Tuesday, December 20, 2011

As I don't live in the US, I was wondering to what extent the need to be in LA applies to writers based in other countries. Is it better to approach one's own country's agencies and production companies first, especially if the screenplay is something set in that country that might qualify for government arts funding if produced there?

Overseas, and Canadian, writers are in a different boat. If you qualify for government arts funding, use that first. Then, when you've made a smash-o picture, go to LA to see if LA cares. If LA doesn't care, go back and make another homebrew movie.

Every country has its own production hubs. In Canada, a TV writer must be in Toronto, a game writer probably should be in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver or Edmonton, and a feature writer can be in a number of cities. If the government is offering you money to create culture, stay where you are and take their money, until something you've made hits in LA. Then go to LA and say, "that movie everyone's talking about? I made that. Want to rep me?"

Labels: breaking in

10:39 PM

2 Comments:

>In Canada, a TV writer must be in Toronto

Really? Not Vancouver at all? I only ask because I can't stand Toronto and would like to see it blown off the face of the earth.

By  Mer, at 3:18 AM  

A Vancouver friend of mine who's a veteran writer is moving to TO this year because she can't get enough work. So, Toronto, yeah.

By  Alex Epstein, at 10:09 AM  

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