Andy Garcia Looks to Make a Movie in Tampa

With more than 100 acting credits, including The Untouchables, Ocean’s Eleven, When a Man Loves a Woman and The Lost City, you’ve likely seen an Andy Garcia movie.

And if your ancestors resided in Ybor City in the early 1900s, they might have eaten fruit from Garcia’s former family farm in Cuba.

“We have history here,” Garcia said while in Tampa on Tuesday. “We shipped produce to Tampa.”

That produce was sold at a family grocery store on Ybor’s Seventh Avenue.

Garcia was in Tampa this week scouting locations and meeting with possible investors for Angel Eyes, a movie he will produce and star in. 

The film is about a private detective trying to solve and absolve himself of the murder of his beautiful and rich client.

Click HERE for the full story.

I understand recent announcements regarding paid photo sessions may have provided some confusion.  Some important things to keep in mind, the current permitting requirements have remained unchanged since 2013. The fact that so many photographers were unaware of these requirements, despite years of messaging, speaks to a failure on our part. I want to take this opportunity to communicate with our local photographers and creatives about the importance of permitting, and how easy it is. We would like to emphasize that permitting for your photography shoot is a completely FREE process, and usually can be turned around in as little as three business days, dependent upon the size and impact of the shoot.
 
So the big question, when do you need a permit?  Below you will find the current guidelines, which we hope are clear. We strongly encourage anyone who may still be confused or have additional questions to contact us directly.
 
You ARE REQUIRED to apply for a film permit if you are photographing, videotaping, or filming:

• Any commercial (paid for) photography and/or any event or scene that is being staged for the sole purpose of recording, including TV commercials, commercial web videos and portrait sessions.

• Any staged scene from a scripted or unscripted movie, TV or print production.

• Filming/photographing paid or unpaid models for any of the activities listed above.

Or if your shoot meets any of these additional criteria:

• The camera is being used on a crane, dolly, jib arm or anything other than a tripod or hand-held.

• Pedestrian or vehicular traffic is impeded.

• You will use any size standalone grip and lighting gear to create an artificial lighting set up.

• Stunts, special effects, animals, or real or prop weapons are involved.

• You will be filming before sunrise or after sunset in an area that is normally closed to the public during those times.

A film permit is NOT needed when filming or photographing newsgathering activities. A film permit is NOT needed when photographing non paid or incidental photography unless the shoot includes items listed under 'additional criteria' above.
 
With that being said, we have encountered a plethora of unpermitted commercial photography, including but not limited to: wedding photography, portraits, promotional photos, fashion, engagement sessions, etc. We invite these photo shoots to our public parks; however, we are requiring permits for ALL photography businesses as a means to better facilitate the shoot for the photographer, and to ensure public safety.

An important note to this announcement is that effective Friday, Oct 16, photo permits are no longer issued for Cypress Point Park and Ben T. Davis Beach. We understand your frustration, and we are not trying to inhibit local photographers’ livelihoods. But this is an urgent request directly from Parks and Recreation. These locations specifically have seen a negative impact on their environments and park patrons as a result of paid photography shoots, and therefore we have been asked to implement this new policy. If this changes, we will communicate that, but as of right now, both public parks (Cypress Point Park and Ben T. Davis Beach) are completely offline for paid photography sessions.
 
Please feel free to contact our office to brainstorm alternative photography locations throughout the City of Tampa. Picnic Island Park, Riverwalk, Julian B Lane and Seaplane Basin are wonderful waterfront photography alternatives. We want to continue to make sure our parks are welcoming not only to filmmakers and photographers, but also the many residents who enjoy our parks annually.  Coordinating your shoots through our office will ensure Tampa Bay continues to be a great place to work, live, and play.

Thank you to Chris Jackson of Cineview Studios for offering us the chance to sit down for a more thorough discussion about these changes and frequently asked questions. Watch below. 

Film Tampa Bay and Semkhor present The Business and Art of Modern Film Production with Producer Paul Schiff on Fri, Nov 13, 3pm - 4:30pm. This is a free live stream event, but registration is required.

This introductory Q&A will provide insight into filmmaking based on Paul’s 30-year career in which he has successfully produced films through every change in the industry.

REGISTER for the free event here.

Feature Florida Partnership Launches "Create it Here"

Florida's aspiring filmmakers now have access to "Create it Here!," a script development program offered by Feature Florida Partnerships (FFP) as part of its effort to nurture the growth of indigenous motion picture production in the Sunshine State.

"With the 'Create it Here!' program, we are putting in motion a process entirely for the benefit of Florida's up-and-coming screenwriters," says FFP executive director Chris Ranung. "If you have a Florida connection, a story to tell, and the writing skills and tenacity to turn it into a good script, we want to hear from you."

Beginning September 25th, Feature Florida Partnerships is soliciting screenplays for the program, which is a three-staged initiative designed to provide basic script reading services for a fee and then supplement development costs for projects that meet certain FFP criteria. The objective is to promote Florida creators and their projects and eventually assemble a portfolio of marketable, Florida-centric productions to be produced in-state by Florida producers, financiers, cast, and crew.

Feature Florida Partnerships is a non-profit that advocates for independent Florida feature film and episodic television production. A full background of the organization is available at its website: featurefloridapartnerships.org. To schedule an interview for consideration by the "Create it Here!" program, contact Chris Ranung at chris@featurefloridapartnerships.org.

This month's Spotlight:
Mad Bear Productions

Mad Bear Productions began in New York City and expanded to Tampa Bay just 10 years ago, and in that time they have grown as a full-service production company, specializing in social media campaigns and strategy, virtual events, and more.

Stay tuned for more about Mad Bear Productions.

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