As a filmmaker, how crucial is it to live in Los Angeles?

I currently live in California, about 6 hours from Los Angeles, and I'd like to be a filmmaker/screenwriter when I'm a little older (I'm 17 now). Screenwriting is my first passion; it's something I've been working on for about 3 years now (unlike filmmaking, which I'm still relatively new to). On other screenwriting forums like done deal pro, or in the many screenwriting books I've read, everyone stresses that in order to be a successful writer, you must live in Los Angeles. This makes a lot of sense. Since screenwriting tends to involve more selling than filmmaking, you need to be close to those who can give you writing assignments and other opportunities

Now, I've been wondering lately. Although I know it's crucial to live in LA if you want to be a successful screenwriter, how crucial is it to live in LA if you want to be a successful filmmaker? Is it really all that important? Why or why not?

Thanks!

Liv said:

Now, I've been wondering lately. Although I know it's crucial to live in LA if you want to be a successful screenwriter, how crucial is it to live in LA if you want to be a successful filmmaker?

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Not crucial at all. One can make and market films without living
in Los Angeles. In some cases it may actually be an advantage
to not make movies in Los Angeles.

Depends! If you want to make it the traditional route - working as a PA, writer's assistant, etc., and waiting for your big break - LA is definitely the way to go. That or NY, but NY is kind of a distant second (and is super expensive).

If you want to make a living as a freelance or independent filmmaker, you might want to live anywhere but. There's an overabundance of filmmakers in LA, so there's a ton of competition for any job, whereas outside of LA there might be more opportunities because there are way fewer filmmakers. Similarly, it's often easier to get a feature film/short film off of the ground outside of LA, since LA has all sorts of laws and taxes for films (because there's so much shooting going on there), locations are used to working with movie productions and so likely charge a lot, and there's a lot of competition for the best crew, actors, etc. Working outside of LA might mean you have fewer resources to draw from, but it pretty much guarantees that your production will be much cheaper. And, once again, less competition from other filmmakers.

I basically compromised and I'm currently living in NY. I kind of get the best of both worlds - access to awesome actors thanks to the theater scene, a big city full of talented crew (and close proximity to NYU for film student help), but not a ton of competition for paid film work. Again, it's expensive to live there, but I'm enjoying it... I shot my first feature film there over the summer. You can see for yourself how it turned out!
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasmerrin/sleepwalkers-feature-film

I live in LA and here's my opinion.

Technically I don't think you need to be here, especially when you first start, because you are not going to be an overnight success. You need to write several screenplays before you get any good as a writer and you need to shoot a lot of footage before you're any good at making films. You might as well get your practice in somewhere cheaper than LA.

BUT having said that... if your ultimate goal is to move here, you should probably do it as soon as possible, because it takes years to REALLY feel comfortable here. I've been here 6 years and it's just now starting to feel like home. Most people who come to LA get severely depressed and don't make friends right away and get absolutely no work done and don't further their careers because it takes so long to settle in. 98% of people go back home in the first 6 months. You should come soon to find out if you have what it takes to stick it out... better to find out sooner than later.

If you'd actually prefer not to live here if you don't have to, and you want to be strictly a filmmaker, then definitely don't move here. Make your own low budget films and build a name for yourself in your home town. If you're talented enough, you'll be pulled here eventually basically against your will from the opportunities that will present themselves to you. In other words, you'll come when the time is right.