Why LA?

[Gregory Irwin]

I couldn't live in LA. Way to crowded, especially on the West side. Venice is basically an expensive slum. It's hard enough to have to drive in for work but then I always know I'm leaving. Most of the time, while in LA, I'm only prepping cameras to ship out after a few weeks and then traveling to the airport and working elsewhere.

 

G

[Mark Dunn]

 

My brother has a degree in Physics. Absolutely fr***** useless. I mean what are you supposed to do with Physics? Work in the military? The nuclear power industry maybe?

 

What does he do? You're kidding, right? Physicists can do anything, and I'm not kidding.

If you don't know what you can do with it there's not much point telling you, other than that without physicists you as a filmmaker would have no tools whatsoever. Not a lens, not a camera, not a piece of film, not a microphone -nothing.

Edited April 6, 2016 by Mark Dunn

[Freya Black]

What does he do? You're kidding, right? Physicists can do anything, and I'm not kidding.

If you don't know what you can do with it there's not much point telling you, other than that without physicists you as a filmmaker would have no tools whatsoever. Not a lens, not a camera, not a piece of film, not a microphone -nothing.

 

er yeah... I meant work wise.

Physicists do incredible things for sure. Science generally has done many great things for the world. It's just that there aren't a lot of vacancies requiring a degree in physics.

[Freya Black]

 

I dunno, I've worked with a few. Nobody seemed to care.

 

Often, the (on average) superior female ability to hold more than one train of thought simultaneously is probably helpful.

 

P

 

I don't think whether you are good at it or not has much to do with the matter.

Certainly didn't help me.

 

I didn't know you had ever worked in software development Phil?

What caused you to leave?

 

Freya

Edited April 6, 2016 by Freya Black

[Guest]

 

overlooking the riverfront right here in town for $1,100 a month.

 

Don't the rivers catch on fire in Ohio?

 

R,

[Phil Rhodes]

I didn't know you had ever worked in software development Phil?

 

Lots of things involve software these days.

 

 

 

What caused you to leave?

 

Nothing, it just wasn't a core part of the job.

[Tyler Purcell]

Well, this may well be a good option for a very young, single wanna-be filmmaker. However, this option really leaves out a certain group of people - families and married couples. I highly doubt you're going to drag your wife to a three-way roommate agreement. So this leaves these people in a weird position.

If you're married, you're screwed. period.

 

People are free to move where they like - I'll stay put in Ohio until I have a really good reason to move to LA - like I'm taking so many meetings in the industry that I cannot take them by flight.

Again, living here has very little if anything to do with those once every blue moon meetings. It has to do with living in the film industry or living on the outside of the film industry. As a person starting out, living within the confines of Los Angeles, can open doors every day if you work it right.

 

I think a lot of filmmakers get caught up in the whole 'LA is the bomb' idea, and move out there without giving it much thought, in an attempt to pursue their unrealistic dreams. No different than theatre actors moving to New York to get their 'big break' when they haven't paid their local dues yet. They move there and find out no one cares about them, and they end up working at Applebee's and working in New Jersey community theatres - something they could have done back at home and saved a bucket load of money.

Well, if you wish to be an actor... you're screwed. So the analogy of theatre just doesn't work because the path to being an actor is basically non-existent. I know a lot of actors and I don't know ANYONE who acts full time as their only job. We're also on a cinematographers forum and we're discussing living in Los Angeles from more of a "technical" aspect, rather then "star of the show".

 

The key you keep missing is that a little community theater back in your home town, doesn't help your career on broadway at all really. It's the same with being a filmmaker. You can make all the little movies at home you want, but if the right people don't see them, it won't make any difference. Remember what I said earlier, "qualified" eyes are the key to being successful. The catch is, getting those eyes on YOU and your work living outside of the industry, is like building a brick wall and putting a peep hole in it. Sure, if someone passes by the wall they can look, but most people won't. I know quite a few people in acquisitions and development for studio's and as I've said many times, nobody is taking a meeting. Nobody is going to watch the DVD you send them. Nobody is going to watch your youtube video either. The only way to get the attention of someone interested in buying your film for real, not just one of those garbage DVD distributors, is to know someone. The only way of knowing people in Hollywood, is to... ready? LIVE IN HOLLYWOOD!!!

[John E Clark]

 

Wait... LA HAS a river? Ohhhh... you mean the drain pipe. Sorry.

 

The LA River is one of the most filmed entities in the world...

 

It usually a standard in action films set in LA that at some point there is a chase scene along the concrete waterway, or the various large tunnels, or the several bridges crossing it.

 

It's fortunate for film making that it doesn't have any water in it... except for a gutter's worth in the middle...

[John E Clark]

What does he do? You're kidding, right? Physicists can do anything, and I'm not kidding.

 

 

Well... no... but they do give that impression...

 

There was this time that a certain physicist was a Principle Investigator, aka Project Manager in other companies... who decided to use a large stock of green wire for everything in a large 10 ton lead lined inspection machine... and I mean everything... signals, power... I think green wire was used instead of zip ties or similar for dressing the cables... ok... the video used coax... but that's about it for most of the machine...

 

Why... because it was there, and he didn't have to put the cost into the project... of course... when safety came through to inspect before final delivery they rejected the whole thing...

 

Why was such wire used... because this physicist had been making devices that were used in nuclear bomb testing, and so, the only requirement of the equipment was to take data in the 100 ms or so before the concussive blast blew everything to bits... so it didn't matter what wire was used... as long as it lasted long enough.

Edited April 6, 2016 by John E Clark

[Mark Dunn]

:lol:..because, as he no doubt told everyone who would listen on his way out the door on the way to the labour exchange, he was a physicist, not a mere electrician!

You can get green co-ax. He wasn't trying hard enough.

Edited April 6, 2016 by Mark Dunn

[Freya Black]

Probably a clever feature. Like defusing a bomb in the movies. Now do I cut the green wire or the green wire or maybe the green wire.

[Freya Black]

Well Phil, I was talking about software development really not just stuff that involves software a bit.

[Landon D. Parks]

 

That's very vague! What kind of science? My brother has a degree in Physics. Absolutely fr***** useless. I mean what are you supposed to do with Physics? Work in the military? The nuclear power industry maybe?

 

He got a lot of bad advice growing up from people who told him that science would bring him a good future!

 

lol!

 

Freya

 

Well, I cannot speak for across the pond, but here in the states we have an initiative for STEM education. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. These are subject areas were there is expected to be a lot of future job growth, and out government is even proving extra loans, grants and other incentives for students to choose these career paths.

 

With a degree is physics, considering it was from a reputable college - one should be able to get a job in most any science field, since a lot of science subjects overlap one-another. Honestly though, probably the best degree one can get right now is Engineering.

[Landon D. Parks]

 

Don't the rivers catch on fire in Ohio?

 

R,

 

Only once... And in our defense, that was Cleveland.

 

In all seriousness though, you should see the whopper of a fish I caught from the Ohio River a few weeks ago. Thing had two heads, but man it sure was neat.

[John E Clark]

 

Only once... And in our defense, that was Cleveland.

 

In all seriousness though, you should see the whopper of a fish I caught from the Ohio River a few weeks ago. Thing had two heads, but man it sure was neat.

 

Probably affected by run off from abandoned Uranium mines and processing plants in southern Ohio...

[JD Hartman]

Well Phil, I was talking about software development really not just stuff that involves software a bit.

 

Freya, what sort of software did you write? In what languages, C++, HTML, JAVA??

[Freya Black]

 

Freya, what sort of software did you write? In what languages, C++, HTML, JAVA??

 

I worked on lots of things. A software development tool for writing workflow software but also EPOS, encrypted mail communications,and a few web front ends to stuff. I also spent a few years doing telephone support to software developers too.

 

This was some time ago so Object Pascal/Delphi mostly but also CSS/Javascript/HTML/DHTML/XSLT tiny bits of x86 assembly sometimes.

 

These days the nearest I get to anything like that is AE expressions and maybe re-writing some stuff in Python so that it does what I want it to!

 

I'm hoping it all might come in useful again someday but who knows.

[Freya Black]

With a degree is physics, considering it was from a reputable college - one should be able to get a job in most any science field, since a lot of science subjects overlap one-another. Honestly though, probably the best degree one can get right now is Engineering.

 

 

Engineering is definitely a lot better as it is applied science rather than in the abstract. Having said that here in the UK we don't have loads of industry so I'm not sure how helpful even that would be this side of the pond. Wouldn't like to say tho as it's not something I have direct experience of.

 

I met someone on an unemployment course once who had a doctorate in fluid mechanics!

[JD Hartman]

 

I worked on lots of things. A software development tool for writing workflow software but also EPOS, encrypted mail communications,and a few web front ends to stuff. I also spent a few years doing telephone support to software developers too.

 

This was some time ago so Object Pascal/Delphi mostly but also CSS/Javascript/HTML/DHTML/XSLT tiny bits of x86 assembly sometimes.

 

These days the nearest I get to anything like that is AE expressions and maybe re-writing some stuff in Python so that it does what I want it to!

 

I'm hoping it all might come in useful again someday but who knows.

 

Start looking for/applying to H-1 sponsored Visa I.T. jobs in the USA. When you get here you can play with all the C-stands and other gear you want.

[Phil Rhodes]

Not if you've got a visa sponsored for a specific job, you can't.

[JD Hartman]

Don't worry about it Phil.

 

She gets here on an H-1 and works her ITconsulting job. Works freelance in film on the side. Gets current or future H-1 sponsorship company to pay for her green card. It does happen and I might know a little more about this area than you do.

[Phil Rhodes]

 

 

Works freelance in film on the side.

 

Gets caught, gets thrown out of the country...

 

If it were easy, I'd have long since done it.

 

P

[Guest]

 

Gets caught, gets thrown out of the country...

 

If it were easy, I'd have long since done it.

 

P

 

Yep, would have to be done 100% cash under the table. If the film company generates a W-2 a person in this situation would be toast.

 

R,

[JD Hartman]

She works W2 or 1099 in IT and "volunteers" in film, building her resume, credibility and connections in the US.

 

Sorry Phil, I don't believe you would do it, given half a chance.

Edited April 7, 2016 by JD Hartman

[Phil Rhodes]

I have neither control over, nor much interest in, what you believe about my behaviour in hypothetical circumstances. However, I would point out that "volunteering" is readily recognised by the authorities as a very obvious attempted workaround for immigration law.

 

Regardless, what would you propose as the long-term effect of this, even in the best possible case? Most on-set film work is done by self-employed people and there is no route from an H-1 visa to work on that basis. Regardless of one's success at building a resume, this approach is completely impractical and cannot work.

 

P