The Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker in 2025

MISSOULA, MONTANA 

Yellowstone is the one-word answer for why Missoula is thriving as an industry draw: It’s one of several Montana towns that have benefited from the Paramount+ hit’s move from Utah. Besides shooting office scenes aplenty in Helena, and the Dutton ranch in Darby, the show has also shot crucial scenes on the streets of Missoula and its now-famous Ruby’s Cafe. The Yellowstone offshoot 1923 also shoots locally, and regional crews have handled productions for everyone from Nat Geo to A24. The state makes itself even prettier with a 20% base incentive on expenditures, plus a 25% incentive for in-state crew and 15% incentive for out-of-state crew. As an added bonus, there’s no sales tax statewide. Missoula is home to the beloved Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, which holds the rare distinction of being one of our 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee and 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World. In her testimonial for the latter list, filmmaker Hadley Austin noted, “you can go on a proper hike in Missoula by simply picking a direction and walking until the sidewalk leads to trails.” Missoula also has a special place in our hearts as the birthplace of the late, great David Lynch.