Written by new-contact on Oct 10, 2011. Posted in On Location

Florida hopes for sustained location filming boost with Dolphin Tale success

It’s been a good few weeks for the Florida film industry, with feature Dolphin Tale proving a big box-office success in the US. The film shot on location in the state and tells the true story of an injured dolphin that was given a prosthetic tail and nursed back to health at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

The film was granted incentives worth USD5 million and has so far benefitted the state to the tune of nearly USD17 million, according to the Fox 13 news outlet. With the film having broken even within its opening fortnight on release in the US and a handful of other territories, Florida is hoping its continued success will further boost the state.

We want them to come here; we want to be ‘Hollywood East’.

State Representative Ed Hooper

State Representative Ed Hooper spoke to the outlet: “Because of this movie, that USD17 million will quickly double. We want them to come here; we want to be ‘Hollywood East’. With our beaches and our attractions and some of the places we have available there’s no reason we shouldn't be the leader on the eastern US, except for New York.”

Florida is a popular filming state and hosted production activity worth nearly USD1 billion in 2010. It offers a transferable tax credit of up to 30%, as well as small bonuses for off-season filming and family-friendly content.