Hollywood Without the Zip Code: Why L.A. Might Be the Industry’s Biggest Lie

For decades, Los Angeles has sold itself as the price of entry. You want in on the entertainment industry? Get a 310 or 818 area code, find a roommate (or three), and start saying yes to unpaid gigs that might—might—lead to something. The story goes: if you’re not here, you’re nowhere.

But here’s the thing.

Hollywood isn’t really here anymore.

Studios are global. Meetings happen on Zoom. Casting’s remote. And creatives all over the country are writing, producing, directing, animating, editing, and launching entire careers—without ever once getting stuck in traffic on the 405. The industry's gravity has shifted. But the myth of L.A. still pulls, still guilts, still whispers: If you're not here, you're not serious.

Let’s break that down.

First, the money. A one-bedroom apartment in a not-particularly-glamorous part of L.A. can run you $2,800 a month (if you’re lucky). Add in parking, pet rent, overpriced groceries, and the spiritual toll of “hustle culture,” and suddenly you’re wondering why you can’t write your pilot in a city where rent isn’t your co-writer. For many, L.A. no longer fuels the dream—it drains it.

Second, the access. The argument used to be that L.A. was where the gatekeepers lived. But the gatekeepers aren’t at Musso & Frank anymore—they’re in your inbox, on your LinkedIn, reading your pitch deck between Zooms from somewhere in Austin or Toronto or god knows where in New Jersey. Proximity has been replaced by visibility. And visibility is something you can build without ever setting foot in a WeHo wine bar.

Then there's the work itself. If you're writing, designing, developing IP, producing a podcast, or building a fanbase—do you need L.A. to do that, or do you need time, space, clarity, and a fast internet connection? I know creatives who left L.A. for small towns, mid-sized cities, even other coasts—and suddenly their output doubled. Their stress halved. And the quality of their connections? Strangely…better.

Because when you’re not spending every waking hour trying to “network,” you’re actually creating. You’re focusing on the thing that brought you into this business in the first place: the work.

Now, is there still value in being here? Absolutely. If you’re a working actor trying to get your foot in the door, or a DP looking to build your on-set resume, you’ll find more volume in L.A. You can still meet the right person at the right time at the right party. But even that’s changing. Virtual sets are everywhere. Talent is scattered. And the people hiring are learning to look beyond the freeway exits.

So what exactly are we paying for?

The myth. The inertia. The dream of “making it” the old way—even if that way doesn’t exist anymore. For some, L.A. still represents a kind of creative mecca. But for others, it’s just an expensive museum of how things used to work.

This isn’t a rant against L.A. It's a wake-up call. If you love the city and thrive here, that’s beautiful. Stay. Build. Grow. But if you're outside it—or thinking about leaving—don’t let some outdated dogma keep you from making bold, career-defining moves.

Hollywood is no longer defined by a zip code.

The real question now is: Are you building your creative life based on what still works—or what used to?

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Mark Haynes has lived at the intersection of entertainment, communications, and technology for the better part of thirty years. He’s developed stories for audiences for over a quarter century and he’ll do it again, too - but maybe not in Los Angeles. Find out more (like where he may move) at markhaynesproductions.com.