QUESTIONS: Atlanta seems to be the new Hollywood. I have lived in LA for years and have done well, had my ups and downs, but more downtime these days. Do I dare take that risk and move?
ACTORS: Atlanta does seem to be the buzz these days. I keep hearing if you want more work, go!
Is that true? I don’t know, but everywhere I go someone is mentioning Atlanta, Atlanta, Atlanta!
I walked into a commercial audition and the camera man tells me that his wife is in Atlanta filming Tyler Perry’s For Better or Worse. My boxing instructor mentions that his good friend, who books “mom roles,” is working non-stop in TV now that she has made the move to Atlanta. In my last article, I was introduced to a new TV show, Resurrection, that is shooting in Atlanta.
Then I ran into an actor I worked with a year ago from Atlanta who agreed more and more is happening there, but encouraged me to stay in LA as it is getting better.
Better? I don’t know. The business has definitely changed in Los Angeles, for better or for worse is in the beholder’s perspective.
For me, LA is very different than it was, say, ten or even five years ago; Non-union work was barely heard of, unless you were new to the business, now it’s the talk of the town; going financial core was discussed behind closed doors. Today, I know more union actors who have chosen that route, not because they want to, but because they want to work. Back in the day, you pretty much had to have an agent to be considered for any role. Today…anyone can self-submit.
Hollywood used to be the place to go if you wanted to act in TV and film and New York trailed close behind. Today, you can work almost anywhere; Not only am I hearing about Atlanta, but Austin comes up a lot, North Carolina, New Orleans, Detroit, Dallas, Portland and Canada.
Tax incentives are a big reason why Atlanta is thriving, the same reason New Orleans and other cities are attracting major industry business.
Plus, living expenses are much lower in a lot of these cities and you can buy a much bigger house—with land—for your buck!
But, like anything, there are pros and cons. Whenever I ask anyone what they like most about LA, the answer seems to be…”the weather.” For me, that is what I have missed the most, the seasons, until I returned from the Bay area this past weekend, where I celebrated my high school’s anniversary by cheering back on the field and reconnecting with high school friends…I forgot how much I missed a sense of community and friendship.
For me, I came to LA for the entertainment business, but never became a big fan of LA, so I would be happy to pack my bags and head to the south!
Personally, I love that idea!
I enjoy change and mixing things up and not being complacent.
Whether it is for you, I don’t know, but it’s worth researching and more importantly listening to your instincts…there is a reason you are questioning.
I have feared change as much as I have loved it. I have stayed too long in apartments, cities, relationships and jobs because I became unconsciously “comfortable,” which makes me laugh as I hear Reverend Michael of Agape church, “If you like comfortable, than buy a couch!.”
I’d rather buy a plane ticket!
And every time I fly to a new destination, I will admit, it’s a bit scary because I have no idea what awaits me on the other side…but at the same time I get excited like a little girl because I have learned that there is so much more to experience than the view I had from my couch!
So…if you are ready for a new view then maybe you are ready to buy a one-way ticket to Atlanta?
Atlanta is buzzing now, there is no doubt, but I also heard the more people that move there, the more housing and living will go up? Again, I don’t know, but I do know that nothing is permanent—not even change—but change says, “I am ready to create differently.”
I will leave you with a quote from Dalai Lama:
Take into account that
Great love and achievements
involve great risks
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