10 Best Cities To Live, Work & Make Movies in 2010

[Dan]

10 Best Cities To Live, Work & Make Movies in 2010

by Julie Jacobs with Jennifer M. Wood | Published January 18, 2010

The Hughes Brothers direct Denzel Washington on the Albuquerque set of The Book of Eli [[2010).
Some say that money is the root of all evil, while others hold that evil follows money’s absence. Likewise for today’s independent moviemakers, while some contend that bigger budgets open up more creative options, others maintain that limited budgets have a better chance of generating true innovation.
The latter seems to be proving true in American cities big and small, as increasing numbers of would-be auteurs make the leap from moviegoer to moviemaker. They’re being aided by the low cost of digital technologies, which make the medium ever more democratic at the same time that costs creep lower. The barriers that existed for independent moviemakers just a few years ago have all but disappeared, not only in terms of accessibility to reasonably priced production and post-production equipment, but with distribution opportunities, too. Best of all, freshly minted moviemakers don’t even need to leave home to make cinema happen.
For the past decade, MovieMaker’s editors have paid careful attention to location trends. From recent financial incentives to new soundstages, we have tracked these developments while being vocal proponents of the “backyard/backlot� lifestyle—the idea that one should be able to shoot close to where he or she lives.
We also understand that moviemaking is not a solo enterprise; it’s an endeavor that benefits greatly from the support of like-minded artists. It would stand to reason, then, that moviemakers in traditional “cinema cities� such as New York and Los Angeles might have an edge over their peers in lesser-known production areas. But with previously under-utilized areas such as Shreveport, Louisiana and Albuquerque, New Mexico continuing to climb our “best places� list year after year, the truth is that moviemaking can happen anywhere—as long as there are creative artists willing to make a go of it and a community of supporters happy to nurture their talents.
Here, then, is MM’s 10th annual ranking of the country’s best cities in which to be an independent moviemaker.
1. Albuquerque, NM
2. Los Angeles, CA
3. Shreveport, LA
4. New York, NY
5. Austin, TX
6. Stamford, CT
7. Boston, MA
8. Detroit, MI
9. Philadelphia, PA
10. Seattle, WA
For the full version of the article, pick up a copy of MovieMaker‘s Winter 2010 edition, on newsstands now, or subscribe for just $9.95 for the year at https://www.moviemaker.com/subscribe/winter_2010.

[Retroit]

I wonder why they included "Live" and "Work" in the criterion. Do movie makers that film in Detroit actually live here, or do they just stay for filming and then move back to Hollywood or the next location?

I wonder if the list would be different if "living and working" were not factored in. How do Michigan's incentives compare with other states?

[mikeg19]

I wonder why they included "Live" and "Work" in the criterion. Do movie makers that film in Detroit actually live here, or do they just stay for filming and then move back to Hollywood or the next location?

I wonder if the list would be different if "living and working" were not factored in. How do Michigan's incentives compare with other states?

If I'm correct I believe that Michigan's incentives are the most lucrative in the nation. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think filmmakers can earn back somewhere in the area of 45-50% of film costs.

[Gsgeorge]

I wonder why they included "Live" and "Work" in the criterion. Do movie makers that film in Detroit actually live here, or do they just stay for filming and then move back to Hollywood or the next location?

I wonder if the list would be different if "living and working" were not factored in. How do Michigan's incentives compare with other states?

Michigan offers anywhere from 30%-42% back on your production costs, depending on who you hire [[instate vs. outstate labor), how much shooting is done here, and which communities you film in [[certain "core communities" qualify for the maximum incentive, others just offer 40%; most major Michigan cities are "core communities").

Many of the people working on these films live & work in Michigan. A small number, mostly the producers, directors, and other "Above the Line" talent are from out of state. So the answer is that about 20%-40% of the people working on a film don't live in Michigan; the other 80%-60% do.

[FlyingJ]

I dunno why you ran the "Book Of Eli" pic[[which is a great addition to the Post-Apocalypse genre, btw-neat twist ending) but tho the Hughes Bros live here & in Prague, they were born in Mt Carmel. Despite the urban milieu of many of their films none have been set or shot in Detroit...tho Eli IS a K-mart employee...

[MCP-001]

Instead of doling out tax dollars to bribe movie makers to come to Michigan, wouldn't it make more sense in the long term to go about building businesses that will stay in Michigan all year long, instead focusing on a small group that leaves town when someone yells "That's a wrap, people."

[hudkina]

Or how about they do both, like they are doing...

[MCP-001]

Or how about they do both, like they are doing...

That would be great if they actually stuck around.

I read more about productions crews coming into town, filming their movie and then leaving.

Than some production setting up shop in a more or less on a permanent basis.

[East Detroit]

Production crew including the gaffers, camera crew, grips, etc? Seems like those kind of people wouldnt be traveling all over the place.

[d'oh]

I talked to someone in the film business about Detroit; he said that lots of stuff was happening but that one of the drawbacks was that you had to bring in crew people; there's no local infrastructure of crew people, at least not yet..

[Gsgeorge]

I talked to someone in the film business about Detroit; he said that lots of stuff was happening but that one of the drawbacks was that you had to bring in crew people; there's no local infrastructure of crew people, at least not yet..

Kind of an exaggeration. There are some crew here. Like I said, most feature films that shoot in the state have anywhere from 60-80% of the crew coming from Michigan.

Detroit has been a great place to live and make movies for me. The local crews here are awesome, there is a strong filmmaking community, and our visitors from LA & NYC really enjoy this place. True, we don't have a full-service studio and some of our crews are not as experienced as those in LA & NYC, but we have a driven work ethic that the film industry loves. And when it comes down to it, that 40% back is huge -- it's all about the bottom line.

Let me put it this way: if I was working on films and living this same lifestyle in NYC or LA, my apartment downtown would be four to six times more expensive, everyday things like food & transit would bleed my bank account, and I would be competing with a much much larger community of aspiring filmmakers and crewpeople than I am here. I have been very lucky to work on films, earn a living, live comfortably downtown in a place of my choosing, and make friends from across the US and the world working on films right here in my backyard. IMHO, the film incentives have kept me afloat and have been a great contributor to the local economy, not to mention it's stemming the brain drain and keeping creatives in town. Great stuff.

[Retroit]

Thanks mikeg19 & Gsgeorge. I also found this document http://www.entertainmentpartners.com...esOverview.pdf that gives very detailed info, but it's not so easy to make a state-by-state comparison. Looks like most states are in the 20-40% range.

[Bodybagging]

Gsgeorge, what affiliation to film making do you have in Michigan, I moved out of Detroit right before the film industry decided to move in and am looking for any connections to get my foot in the door with FX work.Although living about 100 miles out of Detroit, I am converting a old farm into my studio with over 70,000 sq. feet for film projects.
Heres a few pics of some of my work... Spread the word!