As I sit in a Starbucks with my laptop pro working on a few video projects, I am strangely productive. I am on Whidbey Island, the largest of many islands in the Puget Sound north of Seattle--and the place where I grew up. It could be that Starbucks just feels more at home amongst the tall evergreens and snow-capped mountains of its birth. Maybe it's the fact that the weather here is much more my cup of tea (or cafe mocha, as the case may be) than that of my current home in Atlanta--and the light rain falling outside makes my corner of the coffee shop seem more cozy. Perhaps it is the more relaxed pace of this area in general, but I am definitely more productive.
Whatever the case may be, it is not a phenomenon unique to me. I have always been amazed at how many artists, authors and other creative types choose to live here and in similar places (Colorado, Maine, etc...) I often use voice-over professionals to narrate my productions, and a large percentage of them have chosen to hole up in this area as well.
If you can develop a good client base on your own, and one that spans the country, the advantage in this business of video production is that you can choose to base out of just about anywhere. Since the amount of time you spend editing is dramatically higher than the amount of time spent shooting, you might as well find a place that is comfortable and inspiring. Go shoot on location, then hole up for a few weeks. I am tempted to move back here every time I visit, and who knows--one day I might.
