A change from my former ratings of "film cities" has been warranted since I have to admit I have changed my philosophy on it. The economy has changed quite a bit and it warrants a proper reaction to the situation. I made a large study on different film communities but I have found because of these new factors this study is for the most part pointless. Not in the sense that it is useless information but in the sense that survival is the higher priority than pursuing some sort of utopian filmmaker's & animator's city. Instead, I will explain my change of thinking and then offer some new information.
My humble opinion is that an 'independent' filmmaker should do one of two things. (1) "Dig" into your (or your chosen) community and support it with your whole being until you know everyone & everyone knows you in order to become a permanent fixture no matter how bad the economy is. Or (2) become incredibly independent & mobile and travel wherever work takes you. Find your reliable mode of transportation and a very cheap place to live that you can return to easily and simply grow your funds while staying lean & mean. In your travels find the best locale to invest your business profits and in a few years upgrade either your business or home in that area.
That being said, there will still be film industry hubs that would be better to work at than others and knowing those film hubs would be important. So, I will indicate my preferred film hubs & will let you know why I prefer those over others. Also, I am no longer including animation hubs in my film study because usually those areas overlap with film hubs & where they dont overlap- there will not be enough animation jobs to justify calling it a "hub" at all which no longer makes it enough of an influential area if you really are making film or animation your career.
OK! I have 5 priorities in each of these film hubs. 'Cheap' being relative costs of property, taxes and standard of living as compared to other hubs. 'Industry' being the presence of Film Industry (Infrastructure, Studios, larger Production Companies, Union Jobs, large Film Festivals, big-budget filmmaking resources, Societies, Film Incentives, and a good Film Office). Some have strong animation and not strong film (or visa versa) which can bring down the score. 'Film Community' is the presence of a supportive local film community (such as a tight knit group of supportive fellow Indy Filmmakers, Film Societies, Film or Art Schools, independent film festivals, filmmaking services, Film Incentives favoring Independent Filmmakers, Community Theaters, Micro-Cinemas, Non-Profits, & possibly some local artistic organizations to help build a stronger art-centric or cinema-centric community). An Indy filmmaking spirit really helps here. Also, a right to work state is essential in fostering an indy filmmaking influence in the community. 'Livable' is like the 'comfort index' based on the measure of cosmopolitan, modern, convenient, diverse, and unique things to do in that community. A coffee house culture, walkability & bikeability helps here. Also, the uncomfortability of extreme weather can contribute to very 'unlivable' conditions. 'Family' is the sense of security a neighborhood has because of certain benefits present in that community. I get it from a combination of crime stats, local neighborhood morale, clean neighborhoods, sufficient government services and a neighborhood watch presence or something like it. I combined this rating with the formerly known 'Community' rating which was the sense that not only is crime low but the community is somewhat family friendly and has good schools to show for it. Parks and recreational areas or theme parks are a plus here as well. If you are having difficulty distinguishing between 'Livable' & 'Family' as they are both a sort of 'comfort' index... just think of 'Livable' as a good area for single, career types to live at and 'Family' as a good area for filmmakers with a family.
I have, of course, rated these based on what I know now from these communities.
The Film Hubs (1-10): 1st being good, & 10th being, well... 10th!
Priorities: | Cheap | Industry | Film Community | Livable | Family | Total |
1. NYC Film Hub- 2 - 10 - 10 - 9 - 3 - 34
2. Seattle/Vancouver/Portland Film Hub- 5 - 6 - 7 - 9 - 7 - 34
3. Florida Film Hub- 8 - 3 - 6 - 7 - 9 - 33
4. New England Film Hub- 6 - 7 - 7 - 7 - 6 - 33
5. Texas Film Hub- 7 - 7 - 7 - 5 - 6 - 32
6. Pittsburgh/Cleveland Film Hub- 5 - 5 - 7 - 5 - 7 - 29
7. Georgia Film Hub- 7 - 6 - 6 - 5 - 5 - 29
8. Michigan Film Hub- 5 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 9 - 29
9. Louisiana Film Hub- 6 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 5 - 29
10. Chicago/Milwaukee Film Hub- 2 - 8 - 4 - 7 - 6 - 27
I know- CA is not included... yea I have heard WAY too many horror stories about people 'trying to make it in Cali'... it is exactly NOT where to go to make waves. Its where to go if you are selling out so you can become famous- which is just the smoke being blown at you- don't be stupid- DON"T believe the hype! It is basically a recipe for heartache & a recipe for no artistic freedom or artistic integrity. On the other hand- once you make a good successful team & you can guide your own projects because you have bought your ticket with a good film that the industry respects- you probably could move there & it might even do you good to move there. A lot of successful filmmakers never move there though- they only visit to do business- and they are doing just fine!
About the decision to move or to collaborate, well, let's talk about it! Otherwise its not much of a collaboration, is it? None of this should be taken lightly because it is would be an expensive mistake right now to move to the wrong area. To be honest, like I said earlier, this is REALLY a personal decision... nothing more. It has to also be a win-win situation or I don't want to collaborate with anyone.
Thanx for reading!
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