With a commitment to fostering its local film scene, San Antonio offers the best incentives you’ll find in Texas, with a city supplement providing qualified productions with 7.5 percent credit on top of the state’s. The San Antonio Film Commission is an invaluable resource, providing permits and street closures and securing space in the San Antonio Community Access Network digital studio (television equipment and broadcast facilities for public and educational use). The beauty of San Antonio’s River Walk, Museum Reach stretch, and missions provide a vibrant backdrop for your next shoot. With a low cost of living and a high-ranking quality of life, this is a city you’ll be happy to call home.
According to Ben Dobyns, executive producer of the hit fantasy web series JourneyQuest, “Seattle’s a community built on deep relationships, respect and a constant desire to experiment. The more work that we can create, the less incentive our top talent has to move elsewhere. You find ‘crewtopia’ over and over and over again.” We can’t not mention the grandiose Seattle International Film Festival. Beyond its month-long event in spring, SIFF operates a year-round screening program of current and classic films—like the original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory in Smell-O-Vision. And there’s the famous Seattle quality of life, from the incredible mountains and Puget Sound to the food culture. Though Seattle’s cost of living is pretty steep, it’s still cheaper than New York and San Francisco.
Chances are 2017 will be ripe with opportunity for making art from political allegory. Where better to make it happen than the nation’s capital? Washington, D.C.’s population has a distinctly cosmopolitan flair, reflected in its culture and media. Notable titles shot in 2016: Jason Bourne, Purge: Election Year and Jackie.
Sci-fi feature President Robinson, directed by Al Hallak, makes use of Washington, D.C.’s studio resources. Photograph by Sean Kennedy
Enjoy cash rebates of up to 35 percent for qualified shoots and expenditures. And dive into indie theaters like the Angelika Pop-Up at Union Market, incredible free museums and attractions, or a springtime stroll under the cherry blossoms. D.C. enjoys all four seasons, but Georgetown in the autumn (of The Exorcist fame) will really make your head spin.
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A robust incentive providing solid work opportunites, a strong commitment by the local community in developing the next generation, a state funded creative development program pairing young filmmakers with Hollywood professionals, and an internationally recognized film festival alone should qualify Honolulu for the list, add the beaches, year round tropical climate, and the availability of diverse locations and population (see 'Lost' and 'Hawaii Five-0') and the Aloha State should easily be a contender for the top 10.
Agreed! I'd love to shoot a film in Hawaii. Denver didn't make the list because our incentive package is shite. However, there were 3 films from Colorado at Sundance this year.
Silly question, how bad is the Tax incentive in Colorado ? I looked at the Colorado Film Office and their incentives are at 20%. My guess is that it's not great compared to 40% in Atlanta ?
Also, as the feature "The Mountain Between Us" discovered, the east Kootenay's area is also a great spot with an international airport (Cranbrook) and endless camera friendly locations. Not to mention a few knowledgeable locals who can create great scenery!
New Orleans has some great vendors who will work with indie filmmakers. We also have a lot of crew who have worked both the studio films and the low budget indie films (I am one of the people).
Also, the credits didn't take a blow. We simply have a cap now. The credits are still there, and smaller films can get their credits as well.
We are also getting better with places to see movies.
I am so happy to see my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio here. When I started my company Prelude2Cinema, people always told me I couldn't be a real filmmaker unless I moved to Hollywood. I am so glad that ideal is finally changing and you can make movies anywhere even in Cleveland.
Alex Michaels
As always, a great compilation of places to be as a moviemaker. Nice to see some international coverage as well, like Toronto. As a former resident, I've known a handful of people who have had great experiences directing and on the set of films in the area. And all the best people come out of Canada, ey?
Cheers from Ontario,
Liam
So, Pittsburgh is in the small cities and towns category and Albuquerque is in Big cities? Using the city proper population is a strange choice indeed... Don't you realize that the political structures of city limits bias lists like this to west coast or sunbelt (newer) cities? Don't you also realize that the same political structures have no effect on economic opportunities for filmmakers? Or do filmmakers usually just refuse to shoot anything if they have to cross a county line? Get real.
Cleveland/Pittsburgh are both bigger than Austin... Hmm...
When clicking on the Albuquerque link it takes me to Memphis, TN instead...
I live and work in San Francisco as a filmmaker, film distributor and film preservationist. I was very surprised not to see San Francisco on the list of best places to live and work as a filmmaker in your 2017 survey. There are many filmmakers working here, thousands of them, and some of the best support from organizations, film festivals, and the City of SF. Add to that San Francisco, itself, is one of the most beautiful natural "backlots" in which to film, with great dining and entertainment, and it just doesn't make sense that San Francisco did not make the list. We are a gigantic tech capital, too. Dolby's new building is just one block from where I live, and I can literally see into the offices of Twitter from my apartment. It was very disappointing not to see our city on your list.
one of my favorite cities to visit but affordability is an issue.
Yes, Santa Fe IS wonderful.
But saguaros? They don't exist here.
Otherwise, nice artwork.