LA versus NYC?

C

ChocolatePudding

Hi, everyone. :) I'm seriously considering moving to NYC this year; I've lived in LA and am not very interested in returning. I want to pursue writing (novels) as well as screenwriting/filmmaking. So I was wondering if people on this site could shed some light on the pros and cons of LA versus NYC for film/television. Mostly I want to know: what opportunities exist in NYC for film/TV? If I wrote a screenplay, would I be able to sell it if I was living there? Even though most TV shows are filmed in LA, is it possible to write for one that films in NYC while living in NYC?

Any insight would be appreciated. Thank you! :)
 
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Actually living in NYC, I spend more money on an air conditioner and the electric bill that follows.

The summers are WAY more humid than LA.

Studio filming is non-existant in NYC. There are mostly Indie productions in NYC.

There was a big outcry when Law and Order relocated from NYC to LA. That was the only studio show on NYC. However, they still film Law And Order SVU. Money is hard to come by in NYC. That's why Occupy Wall Street started here.

NYC is where the publishing industry is. However, it is like trying to break into a Hollywood studio. Without a track record for making money, you will have to self-publish.
 
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I've asked the same question, and, even though I love NYC, I don't like the extreme weather, and it doesn't have the opportunities for film and TV work that Tinsel town has. That said, Hollywood has been losing business elsewhere, so maybe NYC will pick up some of that.
 
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There are only 2 problems in getting an agent:

1. They look for clients who can find work on their own.

2. They look for clients with a track record of making money, so they can shop them around to studios.

Where did I get this information?

From agents who represent writers.
 
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I didn't say it would be easy to get an agent. Still, it is likely easier than moving to LA and attempting to get someone to buy your script on your own.

As for the comment about most agents only work out details, I have to disagree, they have connections, an inside that writers don't have. If you somehow get the attention of a connected agent, you'll still have to sell yourself.
 
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GuerrillaAngel said:
I didn't say it would be easy to get an agent. Still, it is likely easier than moving to LA and attempting to get someone to buy your script on your own.

As for the comment about most agents only work out details, I have to disagree, they have connections, an inside that writers don't have. If you somehow get the attention of a connected agent, you'll


still have to sell yourself.
Click to expand...

As I said, Agents are looking for 2 things:

1. A track record of making money.

2. A track record for getting work on your own.

Need I say I got these tips from an agent who works for ICM?

Need I also say that an agent for a much smaller agency told me the studios have a short list of writers they already know are sellable and for what genres they are sellable?

Go to ASJA meetings and talk with career writers.

Buy Writers' Digest Magazine

They recommend selling short stories to magazine where you get paid and people start to read you work.

You may never get the following or make the income the studios are looking for to make their short list.
 
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Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC said:
As I said, Agents are looking for 2 things:

1. A track record of making money.

2. A track record for getting work on your own.

Need I say I got these tips from an agent who works for ICM?

Need I also say that an agent for a much smaller agency told me the studios have a short list of writers they already know are sellable and for what genres they are sellable?

Go to ASJA meetings and talk with career writers.

Buy Writers' Digest Magazine

They recommend selling short stories to magazine where you get paid and people start to read you work.

You may never get the following or make the income the studios are looking for to make their short list.
Click to expand...

Ahem, need I mention that in my "other career" I'm a writer of a number of books (non-film related) still selling after being on the market for a while now?

We can both agree that whatever route one takes, selling a script or screenplay is one of the longest long shot in all of filmmaking.

(If you're wondering where the $$ is for writers? Non-fiction books on a popular topic. (The more popular the your subject, the larger your potential market.) Fiction is a waste of time for the vast majority of writers.
 
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And the best way for someone starting out is to sell to trade magazines to test the waters for stuff they are writing about. A resume of enough sold articles can help a writer find a publisher for books related to their articles later.
 
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