Help an interested potential mover to MA -- particuarly the Plymouth area (Boston: apartment, rent)

[GarrettD]

Hi! I'm interested in film making as a career. I almost feel like an New Englander at heart, despite being born and raised in Houston, Texas. So I always made it my goal to move to NE once I got out of college. Unfortunately, due to my profession of choice, my future dictates that I must move west. But the Californian, or to be more specific, Los Angeles, lifestyle is not for me.

So I researched LA and started to get in touch with contacts in LA for a potential move in the near future once everything gets settled when I heard about Plymouth Rock Studios, a movie studio in Plymouth with Hollywood affiliates. It's the perfect opportunity, in the perfect place where I'd love to live.

Once Plymouth opens up (hopefully this year?) I plan on making a move for that area. Still, I am adrift with countless information that the internet hasn't been able to fully supply.

My biggest worry is transportatoin. I've read about gatra (http://www.gatra.org/aboutgatra.html - broken link) and mbta but these websites can't really offer a big hint about the quality of transit. Here's some background: I hate cars and I hate using them. I don't even want to own a car and one of the big things about New England lifestyle is that everything is so close proximity that you don't really need a car. Would it be possible for me to live life in Plymouth without a car? How is the commute to Boston?

And secondly, my other worry is affordability. Plymouth seems to be a tad on the high side for me. I'm a guy with a girlfriend but it's up in the air whether we'll see eye to eye on this move so I may end up moving there single. This will put me in a delicate position and would need a single room apartment with rent around the 800's if at all possible.

In general I just need to know what life is like. I am southerner with a very liberal lifestyle. You could say I would be very comfortable if I lived in Europe. I enjoy easy-going, but appreciate the fast living, so the sticks (Lakeville) doesn't seem to be for me but I'd be willing to settle if the rent is cheap. I'm just trying to find out if Plymouth is the right place for me, maybe even Boston would be better. I don't know, I'm still researching.

Thank you so much.

[Beachcomber4]

Plymouth Rock Studios appears to be a no go.

[GarrettD]

I don't know about that. I mean, they've spent millions building there.

[CaseyB]

I thought they lost their funding.

[GarrettD]

I heard they'd be finished in 2011. They're the prime reason why I want to move. I haven't heard about any other movie studios over there. I seriously don't want to move to LA.

[CaseyB]

Here's an article from a couple of weeks ago:

Dream of film studios in Plymouth is smaller but still alive - The Boston Globe

[brightdoglover]

I do think a car is unavoidable.

[mdovell]

I know someone that has quite a bit of links to the movie scene in new england. I'll pm you with his info. Plymouth ironically is about the same size as LA. You pretty much have to have a car. Yes there's some urban areas but GATRA is largely for people to get to train stations and some minor shopping. The MBTA stop either will go to plymouth or kingston...It's not like a subway system where it comes every ten minutes its more like every 60 to 90 minutes.

[GarrettD]

Need a car? Sigh. But I read about people who ride from Plymouth to Boston on here.

Is it theoretically possible for me to live in Boston and ride to Plymouth?

[CaseyB]

The train station isn't near where the proposed studio is, so you'd need a bus or shuttle connection. Plus the inbound trains stop running at 8 or so. How would you get home when you are working nights?