In your opinion, does a feature scriptwriter need to live in the Los Angeles area to be fairly active in the business and sell work?
–K. Strom
Yes. As much as I want to believe that a fledgling screenwriter in Scranton, PA, can take the industry by storm, the majority of writers working in studio feature films live and work in Los Angeles, at least in the early stages of their career.
Could you do it in London? Sure. New York? Probably. Could you just commute back and forth to LA, spending most of your time somewhere else? Maybe.
The real question is should you, K. Strom, move from wherever you live to Los Angeles? That’s the $1000 question, and one that’s been raised at least half a dozen times in the three years I’ve been writing this column. Basically, if your life’s dream is to become a giant Hollywood screenwriter, then you need to live in Hollywood. If you have different goals — indie films, for example — your options are much more open.
