First, my sincere apologies to those of you who check back here regularly for not posting for a while. Things have seismically shifted in the Dangerous Screenwriter's life since my last post and I've needed time to deal with my new situation. I haven't given much information into my personal life in the past, mainly because this blog is about a screenwriter's journey. But something has happened in my personal life which has affected my screenwriting aspirations. Mainly, I moved out of state.
Yes, I'm no longer living in Studio City, the heart of the industry. I have a 4 year old daughter and have been worried about her formative years for a while now, specifically, what quality of childhood will she have if I continue to raise her in Los Angeles? To those of you considering a move to L.A., be forewarned: L.A. is a great place for single people, and rich people. I am neither, which makes L.A. a very difficult place to live. The crowds, the rudeness and relative lawlessness, no sense of community, dirty, mostly devoid of nature, difficult to set roots, and the general cost of living is exorbitantly expensive.
On the other hand, I grew up in Salt Lake City, and had a wonderful childhood there. I want my daughter to have a similar childhood, relatively safe, surrounded by neighborhoods, community, family, growing up in a home - not an apartment - with a front yard, a back yard and unfettered access to nature. None of which we had in L.A. So my wife and I decided to make the move to Salt Lake, mainly for the sake of our daughter. This was a heartbreaking decision for me, as my singular lifelong dream has always been to live and work in the film industry.
So what now? I now have a day job totally unrelated to the industry, a wife, child, two dogs, a house to take care of (front & back yards, yay!) and my writing, which together pretty much consume all my waking hours. I feel disconnected from the industry and from the face-to-face networking opportunities that happen in L.A. by simply walking out your front door. I haven't lost any of my passion or drive to make films, but here I am, 800 miles from L.A., lost in a place where you tell someone you write screenplays and the response is "What's a screenplay?" (I shit you not, 2 people so far have asked me that).
So on to the main question: does not living in L.A. make me any less "dangerous" as a screenwriter? Have I given up some sort of advantage by moving? The answer is a definitively ambiguous "yes and no".
On one hand, had our decision to move been predicated on a location not so close to Los Angeles, I would not have made the move. Part of my decision to move was based on the fact that I'm only a 2 hour plane ride from L.A., or a 9 hour drive. I am therefore still able to make it to L.A. for any film related business on relatively short notice. I have friends I can stay with in L.A., and after living there for almost 20 years know my way around and how to relate to those who live there.
Also, being a bit removed from the industry does give way to a unique creative advantage: I'm not swimming in the same mental pool as the others, so my work won't be influenced by the lack of originality and rampant fear that permeates the town. I am out from under the "L.A. Brain Cloud" (see I Love L.A.) For all intents & purpose, I'm out of the shit. Through the internet and my L.A. connections I can still have my finger on the pulse of the biz, but don't have to drown in it.
On the other hand, my networking opportunities have now dwindled to cultivating the few industry connections I've already made in L.A., and the online filmmaking community. Not much to work with. I realize my position is no different than any other serious aspirant who lives outside of L.A., except the fact that I gave up my prime location to be in the same position as those others (maybe you). I was in the mix, now I'm once removed. There is also a creative "can do" energy and inspiration that comes naturally with being surrounded by the industry. In L.A. you're steeped in the industry at every turn, it becomes a lifestyle, it becomes part of your natural thinking process. You eat, breath and think film, which can give you an immense boost over those who only diddle in it.
But truly, aside from networking opportunities, industry perception of where you live equaling how serious you are and plane fare, I can't think of much more advantage to living in L.A. as opposed to somewhere close to L.A.
So how will it play out? I suppose only time will tell. But I'm still obsessed with film. I'm still writing. I'm still serious. I'm still smart and industry savvy. Which, I suppose, makes me still Dangerous.
So keep writing... I am!
8 years ago
