Film Production Company vs Hollywood (Los Angeles: employment, theater, school) - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

JmanAA · 10-11-2010, 08:29 AM

I posted this thread in the Business forum, but realized that may not be the best place, so I decided to post it here as well. I posted a thread in this forum months ago about a possible career change from engineering to filmmaking (thanks to those who posted), and I decided to stick with the new career path into filmmaking.

But now, I'm just wondering if I should move back to Los Angeles (I stayed in LA for a year from '07-'08) and compete with the herd of other aspiring filmmakers...or if I should start a film production company and work independently. I've gotten to the point where I refuse to build a career in something that I don't like. I'm alittle stubborn like that!

What do you guys think? Film Production Company in some other city...or Hollywood? I don't just want to do this as a hobby, I actually want to make a living as a filmmaker. The possible fame and fortune is not all that important to me anymore. I'll be happy doing straight-to-video and guerilla-type films for the internet if I can make a steady living at it. What's important to me, is that I am happy with my career, and I am making a living doing what I truely enjoy.

bigdumbgod · 10-11-2010, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JmanAA

I'll be happy doing straight-to-video and guerilla-type films for the internet if I can make a steady living at it. What's important to me, is that I am happy with my career, and I am making a living doing what I truely enjoy.

The foray into the porn thread have anything to do with this?

allenk893 · 10-11-2010, 11:41 AM

Although I like your enthusiasm. It is not wise. I can't count on my finger how many aspiring filmmakers are out there "doing their own thing" as well and have gotten nowhere and are up to their chin in debt. If I was you, I would take my chances and go back to Hollywood, learn the craft and get trained, acel in it, and compete to the death with those other filmmakers. One of you will make it eventually. Which one will it be? You or them?

JmanAA · 10-12-2010, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allenk893

Although I like your enthusiasm. It is not wise. I can't count on my finger how many aspiring filmmakers are out there "doing their own thing" as well and have gotten nowhere and are up to their chin in debt. If I was you, I would take my chances and go back to Hollywood, learn the craft and get trained, acel in it, and compete to the death with those other filmmakers. One of you will make it eventually. Which one will it be? You or them?

Then it's a done deal. I'm moving back to Los Angeles.

The only reason why I have been "interested" in starting a film production studio, is because I have not felt confident about my ability to compete against all of those people in LA. But, I won't have a chance at winning if I don't play the game. If I want to make films that are shown at mainstream theaters and distributed to the commerical moving going audiences, then I have to deal with the mainstream, commercial "Hollywood" scene and all the other aspiring filmmakers (and so-called aspiring filmmakers).

I do have many fears associated with this endeavor, the same kind of fears that discouraged me from taking any real action when I was in LA a couples years ago, and eventually causing me to give up on my dream and move away. But if I want to get anywhere in life, especially in something worthwhile, then I have to face and push through those fears, and continue to take real action--step after step.

As Dr. Susan Jeffers pointed out in her book "Feel the fear and do it anyway,"

Quote:

Pushing though fear is less freightening than living with the underlying fear that comes from a feeling of helplessness.

Pretty much sums up the way my life has been the last 5 years, feeling helpless and powerless by not following my heart and not doing what I believe I should do because it's too scary. Well, it's time to change that attitude. I want to be a filmmaker, therefore I need to move back to Los Angeles (the film capital), and start making films (well start building my film career).

Lovehound · 10-12-2010, 01:37 PM

You should do a job search and get out your resume and do some interviews, and then move to the city with the job you like the most.

In other words you have the cart in front of the donkey. Job first then city.

JmanAA · 10-12-2010, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lovehound

You should do a job search and get out your resume and do some interviews, and then move to the city with the job you like the most.

In other words you have the cart in front of the donkey. Job first then city.

I'm just going to save up enough money, then move out there sometime next year. If I were to wait for employment in LA before I move there, I'll be waiting for a long long time (I'll remain stagnant). Plus, I'll be aiming toward a minimum wage job in LA, which is not something people are going to fly me all the way to LA for or even conduct a phone interview for. I'm all finished with my field of study (no point in trying to work an unworkable situation), so I don't see any need in wasting my time trying to find something in that field.

JmanAA · 10-20-2010, 02:31 PM

Thanks for the advice guys, but I'm not moving to LA. Infact, I'm finished with the film dream. It's not worth it! I have other plans that are in the works, that include getting a real job (something I'm starting to miss, believe it or not).

nighthouse66 · 10-21-2010, 05:10 PM

dude!
even if you decide to throw away the thought of moving to LA, i think the cultural supremacy of Los angeles as the only place to make films is waning and has been for a long time. in fact, even tho i live in los angeles and am an aspiring filmmaker, i am thinking of moving back to GA. i make guerilla films anyway, and don't give two craps about what hollyweird is doing. they are setting the pace, and the pace if for ****e, and if you like ****e then be a part of hollywood. unless your films are fuzzy rom-coms with the latest faces, or disney pixar animated nightmares, there is no need to be in los angeles to make films. you don't have to worry about processing film anymore- go digital. film what you know. and for godsakes, don't go to film school. like robert rodriguez said, going to film school might get you the opportunity to bring coffee to the assistant director. its basically a place to make contacts, and you can do that just by asking for actors on craigslist.
seriously! don't give up on your dream. if you are just in it to make money you can pick other careers, granted, but a real job will not feed your soul in the long run, even if it feeds you. i am sure some would blast me as being romantic, but there is something to be said for foolish dreams.