There's a lot of great things about Southern California: the sun, the sand, the surfing. It's in our cultural heritage, our cultural perception that if it has anything to do with sun, sand, and surf, then it must be California. Most people don't immediately conjure images of Hawaii or Miami -- nope, that instant image plugs right into the So-Cal scene. This usually means Los Angeles. Of course, this probably has less to do with any inherent qualities and more to do with the fact all the cameras happen to be in Los Angeles.
This is the dirty little secret that drives our cultural perceptions about a great many things. But, sticking with this idea of beach culture and "California vibes" brings us back to LA. Sure, the old movie moguls moved out here because of the perpetually sunny weather. Yes, it was a great idea, but it was also a massive evasion. The moguls moved west to avoid copyright infringement suits back East. So, even in its inception, the movie industry was trying to balance practicality and evasion.
And we can't forget about a quality that is all too human: laziness. Just because you want to make a movie set in Miami or the Bahamas doesn't necessarily mean you have the money to fly there and shoot there. Here is how the LA basin comes in handy for make-belief. You take the camera and crew down to Manhattan Beach and pretend it's the Bahamas or Africa or wherever. I think this get to something inherent in Southern Californian culture: make belief.
It' a triple P. Pretending, projecting, and preening are all qualities associated with movie culture, otherwise known as Hollywood. So, it follows that LA and a culture of self-aggrandizement should go hand-in-glove. And so, since all the cameras and broadcasters are located in LA, the rest of the country -- and the world -- have come to think that LA is some kind of center. For what, is still debatable.
The only way to truly understand the reality of Los Angeles and its outlying suburbs and affiliates cities is to come live here. Yes, that is a harrowing proposition, but if you want to understand a culture, you must be immersed in it. Plan your stay for about two or three years. Any more and you'll never leave, any less and you'll think you should have stayed longer. The area has that kind of appeal. It lulls you into thinking you may be discovered just around the corner -- even if you've never thought about acting in your life. It's called LA-LA Land for a reason. - 30247
This is the dirty little secret that drives our cultural perceptions about a great many things. But, sticking with this idea of beach culture and "California vibes" brings us back to LA. Sure, the old movie moguls moved out here because of the perpetually sunny weather. Yes, it was a great idea, but it was also a massive evasion. The moguls moved west to avoid copyright infringement suits back East. So, even in its inception, the movie industry was trying to balance practicality and evasion.
And we can't forget about a quality that is all too human: laziness. Just because you want to make a movie set in Miami or the Bahamas doesn't necessarily mean you have the money to fly there and shoot there. Here is how the LA basin comes in handy for make-belief. You take the camera and crew down to Manhattan Beach and pretend it's the Bahamas or Africa or wherever. I think this get to something inherent in Southern Californian culture: make belief.
It' a triple P. Pretending, projecting, and preening are all qualities associated with movie culture, otherwise known as Hollywood. So, it follows that LA and a culture of self-aggrandizement should go hand-in-glove. And so, since all the cameras and broadcasters are located in LA, the rest of the country -- and the world -- have come to think that LA is some kind of center. For what, is still debatable.
The only way to truly understand the reality of Los Angeles and its outlying suburbs and affiliates cities is to come live here. Yes, that is a harrowing proposition, but if you want to understand a culture, you must be immersed in it. Plan your stay for about two or three years. Any more and you'll never leave, any less and you'll think you should have stayed longer. The area has that kind of appeal. It lulls you into thinking you may be discovered just around the corner -- even if you've never thought about acting in your life. It's called LA-LA Land for a reason. - 30247
About the Author:
If you're in Los Angeles by accident or design, be sure you take the time to visit Manhattan Beach, CA. Book a room, stay awhile and soak up those crazy vibes.
