Editors’ note:

This is part of an on-going series of posts on the Valley’s creative movement and its counterpart the central valley brain drain. We are exploring why people leave and what would help them move back home.

If you are part of the brain drain and would like to participate, answer the questions you see below and send them to valley.notes AT gmail DOT com. This is our first reader submitted survey. Thank you Bryan!

Name: Bryan

Age: 23

Where did you attend high school? Clovis West High School

What is your educational background? BA in Mass Communication and Journalism (Video Production emphasis) from Cal State Univ-Fresno. Minor in History.

What is your current occupation? Production Coordinator with FOX Entertainment Group.

Where and how long did you live in the central valley? From birth to the end of college. 1984 – 2007.

Where do you live now? Studio City, California (Los Angeles).

Why do you (don’t you) live in the central San Joaquin Valley? There’s no major film or television industry in the valley.

What are the secondary reasons? No other reason really.  But the weather is a lot nicer in Southern California.

What are the top 5-10 adjectives that come to mind when you think of the central valley? Hot, conservative, rural, affordable, potential

What changes/acts of God would need to occur in order for you to move back? A much more vibrant local film and television industry. Art house theaters. Location shooting from Hollywood studios. The city film commission is making baby steps, but it’s not something I see happening too soon. They don’t even have public access television for starters!

What price would make it worthwhile to move back? If I could make just as much money in my industry and still be happy, it may be worthwhile. But the industry lives and breaths in Los Angeles, so I could never see myself leaving here for good.

Feel free to add any comments. Those of us born in the valley will always posses some strange bond and weird desire to return. Whether or not we will is the question.