Los Angeles vs. New York

Tim Venchus · April 24, 2007

I understand this may open up a tin of worms, but I need the advice. I'm currently living in a suburb of Chicago and within the past year or so decided that I want to spend my life making movies. I attended the New York Film Academy's 6-week filmmaking program in Paris last summer and I've since worked on a few projects ranging from instructional videos to indie shorts, and had a three-month editing/shooting internship with a small video production company (www.jrockent.com). I'm really interested in becoming an AC as I think it may be a great job to learn all of the equipment and from which to observe the on-set action. I'm at a point that I feel a strong need to move to a place where most of the action is...which brings me to either Los Angeles or New York City. I've been to both places and find them to be very different. I'm just not sure which city would be best to start out in. I'd like to move by September '07 so I want to figure this out ASAP. Any thoughts, comments? (Oh, and if anyone could hook me up with a job it would make my decision a lot easier...just thought I'd try!).

THANK YOU ALL!

Tim Venchus · April 24, 2007

OOPS! I meant to put this post in the AC Section but didn't realize I was in the In Production section. I couldn't find a way to move it or delete it! Sorry!

Michael Collier · April 24, 2007

I am in the same boat as you. I live in an even smaller production city. Our last 2 big movie projects were 'Into the Wild' (sean penn) and 'Transformers' Of those two movies, even though more than 4 million and 250,000 were spent respectivley, the in-town hires for skilled positions were very low.

So I have been mulling the same options. The way I hear it told, NY is great if you want to get into indie film making, LA is great for industry movies (studios, bigger indies etc) this is not to say theres not a large share of indies originating from LA, but it seems in terms of market share, LA is more studio based, and NY is more indie based. It also seems a lot of movies (studio movies) shot in NY originated in the offices in LA.

I guess that means you need to decide what you want to do. Personaly I am all about industry. I want to be able to work my way up the old fasioned way, to pick skills up as I go (and shoot some student films, all that I can). Sounds like your the same way wanting to start with AC. I don't know if you can start with AC. it seems like a jump, and not quite an entry level job.

My plan is to get PA work and hopefully become a loader just to get into the camera dept. I can load a mag quick, and it will put me closer to the DP and camera crew.

Another decision you have to make is where do you want to live. NY and LA are polar opposites in terms of culture. It seems most people can be defined as westcoast or eastcoast. I grew up in Orange County and after visiting NY on vacation my mind was made up. I loved living in OC, and NY looked like a great vacation spot, but I don't think I could ever think of it as 'my town'. Not that I can afford to live in orange when I move back, but there are lots of places around the Hollywood hills area that I could see living in.

Where you live should be a big consideration. If your not comfortable in LA, then you may not be as happy, and your work might suffer. If NY isn't your town, then you might find yourself wanting to scrap the whole thing and move back to Chicago.

so for me its back to my roots. for you who knows? sounds like a personal decision. If you do end up going to LA, we should do a few indie shorts. I will be making a personal short every two months minumum when I get there (I already do that up here....sometimes one a month)

I hope others can chime in and inform us what the job opportunities are in those various cities. I was never in the industry when I lived in OC (I moved before high school....my biggest experience was being an extra in "That thing you do' and 'The Mighty Ducks (1)'

Michael Palm · April 24, 2007

Here's what you need to do:

Get two girlfriends (one in New York, the other in LA)

That way you can live where ever you get work.

Sound good?

Okay, maybe I can't help you.

James Steven Beverly · April 24, 2007

I'm at a point that I feel a strong need to move to a place where most of the action is...which brings me to either Los Angeles or New York City.

If you're talking film production, the most action is in LA obviously. There are what...7 major studios in LA and the surrounding area something like that, not to mention the dozen or so film schools there, so getting on a crew should be a lot easier than NY. I am a bit bigoted though, I LOVE LA. B)