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Moving to L.A.


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Here's a question:

 

How is Peter Jackson managing to make all those movies all the way down there in New Zealand?

 

I mean he's about as far removed from LA as one can get, and yet he's making HUGE movies in NZ.

 

R,

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With the success of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, Jackson has spent much of his profits building a state of the art studio, post-production facilities and his partly-owned props and digital effects studios in New Zealand also know as Wellywood.

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Well, most of the information on this site isn't black and white. There are rarely things that are "true" or "not true" in the discussions that are had here. Most of the stuff here is based on experience and opinions, and if I don't know your experience I probably won't trust your opinion. I think a lot of people would probably agree with me on this. If information comes from both "Capt. Video" and "David Mullen", who do you think people will listen to? You obviously don't care, and that's fine I guess.

The fact that you're a little defensive about it and you think there's "nothing more to be said on the subject" makes me wonder even more why you're hiding your identity. But hey, it's your choice....whatever.

 

Alright if you must know my REAL name is Richard Alhodge Coogan. :D

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and there are all kinds of diamonds in the Cartier window, but just try to walk in get one. I think you'll find it's a very closed and tight knit community and very reluctant to let strangers in. You'll end up paying (your dues) for any dimond you get in Hollywood.

 

There's always a "next generation" of film workers at any point in time, who all help each other out. It's not like there's 1000 veterans and ONE new kid from Texas, trying to take their jobs. It's more like 1000 verterans and 1000 new kids, and the new kids form their own network, taking the lower-level jobs the veterans won't.

 

Of course it's tough; you have to save up, and you have prove yourself. But there are also more opportunities for growth in a large market like L.A.

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No, it's actually 1000 veterans with 50,000 new kids trying to get they're jobs. There are 50 guys for every job in the film industry. I guess that's my whole point. The competition is beyond fierce, it's medievel and for every one kid that gets a job 49 go back to waiting tables and even before your finished with the job you just got your scrabbling to find the next one and spend yet annother year not working. That's why dogged tenacity is so vitally inportant. It's a game of attrition. Eventually you get to know people and if your not an assh#le, they get to lke you and are willing to give you a shot. You learn the ins and outs of the Biz. a lot of the people you were competing with, give up and go home and the new ones coming in to take their place haven't got your expirence and contacts yet. That's the way you win in this game, don't give up and don't be an assh*le. B)

Edited by Capt.Video
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No, it's actually 1000 veterans with 50,000 new kids trying to get they're jobs. There are 50 guys for every job in the film industry. I guess that's my whole point. The competition is beyond fierce, it's medievel and for every one kid that gets a job 49 go back to waiting tables and even before your finished with the job you just got your scrabbling to find the next one and spend yet annother year not working. That's why dogged tenacity is so vitally inportant. It's a game of attrition. Eventually you get to know people and if your not an assh#le, they get to lke you and are willing to give you a shot. You learn the ins and outs of the Biz. a lot of the people you were competing with, give up and go home and the new ones coming in to take their place haven't got your expirence and contacts yet. That's the way you win in this game, don't give up and don't be an assh*le. B)

 

I understand your attitude about the prospects, but you seem to have missed my point. Those 50,000 new kids works SEPARATELY from the veterans, doing the low-budget shows the veterans can afford to turn down. Of course there's competition and not everyone is going to stick with it. But I'd say it's far from "medieval" or even "fierce."

 

What you describe may be true of the acting game, but not so much for crew. There is a lot of low budget work where the situation isn't, "they might give you a shot;" but more like, "if you'll accept the rate you're hired." The pay can suck, but enough sucky day rates can still manage to pay the rent. And remember that the crew hierarchy is kind of a pyramid in proportions -- there are many more lower level jobs (PA's, electricians, grips) than there are high-level jobs (director, DP) on any given shoot. So your chances of getting a gig on some film somewhere aren't that tough if you've got any skill to offer.

 

I did the small market thing for 10 years before I felt I had to move on. I've been here in LA for about 7 years and gone through the process of starting over, building a network and doing the low budget shows. What I've experienced is that buddies like to hire and recommend their buddies. You build up a network of "buddies" and you're all working (or starving) together. A lot of people survive on the lower budget shows for years before they confront any of the "we might give you a shot" mentality. By the time they do, they're usually prepared for it.

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No, it's actually 1000 veterans with 50,000 new kids trying to get they're jobs. There are 50 guys for every job in the film industry. I guess that's my whole point. The competition is beyond fierce, it's medievel and for every one kid that gets a job 49 go back to waiting tables and even before your finished with the job you just got your scrabbling to find the next one and spend yet annother year not working.

 

Are you trying to discourage folks from becoming filmmakers...?

It's a good tactic. :) Scare the competition away.

 

It depends on what you do...

You're right competition is very fierce

But good workers and good talents are always found.

 

The most fierce competition is between folks struggling to be directors or writer/directors...

It's almost impossible to become a sucessful writer/director...(just like becoming an A-list actor)

I guess coming from that point of view I can understand why you're so pessemistic.

 

There are areas in the film industry that are easier to break into then others.

A sound person can find themselves lots of work after and year or two of quality work.

Just like a make-up artist or even a script-supervisor

 

Cinematography is a more competitive position however

People are usually very picky on who they let shoot their film.

 

It seems like all the fun jobs director, cinematographer, actor are more competitive than the regular or hard jobs.

 

So if you look at it from what you do and want to accomplish

You can better assess how tough it'll be to break into the industry.

Afterall it's not impossible--if you want impossible try to get the Democrats to win the senate. :)

 

 

And most people are right you're better off in a production hub like LA or maybe NYC

Where you can find more opportunities than in smaller markets.

Edited by Rik Andino
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AHHHH, Commander Cody! Only in the sense that he's my brother rocketman. Gotta love 50's Sci/Fi! B)

 

---Holdren's Commando Cody, sky marshall of the universe, is required by the government to wesr a mask while at work to keep his identity secret.

 

Could that secret identity be Capt.Video #3?

 

http://imdb.com/title/tt0043380/combined

 

---LV

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You've KILLED me. The government can't risk national security by having my true identity revieled. Now I'm a dead man. This is the way it will happen, I'll be walking along the street an a warm summer day and a car will pull along side me. the door will open and a man I know and trust will smile a pleasent smile....BUT He will leave the door OPEN! The only escape is to go underground. I wonder if anyone's using Captain Midnight right now. :ph34r:

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You've KILLED me. The government can't risk national security by having my true identity revieled. Now I'm a dead man. This is the way it will happen, I'll be walking along the street an a warm summer day and a car will pull along side me. the door will open and a man I know and trust will smile a pleasent smile....BUT He will leave the door OPEN! The only escape is to go underground. I wonder if anyone's using Captain Midnight right now. :ph34r:

You can't have Sky King, I used to live across the court from the original Sky King in Park Forest, IL and I've got dibs on that. (Please don't ask how long ago that was - I too have my secrets to hide). :ph34r:

 

Hal

 

http://www.angelfire.com/mi/freeper/

 

According to this website it must have been the third radio Sky King, Earl Nightingale

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for the replies so far. I'm definitely moving out there. My mind has been made up on that for a long time. Funny thing is now that I'm commited things are heating up here. I have two feature DP gigs in the works. :rolleyes: The deals aren't done so for now I'm still planning on moving the end of July. I have some contacts out there and a good friend of mine is moving out about the same time as me. I'm most concerned about finding a place to live in the right area that won't kill my budget.

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