A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

We’re on a roll!

What a great lesson we got in the history of Florida film from media scholar and film historian David Morton, PhD. David is an instructor at the University of Central Florida, Seminole State College, Stetson University, and Rollins College!

Florida’s association with motion picture production goes all the way back to the very infancy of the industry when Jacksonville had the first opportunity to become the center for movie making in America. Tampa too had its shot, as did Miami, and then Orlando. One thing we learned from the professor was the cyclical nature of this business, how this has all happened before, the good and the bad, and leaving open the possibility that it could all happen again.

David Morton, PhD.

David teaches Film Studies and History courses in Central Florida. As a researcher he specializes in the history of film production and the influence historical film and video games have had on our popular understanding of the past.

In 2018, he co-founded the South Asia Film Lab, which in its pilot year oversaw the production of three student-made documentary film collaborations between Florida-based film students and film students based in Kolkata, India. Future projects are pending post COVID-19.

David is writing a book titled, Motion Pictures at a Great Savings: A History of the Film Industry in Florida, which is currently under contract to UF Press and expected for publication in 2022.

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Behind the scenes

Lighting

Every filmmaker knows you need 3 basic things for a successful shoot; a camera, audio, and lights. This time around, we’re discussing our light kit, the GVM RGB 1500D lights. These lights are LED so they’re cool to the touch and easily programmable to any color and any luminance. The GVM 1500D RGB video light is an ideal choice for photography, interviews and live broadcasts, and film shooting that require the best precision, accuracy, and flicker-free output light color. Plus, they’re light weight, and easy to bring on location.

Blog

Kim Dawson

Acclaimed producer Kim Dawon sat down with us to discuss the creation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films, his time at The New Mickey Mouse Club, as well as many other projects he continues to shepherd.

Rich West

From his first spaceship models in his garage to his first job building props for Clarissa Explains it All, Rich has honed his skills as a prop master. Rich was also a prop maker on the All-New Mickey Mouse Club, Adventures in Wonderland, Gullah Gullah Island, and From the Earth to the Moon, along with many others, and was last seen as an Art Director on Universal’s new Epic Universe theme park.

Paul Meena

Another Big Get! Finally hooked us a big fish from Universal Studios. Paul Meena is the former Vice President and General Manager of the Universal Studios Florida Production Group, but he earned his stripes the hard way.