I would certainly hope that New York City surpasses L.A. as the film capital of the country. That's the way it started out, and that's the way it should have remained. Interestingly, it's primarily Thomas Edison to blame for chasing the film industry out of the New York area in the early days of the 20th Century.

Steve Janas
Stevejanas?yahoo.com

quote:

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Originally posted by stevejanas

I would certainly hope that New York City surpasses L.A. as the film capital of the country.

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Why?

As someone who took the risk to move to Southern California and who lives there, I sincerely hope that the majority of film and television work goes BACK to California where it belongs.

The ONLY reason that so much production is going to places like Louisiana and Georgia right now is because of tax "incentives," which are basically just bribes, made to Corporations, on behalf of taxpayers who more often than not, are NOT getting a net financial benefit for the expense of the tax breaks and subsidies. In other words, the governments which hand out these bribes are giving away more than they are getting back despite the cooked books which attempt to show otherwise.

One great reason for production occurring mostly in Southern California is the climate and that's one reason why production stayed there (here) for so long. Shooting in the South is miserable and sometimes, impossible. Rain and humidity play havoc with schedules in addition to working in that heat and environment being downright miserable at times. Right now, I am having to figure out how to shoot interviews outside of New Orleans which would mean having to kill the massive AC units and the swamp coolers for up to an hour at a time... which may be impossible if we need to keep the talent from sweating to death. I don't have that problem in LA.

Weather is a problem in the north, like NYC and Chicago and Michigan. Heat, humidity, snow, etc are not problems that the movie and television industry has to deal with often in Southern California. It's ridiculous that productions actually fly in palm trees to fake So Cal just because some Eastern or Southern state wants to bribe a film company into filming there.

The tax "incentive" game is a terrible joke foisted upon taxpayers and governments by greedy Corporations and their CEOs. But it's all part of the larger CONservative scheme to destroy the Middle Class and create a new "working class" who is just happy to have a job no matter how low the pay is or how dismal the working conditions.

Brian Dzyak
Cameraman/Author
IATSE Local 600, SOC
http://www.whatireallywanttodo.com
http://www.realfilmcareer.com

quote:

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Originally posted by stevejanas

I would certainly hope that New York City surpasses L.A. as the film capital of the country.

---

I, too, ask why? Is there not room in the industry for filmmaking
in BOTH cites?

quote:

---

Originally posted by stevejanas
Interestingly, it's primarily Thomas Edison to blame for chasing the film industry out of the New York area in the early days of the 20th Century.

---

That is interesting.

I have read extensively about the beginning of the motion
picture industry and have never read that he was primarily
to blame for chasing the film industry out of the New York.
I know about his patents and why many filmmakers left NY
to avoid infringement, but have never heard he was primarily
to blame.

That seems a narrow understanding of the reasons studios
and producers left NY to shoot in the west and California.

=============================================
The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

Regardless - I lived in southern California for 10 years and could not stand it, for all the usual reasons. They are the usual reasons because they're valid. I'd probably risk offending more people if I went into any greater detail, but suffice it to say, one of the best days of my life was when I put that miserable excuse for a city - the so-called city of Angels - in my rear-view mirror.

Steve Janas
Stevejanas?yahoo.com

A new industry leaves town to avoid patent infringements. Why? Why go through the trouble? Because you're being forced to. A patent or a trademark or a copyright is only effective when somebody's enforcing it. Who do you suppose that someone might be?

I'll leave you to fill in the blanks.

quote:

---

Originally posted by certified instigator

quote:

---

Originally posted by stevejanas

I would certainly hope that New York City surpasses L.A. as the film capital of the country.

---

I, too, ask why? Is there not room in the industry for filmmaking
in BOTH cites?

quote:

---

Originally posted by stevejanas
Interestingly, it's primarily Thomas Edison to blame for chasing the film industry out of the New York area in the early days of the 20th Century.

---

That is interesting.

I have read extensively about the beginning of the motion
picture industry and have never read that he was primarily
to blame for chasing the film industry out of the New York.
I know about his patents and why many filmmakers left NY
to avoid infringement, but have never heard he was primarily
to blame.

That seems a narrow understanding of the reasons studios
and producers left NY to shoot in the west and California.

=============================================
The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

---

Steve Janas
Stevejanas?yahoo.com

Here's a good read on Edison and the movie industry.

?url? http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/09/thomas-edisons-plot-to-destroy-the-movies.ars?/url?

That said, the Wikipaedia entry on the film industry seems to suggest that California, with its better climate, would have been a better place to film movies anyway. And I think that was ultimately the real reason for the move, because Edison's tactics were found to be anti-competitive by the federal courts, and that put an end to his monopoly attempts.

?url? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_industry?/url?

The irony, of course, is that the producers would one day attempt monopolistic tactics and also be attacked by the same federal government that protected them from Edison.

quote:

---

Originally posted by stevejanas

Regardless - I lived in southern California for 10 years and could not stand it, for all the usual reasons. They are the usual reasons because they're valid.?quote?
You are avoiding the question.

You couldn't stand living in southern California so you
now want the movie industry to also move. A little selfish,
in my opinion. I've lived in southern California most of my
life and I love it. I also love making a living doing what I
love to do. So I cop to being a little selfish in wanting to
be able to continue doing that.

So that's it? That's why you want the movie industry to leave
LA and go to NY? Because you dislike this miserable excuse
for a city?
?quote?Originally posted by stevejanas
I'd probably risk offending more people if I went into any greater detail, but suffice it to say, one of the best days of my life was when I put that miserable excuse for a city - the so-called city of Angels - in my rear-view mirror.

---

This is a small community here at filmmaking.net. We sometimes
have interesting discussions. If you are not comfortable having a
discussion here I respect that. If you cannot back up your
statement out of fear of offending; that's too bad. We can have a
discussion without causing offense. If we treat each other with
respect, even opposing views can be talked about.

=============================================
The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

quote:

---

Originally posted by stevejanas
I'll leave you to fill in the blanks.?quote?
That's too bad. I was hoping we could have a discussion about
this. I don't need to fill in my own blanks - I have been reading
about the industry for decades - I was hoping you would expand
on your statement.

?quote?Originally posted by stevejanas

A new industry leaves town to avoid patent infringements. Why? Why go through the trouble? Because you're being forced to. A patent or a trademark or a copyright is only effective when somebody's enforcing it. Who do you suppose that someone might be?

---

That was one, very small reason. And it was resolved quickly. To
blame Edison for the migration west seems narrow and short sided.
Most producers left the east because there was better weather,
diverse locations and more space to build large stages.

I'm wondering if you hate has clouded your understanding of history.

=============================================
The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

This has become an interesting discussion, but, to get back to what I was asking, will LA remain the center? It's too early to tell, I think.

I think it will.

Sure, there are many people like Mr. Janas who hate Los Angeles
and leave. But I suspect more are moving here than leaving. No
data or research, just my observation. The real estate is already
here (studios, back lots, sound stages), the production offices are
here, the skilled crews are here.

Even though I live and work in LA I am always pleased to hear that
other cities are building all of those things. I'm happy that my fellow
industry professionals are getting more work in NY.

=============================================
The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

When the CEOs of the specific industry live and work in a city where the majority of the industry's infrastructure is in place, it only follows that the production of that industry should also be in that city.

Ergo, Los Angeles IS where the majority of motion picture and television work SHOULD take place. That someone dislike aspects of the living environment should have zero influence over that choice.

The fact is that the decisions on what to produce are made in LA by people who live in LA. Most professional soundstages, production resources, and post-production resources are in LA. Most on-screen talent and behind-the-scenes (crew) are based in LA.

The ONLY reason that production is NOT in LA is because other governments (town, city, state, nations) are using tax dollars to bribe productions to come to their locations. This is a BAD thing in that it dilutes the work experience resulting in LESS quality work AND it ultimately contributes to driving DOWN wages for everyone WHILE simultaneously, enriching those at the top as they benefit from A) tax breaks, B) outright subsidies (read: cash handouts) and C) lower wages paid to those who actually work for a living.

NYC is a pain in the ass to work in, logistically, compared with a city like Los Angeles. Beyond necessary location work, there is no justifiable reason why any production should ever shoot stage work outside of Los Angeles. But the current bribe environment is making this the norm, rather than the exception.

Brian Dzyak
Cameraman/Author
IATSE Local 600, SOC
http://www.whatireallywanttodo.com
http://www.realfilmcareer.com

I have to say this is interesting.

As many of you know, I am in China most of the year, trying to bring a few films here to shoot. That said, I by no means want to relocate all of Hollywood here. If I can help a few people make there films, low budget ones, for the money they have, then that's awesome. But there is a limit to what you can shoot outside of LA.

That said, I have to agree with Brian. I love LA, and I feel that there is no better place on earth for making movies. I also feel that every once in a while I want to see a film shot somewhere else for additional flavor, but LA is the place that makes the most sense. It still has the largest amount of quality crew, locations, and the WEATHER cannot be beat. I think it would be hard by any means, no matter the incentives to change that. On top of that, I still consider it home. I have held residence there for almost 8 years now and no other place feels more like home.

My two cents.

making low budget dreams come true

I hear the weather in LA can be searing sometimes. NY has far more extreme weather, but it has character, what with the Empire State Building, the Rockefeller Plaza, the Statue of Liberty, and so on.