Working In The Entertainment Industry? (Austin: how much, job market, transfer)

[AnywhereButNewYork]

Hi Guys,

I did a search and couldn't find anything recent on the subject. If there is another thread where my question is answered, I apologize. Feel free to point me to it.

My fiancée and I are considering a move from NYC to Austin. She has the great fortune to have an office branch where she can transfer. I, however, have been working on a whole bunch of TV shows up here (editing, casting, blah blah blah), and would be starting over. My question is this - how much of a job market is there in Austin for this sort of thing? I always hear that Austin is starting to gain on NYC, but I've never actually spoken to anyone from there about it, and that could be hyperbole for all I know. I would hate to make the move down there and find myself unemployed and looking at a career change.

Thanks!

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by AnywhereButNewYork

Hi Guys,

I did a search and couldn't find anything recent on the subject. If there is another thread where my question is answered, I apologize. Feel free to point me to it.

My fiancée and I are considering a move from NYC to Austin. She has the great fortune to have an office branch where she can transfer. I, however, have been working on a whole bunch of TV shows up here (editing, casting, blah blah blah), and would be starting over. My question is this - how much of a job market is there in Austin for this sort of thing? I always hear that Austin is starting to gain on NYC, but I've never actually spoken to anyone from there about it, and that could be hyperbole for all I know. I would hate to make the move down there and find myself unemployed and looking at a career change.

Thanks!

close to zero

[inthecut]

Thats a hell of a comparison(NYC to Austin)..wow, what CAN compare with NYC on that front but LA? Per working for movie productions, Austin IS up and coming, and has a movie portion of SXSW now, and does do a few TV series here now and then(thinking FNL and that one that was just cancelled)...all in all, obviously slim pickings to LA and NYC...but then again, the entire USA is slim compared to those two(Isnt like 85% of all TV shows or so done in both of those cities)?..

[Jennibc]

I know just teeny tiny bit about the industry. Unfortunately there's not much going on around here compared to NYC and there are lots and lots of UT Film School grads that are working on projects for free. Austin Film Society - Welcome to the Austin Film Society! might be a good jumping off point to get in touch with locals here that have more information on the sector.

[centralaustinite]

I don't know . . . there are two professional casting agents who live in my neighborhood! So, there must be a certain amount of work. Not as much as a few years ago. Most of the crew folks that I know have left (carpenters, set dressers, chief greens, etc). You need real inside information and your not likely to find it on C-D, work your personal network for Austin connections and see what they say. good luck

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

I don't know . . . there are two professional casting agents who live in my neighborhood! So, there must be a certain amount of work. Not as much as a few years ago. Most of the crew folks that I know have left (carpenters, set dressers, chief greens, etc). You need real inside information and your not likely to find it on C-D, work your personal network for Austin connections and see what they say. good luck

Those agents cast for location shooting here, but most of the post production work is done elsewhere. My son worked on an independent film recently and I had a chance to chat with some of the crew. Most of the PAs were unpaid (UT students trying to get experience) and they were all saying that they expected they were going to have to go elsewhere when they got out because there just isn't enough work here.