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Lights, Camera, Florida: A Spotlight on the State’s Film and Media Industry

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From the sunny beaches and urban settings of Miami, and the many theme parks of Orlando, to the natural beauty of Everglades, the great state of Florida is one of the major entertainment industry hubs in the United States. With its diverse and unique artistry landscape, Florida is currently having a moment as a very popular destination for film and television productions.

Spotlight on Florida's Film and Media Industry

Florida’s Film Industry

Over the decades, Florida has been the setting of many iconic movies. Look no further than the Brian De Palma’s 1983 cult classic Scarface, which followed Cuban immigrant’s Tony Montana’s rise to power in the criminal underworld of Miami. Al Pacino’s take on the titular character is nothing short of legendary.

The Bad Boys movie franchise is also primarily set in Miami. It follows the iconic duo of Will Smith’s Mike Lowrey and Martin Lawrence’s Marcus Burnett as two detectives in the Miami Police Department. There have been four movies within the film series now, which have grossed over $1 billion worldwide.
2017 saw the release of the A24’s critically acclaimed drama The Florida Project. Sean Baker’s movie focused on the adventures of a six-year-old girl who lives with her unemployed single mother in a budget motel in Kissimmee, Florida, in a surreal environment dominated by the Walt Disney World next to it.

Florida’s Television Industry

Similarly, Florida has been a top player for television series as well. Who could forget the 1980s Miami Vice, which followed MDPD detectives James “Sonny” Crockett and Ricardo “Rico” Tubbs, stylishly portrayed by Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas respectively. Michael Mann’s produced series is often credited with first bringing general pop culture’s attention to Miami’s culture and nightlife.

A few decades later, streaming giant Netflix explored a family’s dark secrets in Bloodline, primarily set in the picturesque Florida Keys. The series featured an impressive cast, which included Ben Mendelsohn and Kyle Chandler.

For all of its eight-season run, Miami was the setting of Showtime’s crime drama Dexter. Michael C. Hall portrayed the titular character, a forensic technician specializing in bloodstain pattern analysis. The premise was him balancing his duties with a secret parallel life as a vigilante serial killer, hunting down other murderers.

Florida’s Theater Industry

The state is vibrant on the classical stage as well, with numerous professional companies in Florida producing a wide range of performances, including the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, which hosts Broadway shows, concerts, and other cultural events.

How To Become A Part Of It?

The state’s show business scene is distinctive by its diversity and creativity across multiple entertainment sectors, making Florida one of the biggest and most influential entertainment hubs in the country. The presence of major studios in the state further helps Florida’s case as one of the leaders within showbiz in the United States.

This means there are plenty of job opportunities to find for aspiring performers. A wide variety of casting calls in Florida is just a few clicks away in convenient online platforms like AllCasting, where artists can check daily for the newest info, as well as search for gigs with their personal preferences.