{"id":82579,"date":"2021-01-26T09:00:21","date_gmt":"2021-01-26T17:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/?p=82579"},"modified":"2024-08-22T15:17:28","modified_gmt":"2024-08-22T22:17:28","slug":"best-places-to-live-and-work-as-a-moviemaker-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/best-places-to-live-and-work-as-a-moviemaker-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"

This year’s list of the Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker is different than any we\u2019ve done before, because never have so many moviemakers seriously considered changing their lives dramatically \u2014 starting with where they live.<\/p>\n

Best Places Hall of Famers Los Angeles and New York City will always be our greatest movie cities, and the strong lockdowns they\u2019ve instituted over the last year will make them stronger in the long run. But in the short term, they\u2019re losing people to other great film cities, as many who have spent months inside insist on more space, lower housing costs, and more great outdoors.<\/p>\n

And while the list of horrendous things about the pandemic seems endless, it has made the industry finally realize that it may not need so many in-person meetings, pointless pitch sessions, and meandering meals. We\u2019ve all learned to be more efficient over Zoom than we are over coffee.<\/p>\n

Believe us, we can\u2019t wait to get back to face-to-face human contact. Some people are just more creative with other people around them.<\/p>\n

So here\u2019s to the world opening up again in 2021, and all of us taking the good things we\u2019ve learned into the future… even as we leave other parts of last year far, far behind us.<\/p>\n

Finally, we can\u2019t stress enough: Please carefully assess the COVID-19 situation in any city or town you consider as a potential destination. Things are changing fast everywhere, so we urge you to supplement the information that follows \u2014 based on the longstanding reputations of the following locations \u2014 with the latest information on how they\u2019re dealing with the pandemic.<\/p>\n

HALL OF FAME<\/strong><\/p>\n

New York City<\/strong><\/p>\n

New York City suffered like almost no other last year, as COVID-19 hit early and hard. Already accustomed to close quarters, New Yorkers huddled indoors, masked up, and accepted the closure of Broadway, movie theaters, restaurants and many of the other greatest parts of our culture. But the pandemic didn\u2019t break the Big Apple, because nothing can.<\/p>\n

The best part of New York City is that it\u2019s full of people with the heart, guts, and determination to try to make it in New York City. They\u2019re drawn from all over the world, united by ingenuity and a belief in themselves. That will never change, even if lots of people may leave temporarily \u2014 and leave once-coveted apartments behind. There\u2019s a huge opportunity for people ready to take their shot at the Big Apple, especially with the vaccine rollout underway.<\/p>\n

In a normal year, the film and TV industry contributes more than $9 billion to New York City\u2019s economy and employs over 130,000 people. It has some of the best film schools, festivals, and theaters in the world, and is home to filmmakers ranging from Martin Scorsese to Spike Lee to Woody Allen to Greta Gerwig. Prestigious organizations like Criterion, platforms like MUBI and Le Cin\u00e9ma Club, and a host of small-scale distributors like Grasshopper Film, Cinema Guild and Factory 25 are all headquartered in New York City. A thousand issues of this magazine couldn\u2019t contain all of NYC\u2019s contributions to cinema.<\/p>\n

Even in one of the worst years of its history, it dreams big: Over the summer, the NYC Economic Development Corporation and the Mayor\u2019s Office of Media and Entertainment announced that Steiner Studios will establish a 500,000-square-foot production hub in Sunset Park to increase diversity and equity and create thousands of jobs. And the New York Film Critics Circle gave a special award to New York-based distributor Kino Lorber \u201cfor their creation of Kino Marquee, a virtual cinema distribution service that was designed to help support movie theaters, not destroy them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yes, New York City has always been overrun by the very rich, who have driven up prices and made it a less accessible city to the not rich. It especially felt that way in the years just before COVID-19. But a lot of the very wealthy have left because of the virus, and, if we\u2019re very lucky, the city may be more accessible to struggling artists because of it.<\/p>\n

Los Angeles<\/strong><\/p>\n

These are trying times for Los Angeles. At the time of this writing, hospitals are very short on beds, and California has just lifted \u00a0a weeks-long stay-at-home order.<\/p>\n

But the TV and film industry has gone to extraordinary lengths to keep people safer on a film set than they would be in a restaurant or gym. Many productions are, at this moment, on pause. But the film and TV industry accounts for 164,000 jobs in Los Angeles County alone, roughly 46% of all film industry employment. Los Angeles is the gold standard and the default for the film industry: Assume that anything you like or dislike about American movies either originated or is strongly connected to L.A.<\/p>\n

L.A.’s chief advantage \u2014 perfect weather \u2014 isn\u2019t going to change anytime soon. And we don\u2019t need to tell you about the beaches, beautiful people, great hiking, majestic theaters, outstanding film schools and festivals, and the pretty decent odds of seeing your favorite movie stars in person. Living in L.A., you will meet great collaborators, be constantly inspired, and perhaps even find people to give you money. It can feel like a paradise.<\/p>\n

That said, in the years before COVID-19, traffic had started to make L.A. an occasionally exhausting place to live and work. If it can emerge from the pandemic with the lessons we learned about the value of working from home, L.A. may become a new, gloriously liveable place, revitalized and free of the gridlock that once wasted long stretches of our lives.<\/p>\n

Continue for<\/em> Moviemaker‘s\u00a0Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker, 2021<\/em><\/p>\n

Jump to Small Cities & Towns<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

BIG CITIES<\/strong><\/p>\n

25. St. Petersburg<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Best\n

 <\/p>\n

St. Petersburg pulled in 15 feature films in the last year, most with budgets under a million. Two bigger projects in the area were Lady of the Manor<\/em>, starring Justin Long, Judy Greer, Melanie Lynskey and Ryan Phillippe, and Fear of Rain<\/em>, which starred Harry Connick Jr. and Katherine Heigl and filmed downtown.<\/p>\n

Since Florida lacks a film incentive program, the St. Pete Clearwater Film Commission smartly devised a cash rebate incentive in 2005. The program, which has helped more than 1,800 production companies, pays up to 10% on qualified expenditures in Pinellas County\u2019s 24 municipalities.<\/p>\n

The region has some of the most gorgeous beaches in the country, and with 361 days of sunshine, you\u2019ll have ample opportunity to enjoy them. It also offers skilled crews and plenty of production facilities and equipment-rental houses. And its embrace of film includes the forward- thinking, worldly Sunscreen Film Festival, which celebrated its 15th year in 2020.<\/p>\n

Another positive: The state\u2019s nonprofit industry agency, Film FL, requires all productions applying for a permit in the region to read and adhere as closely as possible to its recommendations for clean and healthy sets.<\/p>\n

24. Milwaukee<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cMilwaukee is way underrated as a place to work as a filmmaker,\u201d says Milwaukee Film CEO Jonathan Jackson. \u201cWe\u2019re known as a beer town, but the data proves that the film and media industry here is bigger than beer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Need an example? In 2018, Milwaukee-born Oscar winner John Ridley opened N\u014d Studios, a 40,000 square feet studio space, in an old Pabst Blue Ribbon complex. He runs it with his investment banker sister, Lisa Caesar, the company\u2019s chief operations officer. N\u014d Studios bills itself as \u201ca member driven physical space and digital platform geared toward artists and art lovers,\u201d and hosts screenings, art shows and live musical performances.<\/p>\n

Other pluses include the Film, Video, Animation & New Genres school at UW-Milwaukee, and the Milwaukee Film Festival, which, Jackson notes, \u201cshowcases the work of dozens of local filmmakers, right alongside that of Oscar contenders.\u201d Milwaukee also has several grant programs, including Milwaukee Film\u2019s Brico Forward Fund, which annually awards cash grants of $100,000 for local filmmakers.<\/p>\n

Indie moviemaker Ryann Liebl recently returned from L.A. to film her comedy Mags and Julie Go On A Road Trip<\/em>, and if you can\u2019t find what you need from Milwaukee\u2019s respectable selection of rental houses, sound stages, and post facilities, Chicago is less than two hours away.<\/p>\n

23. Seattle<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Seattle\n

The tech hub\u2019s spirit of innovation also extends to Seattle\u2019s vibrant film community. The Seattle Film Summit adapted to the pandemic by hosting a weekly webinar series \u201cFilling the Void\u201d in partnership with the Albuquerque Film & Music Experience. Meanwhile, the state\u2019s film commission, Washington Filmworks, also managed the Innovation Lab, a smaller funding program aimed at supporting Washington filmmakers and filmmakers using emerging technologies. And that\u2019s just the beginning. \u201cSeattle assembled the Film Task Force, a diverse group of film industry and community stakeholders, to advise the city\u2019s support for the equitable and inclusive prioritization and growth of the region\u2019s film industry,\u201d says Taylor Durand-Scaggs, film permit specialist at the Seattle Film Office.<\/p>\n

And Seattle supports its filmmakers: The city has more than 30 film festivals, including the Seattle Black Film Festival and The National Film Festival for Talented Youth. And the Northwest Film Forum and the Duplass Brothers recently launched the $25,000 Lynn Shelton \u201cOf a Certain Age\u201d Grant to honor the legacy of the hometown moviemaker. Each year, the grant will be awarded to a female or non-binary American moviemaker, age 39 or older, who has yet to direct a narrative feature.<\/p>\n

22. San Antonio<\/strong><\/p>\n

The seventh-largest city in America is refreshingly direct about how much it wants your business. \u201cSan Antonio is real and ready. Real with authentic, unique and screen-worthy locations, a rich culture and history, and a welcoming film-friendly community that provides one-of-a- kind, budget-friendly experiences both on and off set,\u201d says Krystal Jones, who is the marketing, film and music administrator for the Department of Arts and Culture.<\/p>\n

San Antonio offers locations ranging from urban to rural to historic to modern. If you\u2019re thinking of moving to the home of the Alamo, and taking advantage of the city\u2019s budget-friendly creative spaces like The Parish, the Brownstone Studios and Alamo City Studios, the San Antonio Film Commission is ready to help\u2014and considers itself an \u201cextension of the production team,\u201d Jones says.<\/p>\n

The commission not only hands out grants to local moviemakers, but also directs them to other organizations that do, too, including the Luminaria Artist Foundation and the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures.<\/p>\n

In 2020, the Department of Arts and Culture used federal relief dollars and money from the San Antonio CARES 4 Arts COVID-19 Relief Fund to provide grants of up to $5,000 for independent artists in the San Antonio area. For production companies, relief grants of up to $75,000 were provided through the Department of Economic Development. The efforts paid off: Productions including HBO Max\u2019s Homeschool Musical: Class of 2020<\/em> filmed in San Antonio post-COVID-19 closures.<\/p>\n

21. Kansas City, Missouri<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Kansas\n

The region\u2019s AMC Theatres celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2020, and yes, the chain has had better years. But its hitting the century mark is just another reminder of Kansas City\u2019s essential part in the history of the film industry. It was also here that Walt Disney opened his first studio, Laugh-O-Gram Films, in 1921\u2014before realizing his own last name was pretty good, too.<\/p>\n

But let\u2019s talk about Kansas City\u2019s film future. The KC Film Office works hard to ignite global passion for Kansas City, and requires no permits. So you\u2019ll have ample access to locations that could stand in for New York City, Chicago, or even Eastern Europe. There are many equipment rental houses and production facilities, including Lights On and Wide Awake Films.<\/p>\n

There are about 500 locations in the KC Locations Database, and because the city is very compact, moviemakers can get from one location to another quickly.<\/p>\n

But the biggest draw may be the people: The city boasts more than 700 working crew. \u201cOne of my favorite stories about our film industry this year was during a fundraiser my office did to help out crew with $50 grocery gift cards,\u201d says Kansas City film commissioner Steph Shannon. \u201cSo many crew gave their cards away to other crew people they thought might need it more. It was so selfless and generous. My respect and admiration for our industry people grew to new heights during a time of great challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n

20. Washington D.C.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Patty Jenkins\u2019 Wonder Woman 1984<\/em> shot the nation\u2019s capital so beautifully that it could have been an ad campaign for future D.C.-set projects, highlighting everything from floodlit monuments to charming walkways to the Smithsonian. While lots of films emphasize the stately and imposing nature of the city, WW84<\/em> noted its culture, cosmopolitanism and romance.<\/p>\n

Living and working in the District also means drinking in a long cinematic history that includes The Exorcist<\/em>, All the President\u2019s Men<\/em>, Forrest Gump<\/em>, and more. Can you afford it? Yes: Washington offers generous incentive rebates of up to 35%\u2014and 50% for qualified job-training expenditures. It is the home of many prestigious festivals, most notably AFI Docs, and there are a respectable number of equipment rental houses and production facilities.<\/p>\n

DC Reel-Crew will refer you to very capable crewmembers, and DC Reel-Vendor can point you toward great deals on support services and equipment. And the Creative Economy Career Access Program can help you find jobs, or employees. There are all kinds of DC superheroes.<\/p>\n

Finally, the District\u2019s film-permitting guidance for preventing the spread of COVID-19 is so thorough that you\u2019ll wish everyone in the federal government would take notes.<\/p>\n

19. Portland<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Portland\n

Portland is famous for all things handcrafted and artisanal, and that extends to filmmaking. The city is home to two stop-motion-animated films due in 2021: Guillermo del Toro\u2019s bold new take on Pinocchio<\/em> and the Key & Peele<\/em> reunion Wendell and Wild<\/em>, from Coraline<\/em> director Henry Selick.<\/p>\n

In an increasingly digitized world, Portland has mounted a brave campaign to celebrate the analog, from its beloved Powell\u2019s Books (the world\u2019s largest independent bookstore), to film meccas like the Hollywood Theatre, to its live music scene (which we hope can return in 2021). When it comes to its film culture, the numbers speak for themselves: It is home to a dozen theaters and film societies, 15 film festivals, 14 film equipment rental houses, 16 film organizations and unions, and 19 production facilities. Oregon Film has tracked $135 million in direct spending within incentivized productions for fiscal year 2019-2020 in the Portland area, thanks in part to a 20% cash rebate on goods and services from Oregon vendors.<\/p>\n

Portlanders may know how to build their own clocks, but they\u2019re also closely engaged with the times. The city responded boldly and innovatively to the pandemic, even in the midst of 2020\u2019s fires and demonstrations. \u201cUltimately the pivots forced upon the local industry from the coronavirus pandemic will make it stronger,\u201d says Brian Lord, manager of the Portland Film Office. \u201cAs a city within a long drive from Los Angeles and Vancouver, we are well situated for projects that do not want to use air travel. Our Oregon Media Production Association immediately created updated health and safety protocols for a safe return to work and we have been able to remain healthy as production started back up in August.\u201d<\/p>\n

18. Baltimore<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Baltimore\"\n

Even if it were only home to The Wire<\/em>, VEEP<\/em> and House of Cards<\/em>, Baltimore\u2019s place in TV history would be secure. But Baltimore also delivers new, vibrant film projects year after year, including last year\u2019s Sundance darling Charm City Kings and the upcoming Sundance film Strawberry Mansion<\/em>, which shot on the USS Constellation in the city\u2019s beloved Inner Harbor.<\/p>\n

Baltimore\u2019s history, diversity, reasonable costs and easy access to New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. \u2014 plus tax credits of up to 25% for film and 27% for TV projects \u2014 have made it an obvious choice for moviemaking that doesn\u2019t feel too obvious.<\/p>\n

Baltimore has a flavor and specificity you won\u2019t get in every city of its size, and you sense the stories and possibility between every brightly painted row house door. You\u2019ll eat well, from seafood to the diners like the one in, well, Diner<\/em> \u2014 Barry Levinson\u2019s 1982 breakthrough. And the Maryland Film Festival includes hometown treasure John Waters, master of the whimsical and weird.<\/p>\n

A hidden gem of the city is Beyond Video, a nonprofit video store co-run by programmer-critic Eric Allen Hatch. Beyond Video notes on its website that \u201cthe existence of the physical video store and the culture surrounding it\u201d is \u201cpivotal to the exchange of ideas and the fueling of creativity within the Baltimore community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baltimore also has a pragmatic side: You can go from very urban to very rural with a very short drive, and from ornate buildings to breathtakingly gorgeous homes to the site of the social experiment known as Hamsterdam. The Wire<\/em> fans will know what we\u2019re talking about.<\/p>\n

Continue for<\/em> more\u00a0Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker, 2021<\/em><\/p>\n

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BIG CITIES (continued)<\/strong><\/p>\n

17. San Diego<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Best\n

San Diego has an intangible quality that has lured films of all genres, from the incomparable Citizen Kane<\/em> to Traffic<\/em>. In 2020, it again attracted a mix of projects: documentaries, episodes of shows like Mayans M.C.<\/em> and Where Murder Lies<\/em>, and advertising campaigns for American Airlines, Reebok and Uber. Like very few places, it can be entirely refined or completely relaxed. \u201cSan Diego is an extremely film-friendly destination and a hub for eclectic cultural filmmaking, appealing to filmmakers looking for versatile backdrops and creative opportunities within a boutique setting. You only need to point to our 35 diverse film festivals to see a true reflection of San Diego\u2019s diverse population and filmmaking background,\u201d says Brandy Shimabukuro, San Diego film liaison.<\/p>\n

The city\u2019s many film organizations include the Pac Arts Movement, San Diego Filmmakers and San Diego Women\u2019s Film. Members of those groups can enjoy film together in the theaters and film societies across the region, including the Digital Gym Cinema, La Paloma Theatre and Theatre Box. And for a few frenzied days each summer, San Diego Comic-Con is the heart of film and TV fandom.<\/p>\n

And 2021 is the year that we\u2019ll finally get to see Top Gun: Maverick<\/em>, which shot in the area in 2019 and we\u2019re sure will take our breath away.<\/p>\n

16. Memphis<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Memphis\"<\/p>\n

\u201cI moved here in the early \u201990s. I thought I might stick around for a year or so and keep going west and end up as a filmmaker on the West Coast somewhere,\u201d says moviemaker and Eventive co- founder Iddo Patt. \u201cAnd I stayed, because I realized so much of my experience in the rest of America was about consuming culture. And this is a place that\u2019s all about creating and producing. And everyone here is a creator and the atmosphere is just full of creativity. So that\u2019s just what has kept me going here in this community. It\u2019s what makes it a wonderful place to be a filmmaker. Everywhere you turn, you\u2019re inspired by somebody\u2019s creative work.\u201d<\/p>\n

We can\u2019t say it any better than that. But Memphis has even more to offer.<\/p>\n

In response to COVID-19, the Memphis & Shelby County Film and Television Commission innovated by turning to its 501c3 arm to set up a GoFundMe for local crews. It also partnered with the city-county economic development agency, EDGE, to award grants of up to $10,000 to local film facilities. Memphis also required filmmakers to follow Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers\u2019 standards for safe shoots.<\/p>\n

As a result, the commission says, business is booming. It vows that Memphis is a place where the good times and the cameras roll \u2014 safely.<\/p>\n

Among recent projects is Waheed AlQawasmi\u2019s directorial debut, Jacir<\/em>, which stars Lorraine Bracco and has the assistance of our own MovieMaker Production Services. Other recent projects include a new Netflix series, a BET pilot, and NBC\u2019s The Voice. Which reminds us: We haven\u2019t even mentioned that Memphis has one of the richest modern music legacies of any city on the planet. (Memphis\u2019 Craig Brewer, likes to start each shooting day with a little music from local icons like Al Green.)<\/p>\n

Tennessee gives cash refunds rather than tax incentives, and Tennessee Film Commissioner Bob Raines gives qualified clients a minimum 25% cash refund back on the majority of in-state expenses. Finally, the Indie Memphis Film Festival\u2014 one of several magnificent festivals in the region \u2014 deserves a special mention for presenting a virtual\/outdoor edition in 2020 that included a period drive-in theater and \u201clawn pod circles.\u201d<\/p>\n

15. Oklahoma City<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Best\n

Bold, innovative, and very funny Oklahoma City moviemaker Mickey Reece has averaged at least two films a year for a good decade \u2014 without leaving home. \u201cA lot of out-of-town folks come to shoot in Oklahoma to take advantage of our 35% tax rebate incentive, but just within the last year or two (thanks to filmmakers working outside of the traditional system) our state has become more recognized, nationally, for our talent and work ethic,\u201d he says. \u201cWe\u2019ve created our own industry outside of Hollywood. Our actors are hungry, our crews are hungry and our locations are among the most unique in the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

The proof includes films like Reece\u2019s festival darling Climate of the Hunter<\/em>. And recent high-profile projects include Sean McNamara\u2019s Reagan<\/em>, starring Dennis Quaid. The region is also blessed with vintage theaters, passionate film societies, and the state\u2019s largest film festival, deadCenter. Additionally, the new Prairie Surf Studios in the Cox Convention Center promises to house the largest clear-span sound stages in the Midwest.<\/p>\n

And we all saw plenty of Oklahoma\u2019s diverse landscapes, authentic small towns, and miles and miles of unspoiled land in Netflix\u2019s Tiger King<\/em> docuseries. Oklahoma and the tigers may be the only ones who came out looking good.<\/p>\n

14. Cleveland<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Cleveland\"\n

Cleveland is going to get a lot of attention this year thanks to two high-profile projects that shot locally: Cherry<\/em>, starring Tom Holland and directed by hometown heroes Joe and Anthony Russo, and Judas and <\/em>the Black Messiah<\/em>, directed by Shaka King and starring Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield.<\/p>\n

The added attention should draw an influx of new projects to a friendly, unfussy city that mixes small-town charm with big- city infrastructure and convenience. They\u2019ll be delighted to find a 30% tax credit and the Greater Cleveland Film Commission, a very service-oriented organization that provides everything from COVID-19 updates to a guide to industry jargon. It also offers classes to help locals break into the industry.<\/p>\n

The region is home to many notable film festivals, and the Cleveland International Film Festival in particular is known as an incubator for crowd-pleasers. Speaking of crowd pleasers: By the time you read this, you should be able to see Liam Neeson\u2019s latest shoot-\u2019em-up, The Marksman<\/em>, which also recently shot in Cleveland.<\/p>\n

13. Cincinnati<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Cincinnati\"\n

Major moviemakers keep coming back to Cincinnati: Since 2014, Emmett\/ Furla Oasis Films has filmed six movies in town \u2014 including the new Bruce Willis action movie Hard Kill<\/em>. Killer Films has filmed five movies in the Queen City, two by Todd Haynes.<\/p>\n

In addition to a dramatic downtown skyline and friendly suburbs, Cincinnati has a cost of living below the national average and a median home price of under $200,000, according to Forbes. And the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit of 30% means production dollars go far.<\/p>\n

Additionally, Cincinnati\u2019s film and performance culture is strong. There are many professional theaters, including the Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and Clear Stage Cincinnati. Beloved independent movie theaters include the Esquire Theatre, Mariemont Theatre, Kenwood Theatre, Parkland Theatre and Garfield Theatre.<\/p>\n

And for young moviemakers, the K-12 curriculum at the School of Creative and Performing Arts is known as one of the most comprehensive in the country.<\/p>\n

12. Dallas<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Dallas\"\n

Dallas is a place to make films and actually make a living in the industry, thanks to its super-collaborative community of filmmakers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s common for burgeoning filmmakers to work on each other\u2019s films, which has created a true sense of community. Additionally, many filmmakers will work as crew and even talent on television projects of all types and sizes, as well as commercials, corporate films, music videos, etc., in between their own projects in order to gain valuable experience and make a living,\u201d says Janis Burklund, director of the Dallas Film Commission.<\/p>\n

The community extends to the many film festivals where moviemakers network and appreciate each other\u2019s work. The Dallas International Film Festival, Oak Cliff Film Festival, Dallas VideoFest, EarthxFilm and Asian Film Festival of Dallas are among the best in the area.<\/p>\n

Some of the major films that shot in Dallas recently include Kyle Rankin\u2019s Run Hide Fight<\/em>, starring Thomas Jane, and Justin P. Lange\u2019s Guy Pearce exorcism film The Seventh Day<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The cost of living in the Big D is lower than the national average, according to Salary. com. International and domestic travel are easy thanks to a major airport in Dallas-Fort Worth, and the region has an admirable light rail system. Your off-set options include six professional sports teams, 20 entertainment districts and dozens of movie theaters, including Texas Theatre and Studio Movie Grill.<\/p>\n

11. Toronto<\/strong><\/p>\n

The biggest city in Canada (and fourth largest in North America) is known for the Toronto International Film Festival, the largest and one of the most prestigious fests in the world. But if there\u2019s one thing Toronto loves more than showing movies, it\u2019s making movies.<\/p>\n

They include the action- comedy The Man from Toronto<\/em> \u2014 starring Kevin Hart, Woody Harrelson, Kaley Cuoco and newcomer Pierson Fod\u00e9 \u2014 which shot in the Canadian metropolis this past fall. Jason Momoa was in Toronto twice in 2020, first for his Apple TV+ series See<\/em> and later for Netflix\u2019s Slumberland<\/em>. Toronto also hosts the Amazon series The Boys<\/em> and Hulu\u2019s The Handmaid\u2019s Tale<\/em>. And Guillermo del Toro\u2019s Nightmare Alley<\/em> ramped up production in the fall after the pandemic caused a delay.<\/p>\n

Whether due to its less-dense population, can-do government, or famous courtesy, Canada has been less hard-hit by COVID-19 than the United States, allowing production to resume with fewer interruptions.<\/p>\n

Toronto is ready to shoot: The home of David Cronenberg has ample infrastructure, including stages, seasoned crews, rental houses, and post facilities. It\u2019s an immensely diverse city, and great for foodies too \u2014 don\u2019t skip the poutine.<\/p>\n

10. Calgary, Alberta<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Let\n

Calgary was rated the fifth-most liveable city in the world, and the most liveable in North America in the latest list by the Economist Intelligence Unit. Its future is bright: Calgary is a young city, with an average age of 37 years, and merges sleek modernism with magnificent nature nearby, including the Rocky Mountains, prairies and badlands.<\/p>\n

The former home of FX\u2019s Fargo<\/em> \u2014 and current home of Jason Reitman\u2019s new Ghostbusters film\u2014enjoyed $200 million in industry spending in 2020. Other notable projects included the Kevin Costner-Diane Lane drama Let Him Go<\/em> from Thomas Bezucha. Moviemakers are drawn to its sound stages galore, great crews and production services that are ready when you are. The Calgary Film Centre boasts three sound stages, covering more than 50,000 square feet, with acoustically sealed, tilt-up construction and dedicated camlocks.<\/p>\n

And you cannot mess with the home of the Calgary Stampede \u2014 a massive, annual celebration of Western culture and spirit \u2014 when it comes to authenticity. The CL Western Town & Backlot is a movie studio just 40 minutes from downtown Calgary, in the foothills leading into the Rockies, that features buildings from the 1850s to 1930s, most with finished interiors.<\/p>\n

Continue for<\/em> more\u00a0Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker, 2021<\/em><\/p>\n

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BIG CITIES (continued)<\/strong><\/p>\n

9. Boston<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some of the MovieMaker<\/em> staff have been living outside Boston throughout the pandemic, and can join Mark Wahlberg, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in endorsing it often and unreservedly. Boston is as metropolitan as other big cities, but with an abundance of greenery and outdoor space, plus quaint coastal towns and unspoiled beaches nearby. From The Thomas Crown Affair<\/em> half a century ago to modern Oscar contenders like The Departed<\/em> and The Social Network<\/em>, it looks beautiful on camera.<\/p>\n

Massachusetts has taken a careful, sensible approach to containing COVID-19, and long winters mean Bostonians might have a little edge on the rest of the country in terms of staying indoors and getting things done, without complaint, for long stretches of time. A wealth of small towns nearby can stand in for any kind of community you need, from blue collar to blue blood.<\/p>\n

Also, film culture thrives here, thanks not just to magnificent arthouse venues like the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge, Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline and the Somerville Theatre in Somerville, but an unassailable documentary tradition anchored by PBS\u2019s Boston-based series Frontline<\/em>. Recent films shot in the region include Don\u2019t Look Up<\/em> with Jennifer Lawrence and Mother\/Android with Chlo\u00eb Grace Moretz.<\/p>\n

The very film-friendly Bay State includes a 25% production credit, 25% payroll credit, and a sales-tax exemption. And F. Scott Fitzgerald called New England \u201cthe Land of Schools\u201d for a reason: excellent ones for aspiring moviemakers include Emerson College, Boston University, Northeastern University, and many more.<\/p>\n

8. Miami<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Miami<\/p>\n

Miami is the home of 2020\u2019s top-grossing film, Bad Boys for Life<\/em>. Okay, 2020 was not a normal year, but Miami\u2019s reputation as a vibrant film center spans decades. Endlessly photogenic, with gorgeous weather almost always, Florida is just a few rich tax incentives away from posing a major challenge to neighboring Georgia.<\/p>\n

The state currently has a two-tiered grant system with a maximum of $100,000 for Miami- Dade County projects of $1 million or more and $50,000 for projects of $500,000 to $1 million. And FilMiami smooths the permitting process with a one-stop system across several jurisdictions.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiami has been a playground for indie filmmakers for a few simple reasons. In a city less saturated with productions, people tend to be generous with their venues, rentals, excitement, and tolerance for filmmakers,\u2019\u201d says Miami-born artist-moviemaker Jillian Mayer.<\/p>\n

She adds, with tongue- in-cheek: \u201cThere is no tax incentive because our state is run by Bond villains and we are sinking in the sea. Because we are situated at Ground Zero for the effects of global warming with sea level rise standing to diminish our edges, fatalism tends to make it into much of the work, which I find inspiring. There is an urgency when one is on Mother Nature\u2019s clock.\u201d<\/p>\n

Miami-Dade County has a wide array of locations, but also a kind of light \u2014 especially in 2017 Best Picture winner Moonlight <\/em>\u2014 that you can\u2019t capture anywhere else in America.<\/p>\n

7. Montreal<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Montreal\n

Likely Oscar contender Pieces of a Woman<\/em> showcases Montreal\u2019s cool beauty \u2014 and versatility \u2014 when the city stood in for Boston, matching it almost note- for-note in its depiction of pristine neighborhoods, cozy apartments, bold office buildings and hardhat job sites. Montreal\u2019s French-infused film culture is strong \u2014\u00a0 it boasts top moviemakers including Denis Villeneuve and Jean-Marc Vall\u00e9e.<\/p>\n

Chanelle Routhier, film and TV commissioner for Quebec, describes Montreal as \u201cvery friendly, creative, appreciative of culture and art, and very talented! With the National Film Board created in 1939, we have been able to create a cinematographic culture which has been passed on from generations to generations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moviemakers in Montreal will find excellent crews, equipment rental facilities, sound stages, and post- production facilities \u2014 as well as appreciative audiences. The Fantasia International Film Festival is widely regarded as one of the greatest genre festivals in the world, and did a wonderful job this past summer of virtually capturing the mystery and excitement of an in-person film festival, with daring and audacious curation.<\/p>\n

Tax credits are stable and generous, reaching up to 43 percent. The Quebec Film and Television Council will help you find anything you might need \u2014 in French or English. Quebec\u2019s thriving industry also includes lots of animation, dubbing and VFX companies.<\/p>\n

6. Philadelphia<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Philadelphia\"\n

The murals on seemingly every surface testify to Philadelphia\u2019s embrace of creativity. The city is sometimes praised as New York City\u2019s sixth borough. But if we\u2019re being honest, Philadelphia is in some ways superior to New York City, especially in terms of the potential for a person who doesn\u2019t happen to be very rich to be able to buy a very comfortable house, either in Philadelphia or in one of its many friendly suburbs. And you don\u2019t have to cut ties with NYC: an Amtrak ride will get you into Manhattan in 90 minutes.<\/p>\n

Philly\u2019s historic sweep, gorgeous squares, parks and riverside greenways are other draws, and its authentic architecture ranges from lavish Victorians to charming row houses to delightful colonial buildings.<\/p>\n

Another plus is a state tax credit of up to 30%. Also, Philly has at least 16 film festivals, including the dynamic BlackStar Film Festival, that testify to the region\u2019s embrace of movies. More than half a dozen local independent theaters have persevered through the pandemic with online or socially distanced in-person screenings. And you\u2019ll have no trouble at all finding equipment rentals or production facilities. The list of projects that shoot here is long, and include Adam Sandler\u2019s latest project for Netflix, and of course, the second season of favorite son M. Night Shyamalan\u2019s Servant<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Philly is eminently livable \u2014 it has four seasons (none of them too extreme), great public transportation, and delicious food from everywhere in the world (including nearby Amish Country). Finally, locals take that City of Brotherly Love credo to heart: Philadelphians are just nice.<\/p>\n

5. Vancouver<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Little\n

Ryan Reynolds came home last year to shoot the star-studded The Adam Project<\/em>, which features Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo, and Zoe Saldana. But Vancouverites are more than accustomed to seeing famous faces around town at this point: generous, sustainable tax incentives, and temperate Canadian weather have lured many an A-lister up the Pacific Coast.<\/p>\n

Sandra Bullock shot an untitled Netflix film in the Chinatown district of Vancouver in 2020, and you can ponder what it might be about as you walk along nine beaches stretching out over 18 kilometers \u2014 that\u2019s about 11 miles in American.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking to go back to school, British Columbia has seventeen educational institutions that offer digital media and motion picture production programs, including the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, Capilano U, and Vancouver Film School.<\/p>\n

Tax credits in British Columbia can be tricky, but it\u2019s worth the money you\u2019ll spend on a good accountant to figure them out. A production can receive a 35% basic tax credit along with several additional credits for particular types of projects and locations. For example, a digitally animated production done in certain locations could receive a total credit of a jaw-dropping 69.5%.<\/p>\n

4. Chicago<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Chicago\n

Chicago was one of the main locations for the most-talked film of 2020. We\u2019re talking about Contagion<\/em>, which shot there a decade ago. But Chicago has become an even more attractive locale in the decade since.<\/p>\n

2019 was a record-breaking year for film production in Illinois, and 2020 was poised to surpass that success. Of course, we all know why that didn\u2019t ultimately happen, but Chicago did host several television programs, and last year seems unlikely to end Chicago\u2019s rapid ascent as a major moviemaking hub.<\/p>\n

Columbia College of Chicago is one of MovieMaker\u2019s Best Film Schools in the U.S. and Canada in 2020, and Northwestern, which also made our list, houses a top- notch documentary program in nearby Evanston.<\/p>\n

The Chicago Film Society \u2014 which normally screens 35mm and 16mm prints \u2014 got creative in its 2020 fundraising efforts, launching a DIY zine which helps raise money for the nonprofit. Issue #1 hit in mid- September, offering \u201ca treatise on making films at home, horoscopes, shipping blotter, and MORE!\u201d<\/p>\n

Founded in 1966, Kartemquin Films is the longstanding Chicago-based documentary nonprofit behind Steve James\u2019 lauded work like Hoop Dreams and also Bing Liu\u2019s Minding the Gap<\/em>. This year they took on MovieMaker<\/em> favorite Finding Yingying<\/em>, the documentary debut from Jiayan \u201cJenny\u201d Shi.<\/p>\n

Chicago also played Kansas City in Season Four of Fargo, lining the streets with beautiful period sedans. The FX production had to shut down midway due to COVID-19 but was able to return to wrap production in time for us to watch Chris Rock as a 1950s gangster.<\/p>\n

And Chicago is strikingly less expensive than New York City and Los Angeles, especially in terms of real estate.<\/p>\n

3. Austin<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Austin\n

For many in the film world, the cancellation of Austin\u2019s SXSW was the<\/em> moment of realization that COVID-19 was going to cause massive change. Since then, many who left Los Angeles and New York have chosen Austin as their new base. Austin was ready for the influx. The homebase of Richard Linklater and Robert Rodriguez has spent decades building up a reputation as a keeping-it-weird film mecca.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is plenty of community spirit to be found among filmmakers in the bigger cities \u2014 but then, all your filmmaker pals in New York and L.A. are devoting their full energies to trying to survive their own daily trials there,\u201d says Austin-based moviemaker Andrew Bujalski, whose films include Support the Girls<\/em> and Results<\/em>. \u201cAustin is the only place I\u2019ve known where, when a project gets going, everyone seems to drop what they\u2019re doing to come help.\u201d<\/p>\n

A list of recent projects makes clear how bustling the production community is: Rodriguez\u2019s We Can Be Heroes with The Mandalorian<\/em> star Pedro Pascal, Linklater\u2019s animated Apollo 10 1\u20442<\/em> with Jack Black, and TV shows including FX\u2019s A Teacher<\/em> and AMC\u2019s Fear the Walking Dead<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Locations of all kinds can be found around the capital of the Lone Star State, from urban scenes to small towns, ranchland, lakes and just about anything else you can imagine. Permitting is easy, and local film sets take the pandemic seriously.<\/p>\n

Texas has never been the most generous state in terms of tax incentives, but the Texas Film Commission makes up for that with the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program that provides cash grants that offer up to 22.5 percent back, depending on production spend. We don\u2019t need to tell you the food is stellar, from queso to barbeque, and someday soon the legendary music scene will come roaring back to life, too.<\/p>\n

2. Atlanta<\/strong><\/p>\n

A 30% tax credit, great weather, excellent crews and a slew of blockbusters have made Atlanta a force for years. But the home of The Walking Dead<\/em>, Watchmen<\/em>, and much of the Marvel and DC cinematic universes is also an innovator when it comes to the industry\u2019s fight against COVID-19. Tyler Perry was one of the first high-profile moviemakers to prove that filming could safely resume when he quarantined cast and crew this past summer, and even used private flights to ensure safe travel to his own Tyler Perry Studios. The Georgia Film Office also issues a short, jargon-free guide to shooting safely.<\/p>\n

As the pandemic has changed every aspect of filmmaking, Atlanta has strived to adjust as quickly \u2014 and safely \u2014 as possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way that crews are having to morph and change because of the pandemic, they\u2019re more spaced out\u2014you actually need more equipment, so that way you have less touch points between people and shared things,\u201d says Film Impact Georgia executive director Melissa Simpson.<\/p>\n

Atlanta has continued to thrive as a film center during COVID-19 \u2014 and even grow. In fact, Pinewood Atlanta Studios rebranded in 2020 as Trilith, a location that includes a small town with its own homes, restaurants, parks, and schools \u2014 as well as production facilities within walking distance.<\/p>\n

Atlanta isn\u2019t just home to big productions, but indie ones, too \u2014 and Film Impact Georgia responded to the pandemic by creating an educational program for moviemakers, in addition to a twice-a-year grant program for making shorts.<\/p>\n

Continue for<\/em> MovieMaker‘s Top Big City to Live and Work as a Moviemaker in 2021<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

BIG CITIES (continued)<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Albuquerque<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"New<\/p>\n

Albuquerque is at the top of our list for the third consecutive year, and it just keeps getting better for moviemakers. In 2018, Netflix bought Albuquerque Studios and pledged to spend a billion dollars in the region. This past fall, it doubled down by announcing another billion. Albuquerque Studios is now the home to a slew of shows and films, including the fourth season of Stranger Things<\/em>.<\/p>\n

It isn\u2019t all Netflix, either. NBCUniversal\u2019s state-of-the-art TV and film studio, announced in 2019, is expected to bring a production spend of $500 million over the next decade.<\/p>\n

New Mexico Economic Development Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes, who previously ran the Albuquerque Film, Television and Media Office and was instrumental in the Netflix deal, left Los Angeles a few years ago to return to her home state, and has a long list of reasons she made the move. \u201cIt\u2019s quality of life. The people are fantastic. I love the outdoors. I don\u2019t like being in traffic. I like being around people who welcome you. And we\u2019re all very connected here. It\u2019s a community that is very tight,\u201d Keyes told MovieMaker<\/em>. \u201cYou can buy a house here. Once people get here, it\u2019s just hard to leave, because it\u2019s so beautiful.\u201d The region is varied enough to double for leafy 1980s Hawkins, Indiana \u2014 but also has locations that can serve as 1940s Los Angeles, Old West towns, Afghanistan and even Mars. Keyes also notes that \u201cwe do have proper cities here,\u201d with plenty of tall buildings.<\/p>\n

Breaking Bad<\/em> may have done more than any other show to put New Mexico on location scouts\u2019 lists, with its lush displays of its powder-blue skies, 310 days of sunshine, unspoiled desert and haunting cottonwoods. But it\u2019s not all about appearances \u2014 there\u2019s up to a 35% tax credit, and New Mexico is building the moviemakers of the future with its Film Crew Advancement Program, which provides 50% wage reimbursement for up to 1,040 hours of on-the-job training of New Mexico residents. The opportunities don\u2019t end there.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith excellent local training programs, Albuquerque is nurturing and training a full pipeline of local talent into world-class crews,\u201d says the city\u2019s film liaison, Karen Criswell. \u201cPrograms include points toward union membership, COVID certification courses, games and animation, and the study of emerging technologies like AR\/VR. Training is provided by the University of New Mexico, Central New Mexico Community College, and other local academic institutions and organizations.\u201d<\/p>\n

New Mexico also takes COVID-19 very seriously, shutting down productions from March through September of 2020 and requiring all productions to adopt strict safety standards.<\/p>\n

All that, and it\u2019s a two-hour flight to L.A. for those big industry meetings you just can\u2019t do over Zoom.<\/p>\n

Continue for<\/em> our Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker: Small Cities & Towns<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

SMALL CITIES & TOWNS<\/strong><\/p>\n

10. Ashland, Oregon<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Ash\n

\u201cI feel really lucky that I, in many ways, was able to be reborn here. And in many ways, it is a different country from the East Coast. I mean, my friends would just be amazed. I hike a lot now,\u201d says Richard Herskowitz, a former New Yorker who is now the artistic director of the Ashland Independent Film Festival.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking for a lot to love in a small town of just over 21,000, you won\u2019t do much better than Ashland. The community 20 miles from the California state line has a long list of praiseworthy attributes \u2014 including hiking trails, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and a passionate film community\u2014 but you can add tenacity to that list. In 2020, Ashland battled both the pandemic and wildfires, never abandoning its commitment to community and ingenuity.<\/p>\n

One innovation was the release this year of the independent comedy Phoenix, Oregon over the \u201cTheatrical at Home\u201d digital platform created by Ashland-based producer Anne Lundgren. It splits revenues between moviemakers and indie theaters, and was later used by several other releases. The closeness of the film community was also apparent this year when the local chapter of the Oregon Media Production Association coordinated a cable and equipment swap to help get filmmakers get back to work, and Joma Films held a fundraiser for fire victims.<\/p>\n

Given its small size, Ashland typically punches far above its weight with local film expenditures of up to $8 million annually, eight regional production facilities and 14 equipment rental houses.<\/p>\n

9. Wilmington, North Carolina<\/strong><\/p>\n

This small town nestled along the Atlantic Ocean is brimming with film history: It\u2019s the filming location of David Lynch\u2019s Blue Velvet<\/em>. Dino De Laurentiis built his own studio here in the 1980s. And he was joined in town by camera genius Joe Dunton, who has worked with everyone from Steven Spielberg to George Lucas to Stanley Kubrick, and has proven willing, over the years, to share his insights from his local business, JDC Camera Services.<\/p>\n

The deliciously offbeat, smashingly innovative, charmingly anti-competitive Cucalorus Film Festival is one keeper of the Wilmington legends, which expand each year. \u201cEven with COVID, 2020 surpassed 2016, 2017, and 2018,\u201d says Johnny Griffin, director of the Wilmington Regional Film Commission. The region expects to bring in an estimated $65 million in film and TV-related revenue for 2020, thanks in part to features including the fifth film in the Scream franchise. They\u2019re drawn in part by<\/p>\n

North Carolina\u2019s 25% rebate on qualifying expenses and purchases or rentals. Wilmington boasts more than 700 crew members, 10 sound stages, and diverse locations that can pass for just about anywhere in the U.S. \u2014 though suburbs that are more mysterious than they seem are a specialty.<\/p>\n

8. Richmond<\/strong><\/p>\n

Virginia\u2019s capital has done a very good job of cultivating historical projects \u2014 from John Adams<\/em> and Lincoln<\/em> to the recent Harriet<\/em> and The Good Lord Bird<\/em>. It offers many government buildings and facilities for free. Most impressive is the Virginia-owned backlot, State Farm, a more than 3,000-acre property offered to clients without location fees that includes rolling hills, forest, farmland, vacant prison facilities, riverfront views, and functioning period sets spanning 300 years.<\/p>\n

The Southern hospitality also includes a 20% tax credit for films, television, documentaries and commercials, which can climb to 40% based on other requirements, such as using local labor or first-time workers. The food is exquisite and unique, and the architecture, from colonial to ultra-modern, is sublime. Runners and cyclists will be delighted by the picturesque trails.<\/p>\n

Richmond places great value on culture and diversity, which is reflected by film festivals ranging from the nearby Virginia Film Festival to the Pocahontas Reframed Film Festival to the Afrikana Film Festival to the 48-Hour Film Project. And hometown hero Vince Gilligan, who launched his career by winning the Virginia Screenwriting Competition, has continued to give back by serving as a judge.<\/p>\n

The Virginia Film Office, meanwhile, is professional, extremely accommodating, and devoted to safety protocols.<\/p>\n

7. Tulsa<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Tulsa\n

The city in the center of the country found itself at the center of film conversation in 2020, thanks to Minari<\/em>, which filmed in Tulsa in 2019 and won both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.<\/p>\n

Tulsa has tripled its number of productions between 2017 and 2019. Among the new projects is FX\u2019s upcoming series Reservation Dogs<\/em>, from Taika Waititi and Sterlin Harjo, a native Oklahoman who directed the pilot.<\/p>\n

Recently, Tulsa independent theatre Circle Cinema was selected as one of the 20 satellite screens around the U.S. for the 2021 Sundance Film Festival.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis melting pot of culture creates a strong sense of heritage which is felt through the cuisine, art and community spirit across Tulsa,\u201d says Abby Kurin, executive director of the Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts, and Culture. \u201cTulsa is also uniquely positioned to bring the East and the West together, meeting in the middle on the Mother Road.\u201d<\/p>\n

And moviemakers can take inspiration from other art forms, as well: \u201cExploding early with lavish Art Deco architecture and an emphasis on the arts as a result of the oil boom, Tulsa is the smallest American city to offer the fine-arts triple threat of an opera, symphony orchestra and professional ballet,\u201d says Kurin.<\/p>\n

6. Providence<\/strong><\/p>\n

Providence is a place of history and innovation, as represented by the Ivy League\u2019s 257-year-old Brown University and the bold Rhode Island School of Design, a school that counts Gus Van Sant, RaMell Ross, Natalia Almada and Ryan Trecartin among its alums.<\/p>\n

It also wants more moviemakers, as demonstrated by the recent raising of its tax credit from 25% to 30%.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe build from within by providing and sponsoring educational opportunities for our citizens hungry to learn about film and television production,\u201d says Steven Feinberg, who has run the Rhode Island Film and TV Office for 16 years. He says the region also incentivizes outside productions to come to Rhode Island, which in turn provides jobs and internships.<\/p>\n

Adding to the film culture are festivals like the SENE Film, Music & Arts Festival (one of MovieMaker<\/em>\u2019s 50 Film Fests Worth the Entry Fee in 2020), and the Academy Award-qualifying Flicker\u2019s Rhode Island International Film Festival.<\/p>\n

As an added bonus, Boston is only an hour away.<\/p>\n

5. Victoria, British Columbia<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vancouver thrives as a big- city alternative to Los Angeles and New York City, and Victoria thrives as a smaller alternative. It\u2019s only about 75 miles away from Vancouver, but getting there will require a combination of driving and a ferry \u2014 which takes about four hours from downtown Vancouver\u2014or a flight, which takes about 35 minutes.<\/p>\n

Victoria is worth the trip. The Vancouver Island Sound Film and Media Commission notes that the island, where Victoria is located, has locations that can double for everything from Central Park to English castles to the French Quarter to the Napa Valley.<\/p>\n

Professor Xavier\u2019s School for Gifted Youngsters in Deadpool is really Hatley Castle, just outside Victoria, and Vancouver Island\u2019s Highway 19 was the scene of a harrowing chase in Sonic the Hedgehog.<\/p>\n

We\u2019d suggest referring to our entry about Vancouver for a taste of the significant tax benefits that await you in Victoria, but as we said there, you\u2019ll probably want to enlist a tax professional.<\/p>\n

The commission will cheerfully direct you to qualified crew and production services, and your mood will be elevated by waking up each day to dreamy greenery and crashing waves.<\/p>\n

4. Savannah<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Best\n

It\u2019s a testament to Savannah\u2019s diversity of locations that it was able to stand in for pretty much everywhere else in the United States in Julie Taymor\u2019s road movie The Glorias<\/em>. The city has a can-do spirit that was especially apparent in 2020.<\/p>\n

\u201cDespite five months of industry-wide shutdown worldwide, we assisted 95 productions, and landed 41 projects,\u201d says Beth Nelson, executive director and film commissioner of the Savannah Regional Film Commission.<\/p>\n

That kind of output is due in large part to the people in Savannah. Its crews are professional and at the top of their craft, thanks to top-notch schools like the Savannah College of Art and Design and Georgia Film Academy, and film organizations like Savannah Women in Film and Television. The SCAD Savannah Film Festival is a well-programmed delight that draws A-list talent from around the globe.<\/p>\n

Also read:<\/strong> 15 Submission-Worthy Screenwriting Competitions of 2020<\/a><\/p>\n

Few smaller cities can compete with its sense of sweep and history. Sure, you can dress up parts of it to pass for anywhere, anytime. But it also has very specific locales like 1950s-style diners, stately buildings largely unchanged since the Civil War, and inspiring coastline and evergreens waiting just outside of town.<\/p>\n

Your crew will eat well, too, with award-winning restaurants and incredible food festivals like the Food and Wine Festival, Shalom Y\u2019all Jewish Food Festival and the Gourmet Seafood & Spirits Festival.
\nDon\u2019t skimp on the biscuits or pralines.<\/p>\n

3. Pittsburgh<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Pittsburgh\"\n

Pittsburgh is on the move: It very deservedly moves into the top three from a quite respectable No. 4.<\/p>\n

It could qualify as a big city, but always emphasizes a friendly, folksy small-town feel that keeps visiting moviemakers from feeling homesick. The \u2019Burgh is a magnificent movie town, home to top-tier productions from David Fincher\u2019s Mindhunter <\/em>to Christopher Nolan\u2019s The Dark Knight Rises<\/em>. Recent productions include Clea DuVall\u2019s new holiday classic Happiest Season<\/em>, where Pittsburgh\u2019s winter wonderland feel was on full display, as well as I\u2019m Your Woman<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The region drew $100 million in direct spending in 2020, thanks in part to a Pennsylvania tax credit of up to 25%. Carnegie Mellon is one of several outstanding schools for aspiring moviemakers, and film festivals are in bountiful supply. So is a spirit of fun: The city\u2019s Row House Cinema has kept things lively during lockdowns with a cat-focused film competition and a contest to make your own \u201cSweded\u201d film \u2014 a no-budget, homemade remake of an existing film.<\/p>\n

The homes, meanwhile, are affordable and often stunning, and you\u2019ll be surrounded by museums, culture and sports. Plus, as political commentators reminded us constantly in 2020, Western Pennsylvania is a complex, storied, unpredictable place\u2014which should make it an endless source of inspiration.<\/p>\n

2. Santa Fe<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Best\n

Look no further than our winter cover to see some of the unspoiled beauty of Santa Fe, a mere 60 miles from the top big city on our list, Albuquerque. The Harder They Fall<\/em>, with an all-star cast that includes Regina King, is just the latest high-profile project to shoot in Santa Fe, where other recent productions include Paul Greengrass\u2019 News of the World<\/em>, starring Tom Hanks, and Cop Shop, starring Gerard Butler. Albuquerque-based Better Call Saul<\/em> makes the hour long drive to Santa Fe for the occasional scene. And residents include George R.R. Martin, who could live anywhere, but chooses to lay his crown in Santa Fe.<\/p>\n

The town provides a small, intimate, away-from-it all feel. But thanks to its considerable resources and those in Albuquerque, moviemakers relocating here won\u2019t have to give up anything but a commute. It boasts excellent skiing, hundreds of art museums, and even an outdoor opera house. The tax credits are up to 35%, and you\u2019ll have no trouble finding equipment rental houses, production facilities and crew.<\/p>\n

\u201cSanta Fe is truly a filmmaker\u2019s paradise. We have doubled as Wyoming, Montana, Arizona, Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, California, Mexico, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Turkey, and Jerusalem,\u201d says Santa Fe Film Office director Jennifer LaBar-Tapia, who notes that the region has been a backdrop from stories ranging from apocalyptic dramas to holiday tales to romantic comedies.<\/p>\n

Continue for <\/em>MovieMaker‘s Top Small City to Live and Work as a MovieMaker, 2021<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

SMALL CITIES & TOWNS (continued)<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. New Orleans<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Bloody\n

\u201cWe live a block apart in a neighborhood full of friends and collaborators in an unpretentious city rich in resources and soulfulness,\u201d say Bill and Turner Ross, the moviemakers behind the highly praised Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets<\/em>. \u201cLife is the creative endeavor here \u2014 what you do isn\u2019t nearly as important as how you do it\u2014and filmmaking takes a back seat to festivity. Some days we\u2019re directors.<\/p>\n

Some days we\u2019re dancing in the streets. Neighbors are just as likely to pitch in on a film as they are to host a boil or help you move.\u201d<\/p>\n

New Orleans has a beyond-rich cinematic tradition that now includes the upcoming Ben Affleck-Ana de Armas film Deep Water<\/em> and Regina King\u2019s One Night in Miami<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Yes, New Orleans can stand in for Miami, and anywhere that calls for daring architecture, Spanish moss, temperate weather and extremely diverse locales. But no one will object to you just setting your story in New Orleans, with its gumbo-pot mix of cultures, languages, music and people. No one can capture one of its greatest attributes, its food, onscreen. But treat yourself.<\/p>\n

Equipment rentals and production facilities abound, and New Orleans brought in a jaw-dropping $475 million in 2020, luring productions with a 25% Louisiana film tax credit, plus an additional 15% for local labor. Its excellent film festivals are a testament to its rich film culture, as are the astonishing films and filmmakers coming out of the Crescent City. Phillip Youmans won the Founders Award at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2019 for his film Raising Cane when he was only 19. And Garrett Bradley won best director for a U.S. Documentary at Sundance for her documentary Time<\/em>, a film on countless Best of 2020 lists.<\/p>\n

New Orleans perfectly encapsulates the title of this list: it\u2019s truly one of the best places to not just work as a moviemaker, but live<\/em>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This year’s list of the Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker is different than any we\u2019ve done […]","protected":false},"author":850,"featured_media":103667,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"disable_comments":false,"tpd_featured_posts_arr":"","hide_featured_img_single_post":false,"msn_featured_video":[],"_msn_custom_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[41835,41836,41839,11],"tags":[5242,3471,5241,817,36134,10105,3146,3188,3277,5558,12543,36133,35922,2021,2091,321,2680,13189,3181,5236,3320,36132,7102,5234,3296,36136,8621,1214,36135,36130,36131,2923],"feeds":[],"class_list":["post-82579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-film-commissions","category-lists","category-location-lists","category-news","tag-albuquerque","tag-ashland","tag-atlanta","tag-austin","tag-bad-boys-for-life","tag-best-places","tag-best-places-to-live-and-work-as-a-moviemaker","tag-boston","tag-chicago","tag-fargo","tag-feature","tag-little-fish","tag-ma-raineys-black-bottom","tag-miami","tag-montreal","tag-moviemaker","tag-new-orleans","tag-oklahoma-city","tag-philadelphia","tag-pittsburgh","tag-providence","tag-reservation-dogs","tag-richmond","tag-santa-fe","tag-savannah","tag-tulsa","tag-vancouver","tag-victoria","tag-where-should-i-live-to-work-in-film","tag-where-was-fargo-filmed","tag-where-was-pieces-of-a-woman-filmed","tag-wilmington"],"primary_category":{"term_id":41835,"name":"Film Commissions","slug":"film-commissions","taxonomy":"category","url":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/category\/film-commissions\/"},"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=150,height=150,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/2021-Best-Places-for-Social-FINAL-copy.jpg","fimg_url_thumb":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=150,height=150,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/2021-Best-Places-for-Social-FINAL-copy.jpg","featured_img_medium":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=300,height=213,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/2021-Best-Places-for-Social-FINAL-copy.jpg","author_name":"MM Writers","author_avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/68d39fcaea3102e0089148511686456f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","author_link":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/author\/mm-writers\/","post_categories":["Film Commissions"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker, 2021","url":"http:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/best-places-to-live-and-work-as-a-moviemaker-2021\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/best-places-to-live-and-work-as-a-moviemaker-2021\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=150,height=150,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/2021-Best-Places-for-Social-FINAL-copy.jpg","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1080,height=767,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/2021-Best-Places-for-Social-FINAL-copy.jpg"},"articleSection":"Film Commissions","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"MM Writers"}],"creator":["MM Writers"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"MovieMaker Magazine","logo":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/mm_site_logo-2.svg"},"keywords":["albuquerque","ashland","atlanta","austin","bad boys for life","best places","best places to live and work as a moviemaker","boston","chicago","fargo","feature","little fish","ma rainey's black bottom","miami","montreal","moviemaker","new orleans","oklahoma city","philadelphia","pittsburgh","providence","reservation dogs","richmond","santa fe","savannah","tulsa","vancouver","victoria","where should i live to work in film","where was fargo filmed","where was pieces of a woman filmed","wilmington"],"dateCreated":"2021-01-26T17:00:21Z","datePublished":"2021-01-26T17:00:21Z","dateModified":"2024-08-22T22:17:28Z"},"rendered":"