‘It’s a challenge’: Florida losing money as movies film in cheaper states, according to experts

Florida losing money as movies film elsewhere

The Florida film industry is fighting to bring movies and money to the Sunshine State. Several blockbusters have locations set in our state, but production companies can’t afford to make them here.

SATELLITE BEACH, Fla. - The Florida film industry is fighting to bring movies and money to the Sunshine State.

Several blockbusters have locations set in our state, but production companies can’t afford to make them here.

Brevard County resident Jaimie Engle is one woman advocating for change. In her Satellite Beach home, Engle is able to do what she always dreamed of.

"Since I was 7, I wanted to write movies," said the Brevard County-based screenwriter and novelist.

Growing up on the Space Coast, she sets many of her movies in Brevard County and wants to see them filmed in her home state.

She hoped her latest movie, Just Jake, would be filmed in Florida, but the filming took place in Colorado.

"These stories are local. They’re here. They should stay here. I mean, we are right near SpaceX. Why aren’t space films being filmed here? It doesn’t make any logical sense to me," she added.

It’s because other states have more to offer than Florida does right now.

"It’s a challenge right now to try and get major feature film and television here to the state of Florida," said John Lux, who’s also fighting to expand Florida’s film footprint as the executive director of Film Florida.

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The non-profit advocates and lobbies lawmakers to invest in the lucrative movie-making business.

"The state has lost close to $2 billion dollars of direct spending," Lux added.

The reason why movies aren’t being made here comes down to money. In other states we’re competing against, production companies get kickbacks. If they spend $1, they get $0.20 (or more) back. Florida stopped incentives like that back in 2016. So far – the legislature hasn't looked into a new program.

"All it takes is an incentive," said Robert Sterrett, a film location manager who has had to work outside the state because movie directors wouldn’t set their films in Florida due to high production costs.

As a film scout, he says Florida has prime locations for filming, but he struggles to bring significant moviemakers here. It's a letdown for him because movie-making boosts the local economy.

"It’s a benefit all around the circle because it’s a benefit to Home Depot. It’s a benefit to Chick-fil-A. It’s a benefit to Hyatt," Sterrett said.

Movies also bring in tourism because people want to see where their favorite movies are set. Still, that isn’t happening in Florida because films are set up in movie locations in Florida, but filming out of state with fake sets and more cost incentives.

"There’s actually a series being made on Netflix right now called Florida Man, but it’s being filmed in North Carolina," Lux exclaimed.

For now, those in the industry will keep pushing for change. Engle will keep writing screenplays based in the Sunshine State, and film experts will keep asking lawmakers to consider better film incentives to help the state make more money.

"Who wants to pay full price? I don’t. No one does," Engle concluded.