New York or LA?

[Treelo]

...this is a quick question for some of the pro puppeteers out there.

As a working puppeteer, is it more desirable to live in New York or Los Angeles? Do you find one of them to be generally more favorable and/or does one city lend itself to finding more work above the other?

Thanks guys!

 

[Buck-Beaver]

I haven't really worked in either city, though I've done touring shows that went to NYC and I'm there on business a few times a year. I think it's a matter of which city is closer and many puppeteers work in both. Generally speaking, more kid's shows seem to be produced in New York, mostly because of Sesame Street and Nickelodeon's presence there I suspect. The work in LA seems to be more in films and is effects-oriented.

Personally, I like New York better, in part because it has a rich tradition of puppetry thanks to people like Jim Henson and Bil Baird. There are also a lot of really cool people there who do puppetry. The recent trend of puppets on Broadway has made the city even more puppet-centric. I've also gotten a few auditions through dumb luck when I've been in NYC at the right time.

Honestly though, if you're a working puppeteer you go wherever the gigs are. That's show business!