Stay in L.A or New York? And what has the better indie scene?

I am at a crossroads and I am trying to make a good choice.

I believe if you wake up a few mornings in a row with dread than you must make some sort of huge change. The last few mornings I've woken up with a huge amount of dread. I did some soul searching and I realize that I need to move.

I currently live in Azusa. Why? I was supposed to finish my B.A in film there. But I don't have the money to finish school and quite frankly there isn't anything else a film school could really teach me that I haven't learned on set or read about in books and watch in movies (I had a film class that just showed movies). I lived in Santa Monica for a year. But because rent is so high there (a shared room is $850 and they are hiking it up to $925) I had to move.

Azusa is in the middle of no where so it does suck majorly. My options are to move to North Hollywood to a place that has a curfew ( I am about to turn 23) and if you break the rules they practice corporal punishment (no joke). I was unemployed for a bit. I just got a job in Santa Monica, so I have to go almost six hours in total to and from work.

I am trying to find places here. But it's tough. A lot of people are flakes and most places are expensive.

But then it came to me: I'm not so sure that I am an L.A guy. I mean it is cool that you can meet people who are filmmakers, actors and whatnot. But that does get old. I think the best way to be a good artist is to have interests outside of the field. If it wasn't for my love of racing I would have never made my last short. In New York you meet people that are bit more diverse.

I am also tired of the people here. Flakes, weirdos, etc. After my last experience on short I got got really soured to the people around here. And I already know that I want to short my first feature in New York.

I am primarily an actor. I have written all my life and got into screenwriting a little after I started acting (I started acting in late 2011 when I was a union solider in Lincoln). I then started directing last year. I love film and I really want to act in more films. But the last feature that I was in came out in 2013 (I actually had four I was in that came out that year). In Maryland I was in the "indie" movement there. Most of the work was unpaid. But I was getting some good acting experience. I had a very big supporting roles too. In L.A my agent only submit me for big parts. So I have only been on three auditions this year (I auditioned for the role of York in the Lewis and Clark mini series, a commercial, and a voice over in some indie). Only the first did I feel a connection to the role. Even then I kinda knew I wasn't going to get based on age, size, and lack of fame. I called this production company that is producing a movie that I submitted myself for. They basically told me that they only hire actors and actresses with extensive film credits (basically somewhat known actors). I am proud of my resume, I've had ten roles in t.v, short films, and feature films. I've been in plays. I've had a good amount of training. But I guess it isn't enough.

Also my social life in L.A sucks. I don't have a car. I don't have any friends. I don't have a girlfriend. It's rather lonely.

I want to focus on becoming a better actor and becoming a working actor. I am tired of working shit jobs. I want to just act. While doing this I want to finish my feature and get it made.

The only downsides to New York that I can see would be the weather (I am from Maryland so I at least know what I could be in for) and the heart of t.v and film is in L.A for sure. But I just want to audition and do some plays. While Broadway does seem keen on casting huge names. There is always a place for young actors on stage. And there is always off Broadway.

If I went to New York I'd go to an acting school, go out on auditions for plays, and develop this feature. I really want to get into the indie scene though. That's the best way for me to get acting work in films that I have nothing to do with from a back of the house side of things.

What do you guys think?

I think it's crazy to live in LA without a car.
And I think that new york city is an even more expensive place to live.

That is some great advice there man. You should start a blog.

And an apartment in New York is more expensive than one in L.A. But a room isn't. Though NYC does have a rodent issue.

Theauteur14 said:

That is some great advice there man. You should start a blog.

And an apartment in New York is more expensive than one in L.A. But a room isn't. Though NYC does have a rodent issue.

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I've had a blog called "According to my calculations". The last entry I worked on was over two years ago and I still haven't published it. I was waiting til I had a good video to promote with it

NY is very expensive to live (I'm in NJ, right outside Manhattan). But you definitely can live there without a car. Most of the actors who I know make a living waiting tables, bartending, and/or working catering gigs.

I've been asking myself this question for almost ten years, and this is my position.

I was going to move to NYC, because I fell in love with Manhattan. Being a lawyer, I decided to get my NY license, so I could work there. But, once that happened, I decided not to move, especially since the Great Recession was in full swing. I have been looking at LA, because that's the place deals are made.

With that in mind, I now realize that, while an aspiring mogul should have a presence in LA, he doesn't need to live there. I have spoken to a NY lawyer who specializes in entertainment law, and she said that she needed a presence, but she could still live in NYC.

I am still looking at LA, for personal reasons, but it's not crucial. To repeat, you will need a presence, but you don't have to live there. Where you want to call your home should be entirely up to you.

One last thing - if your life sucks in LA, it would probably suck in NYC. Everything you do will be entirely up to you. The only way a move would make a difference is if you needed a change of environment.

Seems to me you have made your case to move to NY very well.

You're tired of the people here and you believe the people in NY will
not be flakes, weirdos, etc. The rent in the convenient areas (Santa
Monica, North Hollywood) are too high and you believe the rents in
NY will be cheaper. Your social life sucks and you believe it will improve
in NY. You want to work as an actor and you believe you'll get more
work in NY than in LA.

My thoughts? Time to leave LA. Fewer flakes and weirdos, cheaper
rent, better social life, more work as an actor. To me a no brainer.

I wouldn't count on your single living improving according to this article: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/new-york-worst-u-s-cities-singles-study-article-1.2053331

I lived in NYC for a couple years but didn't love the experience. Rent on a 1 bedroom apt. starts at $1200 in the outer boroughs (and you's be lucky to find one at that price). You could get a 1-bedroom in the Bronx for about $1450 which I did. You will still be working a "day job" at first to make ends meet. Everything is very, very expensive so much so that I was living paycheck to paycheck.

Eventually I moved out of state completely to a suburb near a smaller city. It has allowed me to be able to afford to live cheaper and still work on projects often. If I need to be in LA I can get on a plane. I'm thinking of moving to LA someday but the cost of living is very expensive. NYC is more expensive in almost every way. I know that Austin, TX has a big indie scene and the cost of living is low. You can buy a house for $170,000 in that area or a little north in Round Rock. It's also the 4th best city for singles as mentioned by above article. You would need a car though which you wouldn't need in NYC. That's also a place I've considered.

NYC is a great place with a lot to do. It, however, won't solve all your problems for you. It won't be much different from your current situation other than being able to ride public transportation for a little over $100 a month. It could be a new start, new surroundings, new friends. Or it could be misery. I really think that part is up to you.

You might consider some of the off-the-beaten paths places to start your career. LA/NYC are terribly expensive places to live and are crowded with people who are trying to get the same jobs you are. You might try making inroads into a less-crowded place. Austin, Savannah, and Atlanta seem to be very overshadowed by LA but there is a lot of filming being done there.

The old days of working your way up the ladder in an established company and place only still exist for those who have the fortune to be born directly onto a rung of the ladder (and the odd, lucky winner -- better chances with a lotto ticket though). For those of us on the younger end of the spectrum, we are better off going where the new ladders are being built. (Sadly, this is basically true of the American economy in general).

Go somewhere else with a robust film community, and establish your credits there.

I was talking to a cinematographer the other day who is based in LA (brother of a friend of a friend), and he said that New York is generally more focused on the indie scene, smaller type stuff, where the filmmakers have the "just get it made!" attitude and it's all about the film, the art. LA is more about the industry. I'm paraphrasing here, but they're his words, not mine.

I bring that up because based on your descriptions of your auditions and being truly connected to a certain role, it sounds like, at least in terms of acting, that you'd be relatively happy in New York. Take this with a grain of salt, of course, as I haven't really been immersed in either coast's true film scene! Just my surface perception of the situation.

And just a quick question-- if you can no longer afford film school, how do you plan on paying for acting classes? I assume they'd be more inexpensive?

I have the rule which is you take your happiness and unhappiness anywhere you go, so don't assume that a change of venue is going to make life better. LA is the hub of the industry, so if you want to act in movies, you need to make it in LA. Azuza is way too far away. Get closer to Hollywood. I'm not sure why you mentioned a curfew in North Hollywood because it won't affect you.

Get a car. You cannot be successful in LA without a car unless you're alread a star that has limos take you to set.

Finish film school. You say it can't teach you anything, but that diploma can get you a decent day job when you're not acting. I've used my diploma to get jobs teaching film production to help cover the bills while look for projects.

As somebody else pointed out, NYC is very indie based which is somewhat true. There's a decent amount of TV production going on there. NYC is more expensive as a rule. The only plus for you is you don't need car in NYC.

Another option is look at states with tax incentives for film production. They are attracting a lot of attention for studios. Atlanta and New Orleans are very busy. Pittsburgh and Cleveland are getting decent amount of production.

You are 23, so that's still fairly young. It can take 4-6 years to really break into the industry and that's working full time to make it happen. Yes, some are lucky and do it more quickly, but others it has taken 10 years or more.

Look hard at what you're doing. Are you networking enough? Are you taking the right roles? Do you need more actor training, i.e. specific class for actors. Also these classes can lead for networking. The more people you know, the better chances of landing jobs. The majority of jobs I got in LA were through my contacts.

You can exist in the New York City film scene quite cheaply. I moved to NY for a few reasons...and I have stayed here for many more...

1. I got a job here before I moved.
2. I totaled my car while "saving to move to LA"
3. As a cyclist, I enjoy riding my bicycle to work.

8 years later I have stayed here because...

1. Pizza
2. Good friends and some marginal amount of success I have found here.
3. Numbered lists
4. I've enjoyed the mix of independent work, commercial work (of which there is more of here) and episodic stuff that is shot here.

Ultimately the smartest thing I read in these responses is what Scott said- you will take your unhappiness with you wherever you go. Perhaps its not a move, but a therapist or even a friend to talk to. I dont know, but any "industry" city will be incredibly tough, and you are going to have a very, very difficult time- especially in the beginning.

I spent much of my first year in New York with a full time job (in the industry) and homeless. It has not gotten much easier, but I am a bit less of a pussy than I was when I came to NYC.