Distinguished Speaker Series | Motion Pictures at a Great Savings! A History of Florida’s Film and Television Industry with Dr. David Morton

June 7, 2023 | 6pm – 7pm

Tropic Cinema

Often overlooked in its contribution to film history, Florida has played a key role in creating the modern entertainment industry. This presentation discusses how Florida became a “third coast” to the American film and television industries over the past one hundred years. Starting with the first film pioneers in Jacksonville during the 1900s and 1910s to South Florida’s television boom during the 2000s and 2010s, Florida has inspired countless exciting stories captured by the camera.

About the Presenter: 

David Morton received his Ph.D. in Texts and Technology from the University of Central Florida in 2019, where he also is an instructor in both History and Media Studies. He was a recipient of the 2016-17 Fulbright scholarship and serves as program director for the Flickering Landscapes Conference Series. His forthcoming book, Motion Pictures at Great Saving: A History of the Florida Film and Television Industry is expected for publication in 2023 with University Press of Florida.

This Florida Talks program is a partnership between Florida Humanities and the Cape Coral Museum of History. Funding for this program was provided by Florida Humanities and sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support from The Helmerich Trust, Aloys & Carol Metty and The John & Marilyn Rintamaki Family Charitable Fund.