Motion Picture Paradise

Highlighting Floridas 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 states 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 Floridas 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 states sense of identity, drawing attention to Floridas underacknowledged role as the third coast in American film history. Motion Picture Paradise adds new insights into the states dramatic social and economic transformations during the twentieth century.