, but yes winters are brutal. Vancouver is another place that was mentioned here that i have also lived. i didn't like it at all. The weather was just too depressing for me, and i just didn't like the vibe of the city...can't really explain. I am definitely looking to relocate within the U.S
What i am doing right now is researching studios and production companies in each cities and trying to figure out which city is having more tv shows and films being shot there. I read an article online( i will try to find it) about filmmakers from NY and L.A moving to Nashville.
Thanks for the help guys, and keep them coming.

[dktshb]

TV and Film production has been picking up for the last 2 years adding 16,500 production jobs in 2010... the economy might be terrible here but tv and film production is doing rather well:

Los Angeles On-Location Film Permits Increase By 16% in 2010



The number on location film permits in Los Angeles County issued in 2010 for movies, TV and commercials production jumped an impressive 16 percent after declining by 23 percent in the previous year, according to a report by the L.A. County Economic Development Corp.

It's a sign that the recession is over and that an economic recovery is under way in Southern California, especially for the entertainment industry.

"Compared with a year ago, there is a huge change," said Nancy Sidhu, the country's chief economist and one of the authors of the 2011-12 Economic Forecast & Industry Outlook.



Whole article here:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=5227744

[djlx2]

I have lived in Chicago, as i matter of fact i was an extra on TNT's Leverage. It is a pretty cool city, but yes winters are brutal. Vancouver is another place that was mentioned here that i have also lived. i didn't like it at all. The weather was just too depressing for me, and i just didn't like the vibe of the city...can't really explain. I am definitely looking to relocate within the U.S
What i am doing right now is researching studios and production companies in each cities and trying to figure out which city is having more tv shows and films being shot there. I read an article online( i will try to find it) about filmmakers from NY and L.A moving to Nashville.
Thanks for the help guys, and keep them coming.

Ah, didn't know that you'd lived in Chicago. So you know what I meant: Chicagoans have a rough time when they're stuck inside from all that snow and ice and don't get to see each other. On the other side, it looks amazing in all that snow.

Please keep us updated on what you've found out! I'm still in a research phase too, so I'll add things as I find them out. Would love to read the article if you find it: I've definitely heard of filmmakers from NY moving down to Nashville, but I don't think I really "get" how that worked out.

[modernview]

TV and Film production has been picking up for the last 2 years adding 16,500 production jobs in 2010... the economy might be terrible here but tv and film production is doing rather well:

dktshb thanks for you post. I have read this article too, but from what i heard from a professional with over 30 years in the industry in L.A is that things are not doing well. Unless you work for the big studios like Warner, Disney, Fox CBS etc, it is pretty tough to get jobs. Plus to get hired by a company like Warner you have to have pretty big connections. I guess for a person like me who is starting, the best thing is to start small, get some experience and network.