Moving To LA

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Boxing Filmmaker

I currently live in San Francisco. Many people tell me it's the number one place to do indie filmmaking, which I am doing. However, I'm moving to Los Angeles soon. Not for filmmaking, but because I have to move there (personal reasons). Is my chances greater or worse there into breaking into the industry? Dull question I know being in LA, but I was wondering if actors there would be too focused on working on professional films then working in independent films. I'm only 18 years old too and don't have the best professional equipment out there. However, I do make it work.

Thanks.
 
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There are more movies and TV shows shot in LA than in San Fran by about 100 times. Whethr or not it is "easier" is subjective. Mathematically, you have better odds in LA.
 
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You don't need the best professional equipment out there
to make a movie here in L.A. You make it work in SF, you'll
make it work in LA.

I've got a little trick for you. For the first six months to a year
volunteer to work on the movies of other filmmakers. Once
you establish yourself as someone who will work hard, other
people will be glad to work hard on YOUR projects. And, the
more movies you work on, the more people you will meet.
People with better equipment, willing to help.
 
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You will find true inspiration in LA. Just walk into some of the acting classes and tell them you are an aspiring director and try to get inside the actors mind, also see how the teacher controls their acting. All the dedicated actors are here in LA and you will be able to meet some real talented actors by being in this environment, look at Roger Corman - He took acting classes because he wanted to learn how to direct actors and he was partnered up with Jack Nicholson. They became good friends and started making movies together. (This is before Jack Nicholson became a star).
 
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ussinners said:
Come to NY. We got it all. Yes, there's plenty of assholes here also (I'm just a state away), but most of the morons are people who moved here from the mid-west. True NYers are polite and helpful. Even the muggers start out polite.
Click to expand...

I'll grant you that tourists from the midwest may be morons, but have you ever visited Chicago? It's just like New York except that everyone is nice. I think you may have your cities mixed up. Don't get me wrong, I love NY, but it has all the things of which you complained about LA. Real Housewives of New York, anyone? The materialism and vapidness is not limited to LA, or any one place.

But @OP: It seems like you have no choice and if you want to be in film, LA is still a great place to be. Do you aspire to be more than an indie filmmaker someday? If so you'd likely end up moving there someday anyway.

Good luck! :)
 
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"Is this some sort of blatant way to advertise New York? Honestly, I'm a little intimidated."

I think you need to really visit the cities to know the difference. It's apparent as soon as you hit the towns.

"I'll grant you that tourists from the midwest may be morons"


I didn't say tourists, tourists can be anyway they like. It's the out of towners that come live in NYC and believe that being rude is acceptable because it's New York. True New Yorkers are not that way. Again I speak about the MAJORITY not the minority. Spend any amount of time in these cities and it's like night and day.

BTW: I've been to most major major cities around the world, but I've only been on the outskirts of Chicago. We were driving to Mount Rushmore. My ex-bass player is from Fort Wayne and he loves Chicago, he used to play there constantly. I want to go, but I know it's not New York. So, in the end it'll be a disappointment. I will get there to see a show or two. I love traveling to see concerts.

That story is awful about the people watching that guy die. But, that happens everywhere. In Europe 37 cars ran over a person before someone stopped to call police.

1. Paris - A must see before you kick the bucket. The most beautiful city in the world. If you can't laid in Paris, then you're unfuckable. Fucking in Paris is not like fucking anywhere else. It's truly romance defined. Wonderful and gorgeous.
2. New York - what more has to be said? 24 hour party. Though musically it sucks now.
3. Berlin - Live music? It kicks everyone's ass. Berlin rocks.
4. London - Just fun.

BOXING FILMMAKER-GOOD LUCK. Have a great time in a new city and KICK SOME ASS. Beyond everything NEVER GIVE UP. EVER. EVER. EVER.
 
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When one travels and has a bad experience, one tends to
generalize. ussinners knows NYC well, he can tell the difference
between a NY transplant pretending to act like their version of a
New Yorker and a native. When people in NYC are rude to me, I have
no idea if they are native or transplants. I only see a rude
person.

I understand that anyone coming to LA who experiences several
“bad” things will come to the conclusion that most of the city’s
people are just like the jerks they encountered. A person
traveling to any city can have five great encounters with locals
and then only remember the two bad ones.

As someone who travels often, we both know that expectations can
color ones view, too. We hear things about a city; the good things
often don’t happen during our visit and we are hyper aware of the
bad things we’ve heard.

I saw ussinners’ post before he removed it. I didn’t think is was
mean spirited at all. It was an emotional reaction to a trip that
didn’t meet expectations. I’ve had terrible trips to NYC, to
Seattle, to Dubai, to Austin, to Key West. I’ve had amazing trips
to all of those cities.

When one lives in a city one cannot dwell on the negative; you
will implode. When one visits, one has the luxury of dwelling on
the bad things. Los Angeles is an amazing place to live and work.
NYC is an amazing place to live and work. I’ve done both. If I
wanted to make my living in theater (which I did for several
years) I would live and work in NYC. Despite lists, surveys and
opinions, LA is a great place for independent film. I know it’s
not listed as number one on any list, but no list dictates where I
live and work.

I wonder if Boxing Filmmaker has moved here yet. He hasn't posted
in about a month. Maybe making the big move?
 
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