Motion Picture Paradise: A History of Florida's Film and Television Industry

Highlighting Florida’s essential, often overlooked role in shaping American film and television



Motion Picture Paradise

is a sweeping story of filmmaking in Florida, featuring the activities

of studios and filmmakers across the peninsula by looking at the many

iconic films and television shows shot in the state. In the early years

of the American film industry, Florida was a favorite location for

pioneer movie makers, and David Morton chronicles the state’s importance

to producers throughout the next 125 years.



Often

overshadowed by the well-known entertainment industries of Hollywood and

New York, Florida has over time had several major film production

centers. Morton follows the rise and fall of filmmaking destinations

across the state, including Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Tampa Bay,

Orlando, and Miami, as well as pioneering underwater and location-based

films shot at Florida’s unique natural springs. He argues that

conflicting policies set by Florida politicians have, at various times,

enticed or pushed away movie and television companies, a pattern that

has hampered serious investment.



Using a wealth of source

materials, Morton offers a comprehensive history that demonstrates how

films and television shows made in Florida have influenced the state’s

sense of identity, drawing attention to Florida’s underacknowledged role

as the “third coast” in American film history. Motion Picture Paradise adds new insights into the state’s dramatic social and economic transformations during the twentieth century.