Cities in Florida - Thoughts?

[Think Tink]

Helllloooo my Disney loving friends.

My backstory - feel free to skip to the next paragraph if not interested I graduated with a degree in Business Management in 2014. A couple years ago after being known as the Grim Reaper (HR Rep) for 5 years I had a quarter life crisis at the ripe age of 26. I hated my job of laying off and firing people almost every week. I am now 28 and finishing my last year for my second bachelors now in Digital Media. I'm looking to work in video production. Ideally sports or news. I currently live in Ohio but I am looking at applying for roles in Florida as well since I have a lot of family down there, and also, Disney. My husband works from home so he wouldn't have to look for work, just me!

I am looking into the following cities, if you have any thoughts on them, please let me know. I'd love to hear the good and bad.

Orlando - Seems to have a larger job market but I'm not too familiar with the best places to live. I don't mind long commutes up to an hour.
Ocala - My uncle lived here back in the 90's and I know a ton has changed since he was there. It is roughly the size of my current town and has a decent cost of living.
Jacksonville - The weather would allow for coolerish winters which my husband my like. I have friends in the area which would make the move more enjoyable as well.
Port Orange - Smaller town but close to Daytona.

The only cities that are a true No-Go for us would be Miami or anywhere in the panhandle. If anyone has any other cities I should look into as well, I am open since I don't graduate until December.

Thanks for any info!

 

[kap91]

Hi there! I just left the film biz, and went to school in Orlando so hopefully I can help you out!

You're looking to work in post production? Or just production in general? Like local news and sports? Or something bigger?

I hate to rain on the parade, but unfortunately Florida is not a great place for media production. It exists, sure, and better than some states, but there aren't that many companies and opportunities and the market is rife with established freelancers who get most of the work. If I had to pick a city to be in for media in Florida, I would have picked Miami - but since that's a no go, you'll definitely want to be near to Orlando as it's the next biggest market. Port orange and Daytona/Deltona are close enough to commute if you really want to (around an hour). There's some hurricane risks with living that close to the coast through. I'd recommend anywhere from lake Mary/long wood down to kississimee. (North south). Or from UCF to Winter Garden /Apopka/Ocoee (east west).

if I can persuade you, Atlanta is a much better market for media in the south. There's just as many small companies, local news, etc. but there's also CNN and turner, adult swim, Tyler Perry, an enormous amount of film production, etc. And better weather. Also hiking and BBQ! The commuting Suburbs (Mcdonough for instance) are also quite affordable if you didn't want to be nearer. And it's only 5-6hours away from Disney (or a very quick and often very cheap flight).

Not to disuade you too much...I have a great deal of fondness for central Florida, being my home and all, but there's a lot of reasons not to live there lol.

If you have more questions feel free to DM me. Best of luck!

 

[Think Tink]

Thanks for the reply! I’m ideal looking to start as a production assistant and move to a producer for either a local news station or sports team. My friend is a producer at the PGA tour and has offered to put me in contact with people.
I’d prefer not to work in film or television shows just due to personal interests (though jobs are hard to come by so I will take what I can get). Atlanta really doesn’t interest my husband but I really appreciate the info! We have a bunch of family throughout FL so that’s what makes the state ideal.
Just curious, what made you leave the biz?

 

[kap91]

Thanks for the reply! I’m ideal looking to start as a production assistant and move to a producer for either a local news station or sports team. My friend is a producer at the PGA tour and has offered to put me in contact with people.
I’d prefer not to work in film or television shows just due to personal interests (though jobs are hard to come by so I will take what I can get). Atlanta really doesn’t interest my husband but I really appreciate the info! We have a bunch of family throughout FL so that’s what makes the state ideal.
Just curious, what made you leave the biz?

Fair fair, forgot about the golf channel. Great facility over there!

Mostly I left because I realized I cared a lot more about theme parks than I did movies and I'd kick myself when I was an old lady if I didn't at least try to take a stab at trying to get into theme park design. So here I am back in school and doing a career change just like you lol.

 

[Think Tink]

Fair fair, forgot about the golf channel. Great facility over there!

Mostly I left because I realized I cared a lot more about theme parks than I did movies and I'd kick myself when I was an old lady if I didn't at least try to take a stab at trying to get into theme park design. So here I am back in school and doing a career change just like you lol.

At least we’re aren’t alone! Lol

I really appreciate the insight! Good luck in school and job hunting.

 

[macefamily]

We're going through the same deal. My daughter is in her final semester of internship for speech therapy. She is going through an employment agency in Florida to land a job somewhere. She has narrowed it down to the West Palm Beach area which we have found to be a nice area, but somewhat expensive. I asked our family friend who lives in the Ormond Beach area about different locations in FL. He told me that every city has it's nice sections, but every city also has that area that you want to steer clear of. My daughter is excited. She's ready to start that next phase of her life. We're annual passholders so I'm pretty sure I know where she'll be spending her weekends.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

It seems to me like you're going about things backwards. Rather than picking a city and then looking for a job in that city, why not look for the right job and then evaluate whether it's in a city you could be happy in?

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I lived in Gainesville (just north of Ocala) for several years and a dear friend lived in Jacksonville for over a decade. Neither one of us would ever return to those areas. I found the job market to be pretty dismal as well, but this was also in the mid 1990s, and I was in a different field. I also came from the NY metro area and it all felt like I was stuck in the middle of nowhere. I always liked it when I got to fly through MCO vs JAX because it just felt like there was more around me. I know, kind of silly when I'm just flying through to get back to Gainesville, but it's just how I remember it. I still want out ASAP if I have to pass through there on a road trip to Orlando or south FL. I know you said no Miami, but there is more than just Miami in south FL. When the family made the move from NJ to FL, we started in Gainesville...then after I moved away (out of state), my parents went to the St. Pete area. They really liked it in St. Pete, but it was a tough job market for their respective areas of work and after a number of years of toughing it out, they went to the Ft. Lauderdale area where there were more opportunities. Still, I think they wouldn't mind going back there since they really liked that area of the gulf coast. So, from our experiences, I'd suggest looking Tampa/St Pete area or even look a little farther south on the gulf coast to Ft. Myers or Sarasota if you're set against the Atlantic side of south FL.

 

[Think Tink]

It seems to me like you're going about things backwards. Rather than picking a city and then looking for a job in that city, why not look for the right job and then evaluate whether it's in a city you could be happy in?

I agree that is a nice way to go about it as well, I am fortunate though, that we can afford for me not to work for a while. My husband has been iffy about wanting to move and has finally gotten on board so I want to make sure it’s somewhere he thinks he could be happy. We are going down in April for Disney but are taking some time to look into some areas and open houses.

so I agree that we are a little backwards on how to look for a city, it makes the most sense in my specific case.

 

[Think Tink]

So, from our experiences, I'd suggest looking Tampa/St Pete area or even look a little farther south on the gulf coast to Ft. Myers or Sarasota if you're set against the Atlantic side of south FL.

Thanks! I’m actually not dead set against South FL, Miami is just a bit too big for me. I like the idea of Tampa or Sarasota. I will add to my research list.

I’m a huge nerd and make lists for everything and do a painful amount of research. Lol

 

[macefamily]

I used to work for a company that was based in Melbourne, FL. It was a nice town on the intercoastal waterway. Nice restaurants and lots of business. It's about an hour from Orlando so trips to Disney and Universal aren't that bad.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Thanks! I’m actually not dead set against South FL, Miami is just a bit too big for me. I like the idea of Tampa or Sarasota. I will add to my research list.

I’m a huge nerd and make lists for everything and do a painful amount of research. Lol

I know south FL feels huge, and the cost of living is higher than all of the other areas, but there may also be more opportunities. When we visit my family down there, I like to think about it in a few different sections to make it easier to mentally manage. You've got the areas to the north of them that I associate with Boca and Palm Beach, you've got everything in their area that I associate with Ft. Lauderdale and Hollywood, and then you've got Miami and the upper Keys. My brain breaks it down even further with inland vs. coastal.

Nothing wrong with research either. This sounds big, so you need to be smart about it. And if you wind up falling in love with Ocala or Jacksonville...it's good too. Different people like different places. It was just my take on things

 

[SteveBrickNJ]

Here's a Youtube video on Tampa Bay (and St. Pete) that might be helpful. It focuses on why this area is a good place to work and to live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sndtsx62uM4

 

[John park hopper]

I lived in Boca Raton while going to college many years ago but it has changed not for the better. My sister lives just south of West Palm Beach in Boyton Beach (she has been in South FL 50 yrs) and hates it -has 1 year to retirement and can't wait to leave. Looking further up the coast Orange Beach- Dayton area won't get into why she hates it

 

[Lilofan]

I lived in Boca Raton while going to college many years ago but it has changed not for the better. My sister lives just south of West Palm Beach in Boyton Beach (she has been in South FL 50 yrs) and hates it -has 1 year to retirement and can't wait to leave. Looking further up the coast Orange Beach- Dayton area won't get into why she hates it

FL living has changed over the years. It's complicated.

 

[DisneyFreak]

Florida's population continues to grow which will afford you many opportunities. Tampa/St. Pete, Sarasota and even Ft. Myers/Naples are great areas. The West coast is definitely a slower pace and less congested than the East coast.