Fellow filmmakers, I'd like your input.

Loud Orange Cat

Loud Orange Cat

Pro Member
indiePRO
What you're about to read is a serious request. I've been considering writing a (kind, of course!) letter to the governor of Florida describing my horrific experiences dealing with the Pinellas and Hillsboro county film commissions here in the state.

First of all, the Pinellas County film commissioner has been nothing more than a (I'm re-wording this, I assure you!) manipulative, selfish, greedy bitch (I'll retool the detailed explanation later).

The Hillsboro County film commissioner was very pleasant to work with, however. She wanted to help me in my future production, a full length thriller, but she let me in on a little secret: The city that I want to film in has an archaic 1920's law still on the books that doesn't allow me to shoot within the city limits. Not only that, but it's ILLEGAL to shoot after dusk in the county. WTF? Don't they seek the possible dollars that this could bring in? Why is a state like Florida banning possible business?

I'm shooting a thriller that takes place at night. Am I supposed to suck it up and shoot out of state? Is our cash not as green as some multi-billion dollar production company?

Also, I wanted to mention that Florida is the last state that offers no incentives (hell, there's no cooperation either) for low budget or independent film at all. I'll cite a few examples in my letter.

I want to make valid points WITHOUT getting personal. I DO NOT want to seem angry or piss off the man at all, I'd like to offer CONSTRUCTIVE advice backed up with verifiable evidence that Florida doesn't want my -- or other indie's business.

Suggestions??
 
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I lived in Florida a few years ago and filmmaking there is a JOKE. I must admit, however, that I had better luck than you did. I shot in Orange County (Orlando). It was expensive but we did ultimately get what we wanted. The film commission was blasé but at least they didn't interfere with us.

My advice would be to write the letter you want but don't expect too much to come of it, and to make plans to shoot somewhere that actually wants your business.
 
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I lived in Gainesville about 10 years ago. Just before I left, there was talk of construction on a multi-million dollar movie studio facility just west of I-75 at the rte. 222 exit. I guess this never happened???? I'm not sure it Mr. Travolta had something to do with it (he does have a home in the area).

If the town was at all interested in a movie studio...even if it never did happen, they might at least be more appreciative of the film arts efforts. Of course, that was also 10 years ago and many things could have changed since then...
 
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Shoot Guerrilla, bribe the cops. No permits = No limits... EXTREEEEEEME!

Also, forward that letter to The Governator, The Goricle, and Matt Damon. Or call the A-team. But in all seriousness, get the film commissioner bitch fired... maybe consider a petition? You must find the other Florida Indies that have had a clash with her and rally them to your cause!
 
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In all honesty there was a good film commissioner in Tampa but she left for better work. (She practically told me that if I wanted to shoot my movie, the best way was to go guerrilla(do not quote me on that))

The governor is the only way to handle this and asking him to fix this is the best way to go about it.

LOC, I am with you 100% on getting something done about the way independent film makers are treated here. I am also considering leaving the area; so for me the point is moot.

But I wish you the best. I hope you can get further than some of the filmmakers here on this side of the bay did last year with their letters to the governor.
 
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LOC;

Do you know what films, if any, have been shot in Florida? Maybe you could give a list.

Be diplomatic and don't point fingers. Point out that money is leaving the state, if it is. But in the meantime, maybe try to figure out alternatives to your Florida shoot. Could you shoot in Georgia? You might just have to do 'run and gun' guerilla filmmaking. It worked for Robert Townsend (Hollywood Shuffle).

Is that what you mean when you ask for suggestions?:)

-- spinner :cool:
 
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It's Sunday morning and I'm sitting in front of my Mac listening to the latest Processor CD titled "My Industry" and updating my deviantART page when a popup window from Skype breaks my concentration. It's my good friend George Cahill, calling. He's currently over in Singapore working on an anime film (I didn't ask if tentacles were involved for you pervs). It's always good to hear from George. After the customary "How's your health" questions, he told me that he was reading this specific thread you're reading now and was surprised to hear about all the resistance I'm getting from the local film commissions.

It all stems from post #17 in this older IndieTalk thread where I openly slam her (publicly in the newspaper) for telling me it wasn't worth it for her to waste her time on me since my feature was 'low budget and independent.'

George tells me that for a small country like Singapore that's only a total area of 270 square miles, he saw at least two or three major shoots going on there near where he's staying. There's SO MUCH filming going on over there, it's crazy.

Again... Why wouldn't Florida want the film industry? George will be emailing me photos of the shoots he sees in the streets around him so I have something to include in my letter to the governor. I'm starting to think that the reason I'm getting rejected left and right is because I don't have enough cash to grease the palms of the local corrupt film commission here in Pinellas. In Hillsboro, they want to help, but the ancient laws that are still (mistakenly) on the books say I can't shoot there.

I'd like an explanation from the governor directly where there's so much red tape, anti-film laws and other bullshit involved when trying to shoot a movie. And yes, I will ask him directly WHY Florida doesn't want our business.

I call shenanigans.

SHENANIGANS I tell you!! :bang:
 
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What kind of answers have they given you thus far? If any?

I know that Michigan has incentives for filmmakers to shoot here. And they are attempting to bring business into the state. One of the things that they are pushing is the very urban aspect of Detroit, especially since NY is so cleaned up, if you want urban, you need to be in Detroit.

I think that you will have to be able to counter any "problem" they say they have, explain where they are wrong for every negativity. Low budget and independent so its not worth her time? What kind of answer is that?

-- spinner :cool:
 
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spinner said:
What kind of answers have they given you thus far? If any?
Click to expand...

spinner said:
Low budget and independent so its not worth her time? What kind of answer is that?
Click to expand...
LOL you just answered the question. Low budget and independent isn't worth her time. I'm only guessing, but I don't think she wanted to talk to me because there's not enough money in my project to make her BMW payment. :P Whatever the real reason, the governor will hear about it. Lets see what he says.

Oh yeah, the St. Petersburg Times and the Tampa Tribune will simultaneously receive a copy of the letter. I'll get an answer of some sort... from someone.
 
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How about a special permit? I don't know, maybe they would make an exception for an up and coming young man like yourself....:D Maybe a grant from the city? Maybe to be combined with tourism?

Michigan has something called "Cool Cities". The economy being what it is, the state is suffering from "brain drain". When promising students graduate, the trend is that they leave MI for Chicago or other large cities. Cool Cities is a statewide effort to keep those students in Michigan by giving more reasons to stay. So the governor here is trying to bring in industry other than the automotive industry which has all but abandoned michigan for Mexico or wherever. You can look up Cool Cities with a google search.

Maybe you can appeal to that....:huh:

-- spinner :cool:
 
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I dunno. I assumed it was shot in Michigan, but I haven't even seen BROKEN yet! :no:

But a while back, they had a screening (I think) and the band, supporting their lead singer, sent out a bulletin on myspace to tell people about a Detroit showing.

-- spinner :cool:
 
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