Over the course of the last year, a half-dozen of my most creative
friends - filmmakers, writers, musicians - have fled Los Angeles. The
careers that once paid their bills had dwindled to the point where they
could no longer sustain themselves or their families in this city. Most
found their salvation in other industries (advertising, mostly) in other
states (New York, mostly).
The situation for those of us who remain here is still bleak. Many are working on career changes, like the film producer who talks about opening up a boutique; or the newspaper reporter who is now working for a marketing firm. My own husband, a filmmaker with two Sundance successes under his belt, turned to advertising when the financing for his last film fell through. A close friend with a successful band watched his new music video net a half-million views on YouTube, but sell merely 35 albums; the band subsequently broke up.
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Author: Janelle Brown
