In my previous post, I posed the question: do you need to live in LA to make it as a screenwriter? The answer, as evidenced by some interesting examples, was no.
In this post I’d like to discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages to living in LA.
Okay, so you want to make it as a screenwriter. One day you decide to pack up your things and drive all the way cross-country… destination Hollywood.
So what are some of the advantages to living in the City of Angels?
Networking Opportunities
Well, for one thing you’ll be in the heart of the entertainment industry. This means that you have a much greater chance to meet actual people working in the industry.
And if you want to get some notable people to read your screenplay, if you live in LA it shouldn’t take you too long to meet someone who can take a look at your script—or recommend someone you can send your script to.
It doesn’t matter if you work as a waiter or attend industry events, networking becomes a whole lot easier if you live in LA.
You’ll Be Surrounded By Similar People
If you’re a screenwriter living outside Los Angeles you might find that you know very few people in the entertainment industry. Move to LA and all that will change overnight.
It can be encouraging to be surrounded by people who aspire to the same career aspirations. You can talk about the business, share information, collaborate and help each other out. But it can also be a real disadvantage too.
Attend Meetings With Ease
So your agent wants to meet up and talk about your script. Or a studio that wants to buy your screenplay wants to have a meeting with you. This is obviously a lot easier if you’re living in LA. For one thing, you don’t have to fly cross country or spend hours driving just to get to a meeting.
On the other hand, this is not such a big deal. If a studio really wants to meet with you then they will almost certainly cover your travel expenses—the same applies if a screenwriting agency is interested in your work.
But if you don’t like traveling, you could save yourself a lot of time by living in LA it’s true.
Now, let’s take a look at some of the DISADVANTAGES to living in LA.
You Don’t Need To Be Here
Sure you might have more networking opportunities and get to know other like-minded people, but to make it as a screenwriter, you don’t have to be here.
You can sell your screenplay from outside of LA. You can get an agent from outside of LA. And thus you can make it in Hollywood without actually moving to LA. If you’re happy where you are, and you’re productive where you are, I recommend that you write quality screenplays and let the rest take care of itself. Because you might move here and become seriously unproductive—I’ve seen it happen before.
You’re In A Bubble
And that bubble is LA. It’s its own little world. Once you start living in LA, mixing with people from LA and getting too close to the industry, you can start losing touch with the rest of the world.
Living in LA can affect peoples creativity and their originality. They lose sense of how the real world works. If you’re living outside of LA, you are probably much more plugged in to the realities of life than a lot of people living in LA.
That’s not to say that everyone in LA is unable to write creative and original ideas, but it can certainly affect their ability.
It’s Expensive and Kind of Dirty
This goes without saying. If you’re looking to focus on writing good screenplays, but you need to support yourself, you might see your standard of living drop once you move to LA.
LA is not the cheapest city in the world and it’s certainly not the most beautiful. It has its charm, but life can be a lot easier in other places—especially if you’re looking to focus on writing great screenplays.
Want to network and attend industry events? LA is the place to be.
Want to get a Hollywood agent to represent your work? You can do that from outside LA.
Want to sell your screenplay to Hollywood? You can also do that from outside LA.
As you can see, there are pros and cons to living in LA. You just have to work out which situation is best for you.
My advice: find a place where you can focus on your writing—that’s the most important thing. And if you write a great screenplay, Hollywood will come to you!
* Liz Fairbanks has worked as a reader, development assistant, and talent agent in Los Angeles over the last seven years. Liz loves traveling, reading and yoga. Liz also works as a freelance consultant for Script Mailer (a company that connects screenwriters with agents and producers in Hollywood).