Differentiating Via Features Part 4:
Why does one city flourish while another dries up? Usually because of features and benefits.
In 1908, filmmakers in New York City needed lower rent and better sunshine, so they left the city and struck out for Jacksonville, Florida. Jacksonville actually developed a bustling film industry, even before Los Angeles had a single studio.
It wasn't until 1911 that Al Christie opened California's first film studio, in Hollywood.
As you know, Hollywood went on to become the world's greatest mecca for filmmaking while Jacksonville, FL, in quite the same way, did not. Why?
Both had lots of sunshine and temperate winters, but Los Angeles offered temperate summers as well, making shoots more comfortable and efficient. But more importantly, Southern California offered incredible scenic variety, perhaps more scenic variety than any other place on earth.
Need to shoot your film in a desert, beach, mountain, farm, city, valley, a snow storm, or even an odd, alien looking landscape? These features are all right there, in Southern California. But in Jacksonville, NYC, Toronto, Chicago, or London, not so much.
With so many locations available, filmmakers in LA could shoot more scenes at lower cost than anyone else in the world. So they flourished. Their success in attracting so many cinematographers, writers, actors and directors, only increased their competitive edge, which attracted even more talent in turn.
When it comes to movies, there are now more ideas, opportunities and aspiring worker bees in LA than anyplace else in the world. And you can tap into it, simply by choosing to move there.
Of course, filmmaking isn't for everyone. If you dream of farming, or figure skating, or firing rockets to the Moon, Los Angeles probably isn't for you.
This is why you've taken so much time for reading and travel, to find features you like and features you need. Since you can see what's out there, you know where to go. And that's how you get to be who you become.