NORTHWEST TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) — Lake Ella may look like just another familiar Tallahassee landmark, but Leon County is putting tourism dollars behind an effort to convince filmmakers to see locations like it as their next set.
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Leon County commissioners have approved a three-year pilot aimed at making the county more attractive to film and television productions. The program sets aside $125,000 a year from tourist development tax revenue.
Productions will not receive that money up front. They must complete their projects and show they have met county requirements — including hotel stays, tourism promotion and distribution — before they are reimbursed.
Scott Bell, founder of Tallahassee-based Art Kid Media, said he sees the county's investment as a sign that local government is taking Tallahassee's film community seriously.
"It's a great investment. You know, it keeps people thinking about filming here right? And then culturally it also think it showcases the area in a way that we haven't seen in mass media."
Bell said more projects made in Tallahassee means more opportunities to build a career there.
"The crew members that live here in Tallahassee are just gonna recirculate that and spend that money locally right so it's just a win all around."
Tallahassee Film Festival Director Chris Faupel said the initiative could open the door to more work for local filmmakers. In a statement, he wrote in part:
"…More film and television projects could strengthen the local film and arts ecosystem by providing Tallahassee based filmmakers, crew members, talent, and others with competitive work opportunities, and help sustain a year-round creative network…"
Whether that investment pays off will also be measured outside the film set. Leon County estimates tourism already has a $1.4 billion annual economic impact.
Bell said the program represents something larger than dollars and cents.
"It's more important, I think, to set the cultural standard, right? And to me, that's what this does. This is a huge step forward in that direction… It's absolutely huge. You know, I think it marks a cultural shift."
County staff said they are still working on final details of the program.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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