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Top 10 Movie Cities 2008
MM’s eighth annual countdown of the best places to live, work and make movies
When working on a project as research-intensive as this one, the word you never want to encounter is “unpredictable.” But as entertainment professionals and consumers alike have lately discovered, that’s an appropriate description for the current state of the film industry. From the writers’ strike, still ongoing at press time, to possible actors’ and directors’ strikes in June, it’s definitely not business as usual.
But we didn’t let those uncertainties get in the way of our reporting for the eighth annual countdown of the best U.S. cities to live, work and make movies. Because the good news is that, historically, some of cinema’s greatest moments have been born in uncertain times and today is still the best day to start thinking seriously about turning the idea rattling around in your left brain into a cinematic landmark. The better news, as this list has come to demonstrate, is that you don’t have to be in Hollywood to make it happen. (In fact, due to a rapid decline in feature film production—down more than 20 percent in the third quarter of 2007 alone—Los Angeles didn’t crack our list for the second year in a row.) But plenty of other cities put up a fight—from areas as far-flung as Stamford, CT to Kauai, HI.
So what criteria determined the final rankings? Well, quality and quantity both carried a lot of weight in terms of the local talent pool, production facilities, educational opportunities, networking events,
film festivals and other screening venues. Enthusiasm—on the part of the local moviemaking community, film office and cineastes—meant something, too. Keeping in mind that this is a story about
independent moviemaking specifically, the importance of a city’s financial incentives also could not be understated. Cities that give indies a bigger bang for their buck by offering a variety of different
looks or access to low-cost studio facilities are always great for the indie crowd. Innovation was another factor. At a time when energy prices are at an all-time high, areas that make special considerations for the environment scored some additional points with us, too.
In the end, it was the sum of all these parts that determined the final 10—and this year was one of the closest races ever. Newcomers Albuquerque and Shreveport shot up the list with a vengeance while New York was ousted from the top spot it has held for several years. Which once again goes to show that, when it comes to moviemaking, there are no guarantees. Of course, that is one of the beauties of the art—it consistently proves to us that anything is possible.
Now, onto the rankings…
1) Austin, TX
2) Albuquerque, NM
3) Shreveport, LA
4) New York, NY
5) Philadelphia, PA
6) Wilmington, NC
7) Seattle, WA
8) Portland, OR
9) Baltimore, MD
10) Memphis, TN
HONORABLE MENTIONS
*Stamford, CT
*Las Vegas, NV
*Richmond, VA
*Phoenix, AZ
*Chicago, IL
CITIES ON THE RISE
*Kauai, HI
*Bozeman, MT
The Winter 2008 edition of MovieMaker Magazine can be purchased on newsstands everywhere. Single copies can be purchased for $5.95 online at https://www.moviemaker.com/magazine/backissues/winter_2008/ or sign up for a full year of MovieMaker at our special introductory price of just $9.95 at https://www.moviemaker.com/subscribe/top_10_movie_cities.
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COMMENTS | POST A COMMENT 
- Comment by Geoffrey de Valois on 1/29/08 at 1:40 pm
What have you all been smoking?? For local talent pool, production facilities, educational opportunities, networking events no other city even comes close to Los Angeles! Yes, it’s expensive to live here because of the gorgeous weather - I was out shooting on the beach last week in the middle of winter. Try that in NYC, Philly, Seattle, Portland, Baltimore, etc!
- Comment by Thomas de Ville on 1/29/08 at 2:24 pm
Hey, I’m all for giving smaller cities the benefit of the doubt and the ability to live cheaply while working on your personal project cannot be underestimated. But c’mon, can anyone really swallow that its better to live in Shreveport than New York? Sure, you can get by without big rental houses or post facilities, etc. but one thing all productions will need no matter what the budget is talent. What kind of actors would you have access to in one of these smaller cities, not to mention good DPs, experienced crew, etc.? And LA not even in the top 10....?
- Comment by James Daniels on 1/30/08 at 1:13 am
there are awesome and fascinating people in every city and most towns. If you can just find the right story for them, and get them to forget about the camera to some extent, you’re golden. Some of them may want to be actors, so avoid them in favor of those you have to persuade. That’s my intuition. Just as is: New York is getting tired and the landscape’s shifting.
Really, genius is genius, and perhaps the next filmmaking-one will gravitate to Austin, LA, New York, or just stay in “who knows where?”: Romania, Dublin, Tehran?- Comment by Gina and David Crais (Gina, SAG member) on 1/30/08 at 11:37 am
What criteria is used to determine this list? Several years ago the state of Louisiana created the film and video tax credits to spur film development. They then modified in 2005 tax credits to include a more aggressive credit for film infrastructure, finance, facility, and production services development. The state has seen the budget values go from approx $50 million spent on film production in 2002 to almost $1 Billion spent this year on total services. The economic impact is much greater.
However, most of the production and services in the state are in New Orleans, and the upcoming Baton Rouge. Shreveport wasn’t even on the map until production activity was forced to move from New Orleans to North Louisiana after Hurricance Katrina. And now they’re “#3” on the list of all cities in the U.S.? I don’t think so. Most crew and talent still has to fly into Dallas and drive 3 hours to Shreveport. The Robinson film center is a lesser facility than either Nims in New Orleans or Celtic Studios in Baton Rouge (which has a 25,000 sq ft soundstage with a 50 foot ceiling plus post production facility). The focus in Louisiana is New Orleans and the SE Region. In fact, New Orleans is drawing more attention away from New Mexico, Austin, and the other more ‘banal’ film production venues. With the added benefit of over $10 Billion dollars of infrastructure redevelopment after Hurricane Katrina, improvements to air travel and transport, the increase in enrollment in regional universities (especially in the arts, creative fields, and creative industry professional services), and the decreasing insurance costs after risk mitigation and realignment of the post Katrina industry dyanmics, New Orleans and SE LA will continue to grow and further (yes, I mean further) surpass Shreveport, and the other cities on the Top 10 list - whether it’s recognized or not by the magazine or survey respondents. The proof is in the pudding, whether it’s on the list or not.
New Orleans, don’t just visit (we have enough tourists, we don’t need anymore), move here! Work, Live, Play, Create. It’s what we’re about.- Comment by javier bonafont on 1/31/08 at 8:53 am
Yay, Jennifer! Thanks for putting ATX at the top of the list where it belongs! But the upshot is I realize that I have let my subscription lapse to your clearly exceptional magazine, which I will, of course, remedy at once! What I think a lot of the LA/NY boosters don’t get is that some towns just have an “indie vibe” that is not present in LA for example. I lived and shot in LA for years and yes, the talent pool and resources are heads above what we have in Austin, but the measure of success is so commercial that its easy to lose your focus if you are working outside the mainstream, and the constant need to take any kind of work on any crummy slasher film to pay the rent slowly kills your soul. The film people I hang out with here are always talking about obscure things shot on super-8 or documentaries shooting in Morocco (that would be me), not Variety gossip or the grosses of the latest Will Farrell movie, so as an indie, it keeps you psychologically afloat. If you want to shoot VanDamme knock-off action flicks, maybe you should be in the valley, but if you toil in odder realms, there is hardly a more supportive place than Austin. Peace, and come visit.
- Comment by AlfredOleg on 1/31/08 at 1:50 pm
Quality of crews are unbeatable in Los Angeles. However, having lived and worked in many places, I have to agree.
Filmmaking is the wrong reason to come to LA. Any of the other cities listed (except Shreveport, LA) is probably better to live and work.
- Comment by Larry Vaughn on 2/11/08 at 8:54 pm
I live in a little sports college town in Florida. Nice place but
I’m ready to sell my house and move to a production center. Where should I go to get experience and make some money?- Comment by Doug on 2/22/08 at 1:29 am
I was born in Camden, Ar. and raised in Dallas, Tx. They both suck. Country as hell. I loved visiting Manhattan and Beverly Hills. The minute I get the money I am long gone. The city you live in should energize you. No matter how high they rate the city, if you hate it your writing will suffer. Can you imagine Woody Allen’s Manhattan being shot in Arkansas. Staring Woody Allen in “Bug-tussle”.
- Comment by J.Monet on 2/22/08 at 2:11 pm
I have to agree with Larry, Florida Film Industry is DEAD. Deader than ROADKILL! I live in Orlando by UCF and am student studying Film Production @ a College by UCF if it was not for the fact that I am already enrolled I would pack up and Move to Austin, TX. Not much good locations, you really have scout hard! The only good locations are in my opinion are Downtown & UCF, everything else is the boondocks. (unless your trying to do a film with a country feel) Don’t let the HYPE fool you, your better off going to Miami then Orlando. its cheap to live here though.
FYI: I moved here from Brooklyn,NY thinking that Orlando Would be the Next hollywood, due to all the HYPE!
- Comment by Corey on 2/25/08 at 11:15 pm
I will have to disagree with both larry and J.Monet, the film and t.v. industry in florida is NOT DEAD what so ever my friend. We have been more busyer in the past 2 years then we ever have been. even more so then in the 80’s and 90’s. I am a camera assistant here in orlando and orland has done 6 feature films last year alone and another 6 more this year. Plus were do you think all of the commercials are done. (Here in Orlando). Some of Van Helsing and Minority Report was shot here in our sound stages.
- Comment by Nate M. on 2/26/08 at 2:06 am
If you believe that corey, that so be it. I am going have to play on the court of Jmonet & larry. but from my understanding, Orlando is Garbage. I been here 4yrs with a degree in FILM from UCF. doing nothing but shooting student films. if not do your research. Maybe Moviemaker should a top 20 instead of 10. and I betcha my bottom dollar Orlando still wouldnt of make cut.If you are engulf in movie offers, I am only left to ponder one question: do you get carpet burn from being on your knees so much?
- Comment by Marcus West on 3/01/08 at 9:00 pm
I am in Austin and all movies are student and very few full length movies. Its bleak here everything moved to Louisiana, By the way any one ever worked the Euorpe film industry I am thinking of trying the Prague scene,
- Comment by Vincent on 3/08/08 at 10:39 am
There is pro and con no matter where you travel or live. People have a hard time getting over the stigma of places such as (The entire state of Louisiana). Having been in the military, I’ve had the opportunity to have lived all over the U.S. What I have found is most large cities have way too much traffic to completely enjoy the experiences that they offer. You could spend 2 to 5 hours driving to an event that only last 30 min to an hour. New Orleans puts Louisiana on the Map and sometimes I feel that people think that New Orleans and Louisiana are not associated. Then you hear the comment: New Orleans is a great place to visit but I wouldn’t want to live there: New Orleans 1 Louisianan 0 at least People want to Visit New Orleans but not any other place associated with Louisiana. I know live in Shreveport, La and have discovered… wow… I can travel to most major attractions within 15 minutes or so. I don’t plan any trips based on the time of day… I just get up and go. They have minor league hockey, baseball, basketball. They have the Independence Bowl for college. They have the Louisiana Downs Horse racing track. They host the State Fair. They have a small water park. Down Town Casino boats. The list can go on and on and on. So basically a place like Shreveport is a diamond in the rough. If people can open their eyes to what’s really there, they will find an awesome place to visit or even stay. Get your head out of the mud people.
- Comment by travel to new orleans on 3/11/08 at 4:23 pm
hi nice post
- Comment by Heidi Jacobsen on 3/23/08 at 6:23 pm
I have to agree with the comment that Florida is dead. Oh sure, occassionally big time films come here to shoot, Bad Boys II or Cape Fear, Miami Vice, etc but trying to get projects going here or finding financing is bleak…
Check out a clip of Cliff Guest’s (Florida Filmmaker) new film, “Two Thirties and A Fifteen” shot on location in Florida....
- Comment by payton on 4/03/08 at 1:13 pm
hey diggy diggy doggy!!peace out homey!!~~♥
- Comment by J.MONET on 4/03/08 at 3:21 pm
THANK YOU HEIDI. I am glad someone agrees with me on this. Obviously Corey has been in the industry longer than I’ve been alive. With more exprience under his belt. (kudos) but, for a young female filmmaker is not taken serious here. Verus being in NYC and there is more diversity.
- Comment by Dave Stang on 4/08/08 at 11:36 pm
Florida film scene “dead”? Absolute nonsense.I have worked in many films in Florida over the past 2 years.All paying jobs.Sure,Florida can do better but conditions are actually improving.the money and the means are starting to flow into the state.
- Comment by J.Monet on 4/16/08 at 5:16 pm
Dave,
In what ways have Florida have been improving? I live in Orlando and I have not seen any improvement in the last 2 years I have been here. Many of my Colleagues would agree with me. I am a pretty damn good filmmaker , I have won several Film Festivals including Tribeca Film Festival in 2006. So, I know it is not because of lack of talent, but merely of lack of work available. Now, If you have been able to get paid steadily for work (kudos to you),but rest of us gifted filmmakers have nothing to look forward to but Student & Indie Films. Feature Films are usually shot in Miami, not in Central Florida. So when you speak of Florida as a whole, yeah there is improvement I am sure but not where it should be. Orlando. Get with the Program my friend.
- Comment by Miley jones on 4/17/08 at 2:12 pm
Great post
- Comment by jered on 4/18/08 at 1:17 am
if this is so then how come los angeles and the hollywood population increased over the last years making los angeles the 2 nd largest city and were was transformers shot and alvin and the chimpmunks and crash and street kings and terminator 1-3 and shaggy dog and etc were filmed in austin TX I dont think and even tv shows now are filmed in los angeles not once have i seen austin or other listed locations in a movie and LA a great place to live because of its glamour
- Comment by Vincent on 4/18/08 at 5:40 am
People please read the entire damn article and not just the headline and list. This is a clip (as in cut and paste) right from the article: ...Keeping in mind that this is a story about
independent moviemaking specifically, the importance of a city’s financial incentives also could not be understated. Cities that give indies a bigger bang for their buck by offering a variety of different
looks or access to low-cost studio facilities are always great for the indie crowd. Innovation was another factor.
No one is trying to take away Hollywood’s status. These communities are just being recognized for a nice alternative. Come and be welcomed at Shreveport where we want your company just as much as your services.- Comment by L.A. Is For Faggots on 4/21/08 at 3:36 am
Hey Geoffrey de Valois, what’s with the arrogant, pompous attitude? You fucking cock sucker. You’re the exact reason that Los Angeles is worse than Iraq. Someone should drop a fucking bomb on that shitty city and kill you miserable arrogant pricks. You all don’t deserve to live.
You CUNT.
- Comment by Honza Krejcik on 4/21/08 at 5:47 am
You all lose. Prague, CZ. Wellington, NZ. Sydney, AU.
Beat all those cities black and blue apart from NYC (even though they’re still cheaper even with the dollar in the toilet)
And the only reason LA isn’t on that list is b/c they want people to talk about that Crackpot Article.
Sela
- Comment by asdasdasd on 4/21/08 at 8:31 am
No love for Detroit.
- Comment by Bert on 4/21/08 at 2:24 pm
The exclusion of Vancouver and Toronto makes this list completely irrelevant.
...unless of course the list is meant only to contain US cities; in which case I apologise.
- Comment by Rodney on 4/21/08 at 4:45 pm
Moving from nothing, to something, is always good in this industry. Wether it be LA or Shreveport.
I currently have an agent in Chicago. I have no desire to move there. Ultimately I want to get to LA, however, due to finance’s, I feel it will be either Shreveport or Wilmington. Does anyone have any EXPERIENCED input about either.
One good thing about Shreveport that stands out to me is within 4 hours you can be in Baton Rouge or Dallas. Add a couple of more and your standing in Austin or New Orleans.
So what do you think? Wilmington or Shreveport? (For a step up...from nothing)- Comment by JiS on 4/21/08 at 5:30 pm
Best places or areas to make movies are; LA, Paris, Former Bombay, London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Madrid/Barça, NY, Tokio, Syndey, etc…
Grtz!- Comment by Vincent on 4/21/08 at 5:45 pm
Rodney,
Shreveport is your answer. You will be amazed at what they have to offer:
Very lil traffic
Minor league hockey
Minor league baseball
Minor league basketball
Fishing
Hunting
Affordable homes
State Fair
Red River Revel
Louisiana Downs
Casinos
The list is endlessWilmington is near the megalopolis area but that is a great reason to get away
- Comment by John K. on 4/21/08 at 7:03 pm
Stamford Ct may merrit a Honorable Mention as a place to film movies, but it sucks for everything else.
- Comment by Erik Reichenbach on 4/21/08 at 8:04 pm
Nice - Baltimore is so overlooked. Baltimore has top notch crew and equipment starving for a feature to come to town. You can’t get more diverse of locations than Maryland
- Comment by Rodney on 4/21/08 at 8:12 pm
I’ve receieved some very good input on my earlier question posted. I recently visited Shreveport and I must say, I was surprized. It very much reminded me of back home. (Tennessee) I loved it. Shreveport seems to be a very nice place, however, one of my main concerns is the film industry. I’ve noticed there are a lot of auditions for extra’s, but how is it for the aspiring artest seeking, FEATURED WORK?
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2348334/resume
Thanks
Rodney- Comment by Keaton on 4/21/08 at 11:21 pm
I think you all are missing a really important sentence that explains the list...it’s in the third paragraph and states this list is talking specifically about independent movies. Obviously this list would not apply to big-budget films.
- Comment by Rodney on 4/22/08 at 8:23 am
Good point Keaton and Vincent. I still want to get to LA, but I think a little more time in the Independent (Small Town) side, will come first. All in good timing.
Thanks everyone for your input.Rodney
- Comment by Vincent on 4/22/08 at 8:51 am
Rodney,
Sounds like you figured things out for yourself. This article is not for aspiring actors but more for film makers and the likes. You need to seek out ways to make contacts which will be found in Hollywood. Shreveport has had some big names come through and some pretty good films made here recently. Shreveport did not end up on this list by accident… they are for real. GLTY
PS
You can get noticed as an extra but that is not a very proactive approach- Comment by Rezwan Omar on 5/05/08 at 5:30 am
hi
your idea is very good. i appritiate it.
This story was published in the Winter 2008 MovieMaker Magazine. The headline was:
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