Movie Producers Visit Sarasota County

The Sarasota County Film and Entertainment Office a division of the Economic Development Corporation, hosted eight movie producers from Hollywood and New York for a visit showcasing our county Sunday through Wednesday.

According to Jeanne Corcoran, director of the SCFEO, the purpose of the visit was two-fold. “We hosted the producers in hopes of building stronger relationships with the movie-making industry and to expose producers to the many unique, film-friendly assets and film-savvy leaders of Sarasota County,” she said.

Producers visited a variety of locations in Venice and Sarasota by boat and car and had interaction with community leaders from each of our county's municipalities.

The visit also provided an opportunity to educate our community about the realities of the industry and what producers want, need and expect. Nearly 200 community members heard directly from producers about their expectations at a panel discussion held at Ringling College on Tuesday.

Feedback from the producers was clear. They found Sarasota County  to be more unique than other Florida communities and were surprised by the variety of locations available. The producers also said the development of local soundstages and a stronger portfolio of film-related incentives would strengthen our competitiveness.

Nearly 30 organizations and businesses sponsored the visit, including the Longboat Key Club and Resort, BMW of Sarasota, Ringling College of Art and Design, Marine Max, Caragiulos, City of Sarasota, Benderson Development Company, LLC, Mary Kenealy Events, Mosaic Cuisine and Willis A. Smith Construction, Inc. 

For more information about the Film & Entertainment Office, contact Jeanne Corcoran or Tina Shumway, (941) 309-1200.

The Sarasota County Film & Entertainment Office (SCFEO) is a division of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County.  It seeks to attract film, television, commercial, documentary and other media production to create content, produce and shoot on location in Sarasota County, as well as  to serve the region’s resident production community, improve and expand its resources, provide intergovernmental liaison and proactively market and promote Sarasota County’s assets to the entertainment industry as a whole.  The SCFEO is a member in good standing of the Association of Film Commissioners International, Film Florida and other industry organizations.