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Moving from Los Angeles to Texas
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[Tim Wilson] “Or doing something different in Texas. Maybe it’s as simple as a move into corporate, or working with a post house, or any number of things rather than freelancing. “
Well, I’ve always liked the idea of being a big fish in a smaller, out of the way pond. The Coasts scare me. The good news is that there IS plenty of work to be done in between them.
While I appreciate Tim’s well-reasoned premise that More people equals more jobs, I also tend to believe that more people equals much more competition for the good jobs. One reason it is hard to make it in L.A. is that it is so over-saturated with people trying to break into broadcast TV and movies, every waiter and gas station attendant has a script or two they would LOVE show you, every crossing guard, dentist, and house painter is an actor, and freelance editors and directors are lined up like undocumented handymen in a Home Depot parking lot. It’s a buyers’ market and the sheer mass of all those hopefuls, talented and not, lies between you and a living.
But the last time I looked, apart from the quality of parties you could get to attend, the dollars earned in corporate, government, and institutional video trades spend just the same as the ones earned in tinseltown or the Apple. You want to chase movies, yes, L.A. and New York are the places… but I think there must be many MORE of us making a steady living at this, in the less glamorous parts of the business. I mentioned before that Texas has a lot of aerospace work going in that state, so, though we could also make this about energy-production-related work, just for example purposes, I’ll stick to aerospace. And I Like aerospace, so I’m doing that topic anyway:-P
Look at pages 2 thru 9 of this report, put out by the Texas Governor’s office. See the pretty maps, and overlay them on the ones Tim made.
https://governor.state.tx.us/files/ecodev/Aerospace_Report.pdf
These maps in the pdf file show concentrations of high-tech, high-dollar industries in Aerospace. The lists of companies are LONG and distinguished, and not all of them are merely defense contractors. You have to figure that that also means a lot of their suppliers lay close by as well. Between the first and second tiers, that’s a lot of possible corporate gigs making videos and communication products that inform, train, and sell.
Where you find high tech industry, you also tend to find high tech universities and research companies; these are another possible pond to splash around in. They have communications needs and steady business.
If you can live with yourself not getting a credit on some Hollywood blockbuster, but making a good living while doing work you love, and maybe doing work that is even meaningful in some way, I think you CAN find that somewhere in most any state between the coasts. Yes, even in Texas. As Tim says, though, you will have to change how you think about things, and re-assess your values.
I got a taste of that this weekend. Coming home friday from the office I was mad enough to kick a puppy, if we had one. Suffice to say, something went very horribly and ridiculously wrong, and the mess was going to fall into my lap on Monday. Stopping for gas and a cold soda before getting home, a random stranger comes up to me and shakes my hand, wishing me a happy Father’s Day. And it hit me: I was all twisted up with anger over my “work“, that which pays me a wage, but what was important was that I was on my way home to my real JOB. Which is to be a great Husband and Father.
Perspective is everything.
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Again, thank you all!!! I love reading opinions on this stuff, and your experiences. It enriches me in making my decision, and your helping me out makes me super impressed that the Cow really IS a community of people looking out for each other.
That’s something I sure have not found in LA 😉
When I said the projects probably will pay about the same in both places, here’s the actual numbers: the biggest project I got this year was a high-end local commercial. My takeaway on it was pretty tiny, since the client is made us build two sets and shut down a street to shoot it.
In corporate, my business’ clients have all sat around $5K projects this year. Pathetic! Unliveable, too, in LA.I’m not a hack. I’m an award-winning small production company here. I stay up on things, I’m reasonably young (not that that should matter), I’m known for fantastic work, etc. My shop’s reel compares verrrry well with the biggest and best. I network well. I can do a local TV commercial that looks like a national. I have some big clients, too- all of whom love us and write stellar testimonial letters for us (but who have not had any new projects this year). My shop can do it all- and very, very well. But the past 8 months? Crickets outside of the $5K jobs and this TV gig we did.
And I know I’m not alone. Speaking privately with 6 of my competitors last month told me they’re ALL hurting. I know shops in LA that own multiple RED Epics that are working for $400/day gigs.
Mark’s right: a big part of it is the vast influx of people wanting to make it in Hollywood. They’ll work for damn near nothing, to make their rent on the studio apartment they’re renting in Reseda with 3 other guys, while they write their masterpiece screenplays and try to get actresses to sleep with them.Here’s a data point: a Lamborghini dealership wanted a custom LA commercial to use on TV and in their showroom, tradeshows, dvds, whatever. They wanted the look of a national spot, and gave us examples. We bid a very reasonable (for what they wanted) bid of $25K for it. They hired a guy for $5K to do it, without permits on LA roads, shooting illegally and hanging off vehicles, risking people’s lives, etc. The end product sucks, of course, too.
Reading today I found an article (should have saved it) talking about how LA, in particular, has NOT recovered like the Bay Area or San Diego. It had some good points, which make me feel SoCal (LA) won’t be changing soon.
As for me, a fantastic fantasy is to move more into corporate work, but look for gigs that pay $10K or more (surely that’s not asking much!), live in a place where I could actually own a home, and raise a family where I won’t be scared about the filth that is Hollywood f’ing up their values, and actually make enough to go on vacation more than once every 3 years.
I’m not sure my plan of attack, yet. But damn, something’s gotta change.
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Hi Jacob, just to be up front, I didn’t read most of the post in this thread because they went way off topic. We have a studio here in Austin, with an office in DC but most of the work we do is for big corporate clients out of state. The industry in Texas is doing pretty good, especially in Dallas and Austin, there is a fairly large film and TV market here BUT it can be hit or miss, just like anywhere else. If you decide to make the move, I would be happy to introduce you to folks down here, Gaffers/Grips/DP’s etc… It’s a pretty tight community without alot of the duschebaggery you find in LA (We work there often) Feel free to shoot me an email if you ever want to chat.
Cheers!
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Hi Jacob,
It would be a thrill to have more talented people in Texas. I work at a post-house in Houston. Work is steady and I go on vacation out of the country every year (disclaimer: we have no children).
All of Texas’ big metro areas will be able to support someone like you. You just have to know how to network yourself into the right niches.
Houston is a great city for a family. It is the most diverse city in Texas and one of the most diverse cities in the US. Great schools, great neighborhoods and LOTS of real estate for your money. Check out https://www.har.com , you will be surprised.
Houston is a pretty big international hub, being the homebase for United Airlines you will always find a flight to wherever you want to go.
The weather is terrible. Can’t sugar-coat it at all. Humidity in Houston is what it is. Lots of Fortune 500 companies. Many of them you’ve never heard of. Yes, Oil Industry related video abounds, but there are other things. You will still soon get familiar with Oil industry terms.
The video-film community in Houston is filled with capable and talented people. You will not have a problem putting together a crew for a shoot.
If you decide to give it a thought I’d be glad to show you around.
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