Florida Shines on the Silver Screen

JACKSONVILLE—When someone pulls down the shades and gets out the projector full of home movies Steven Davidson doesn’t flinch. The curator is constantly looking for images of the state and its residents for inclusion in the Florida Moving Image Archives

Jacksonville will get a rare chance to relive the days when the area rivaled Hollywood as a film capital and have a chance to make its own contribution when the Florida Moving Image Archive makes its only north Florida appearance on the UNF campus on April 18 at 5 p.m. in the Mathews Building, Room 1303 with the presentation “Florida Film and TV History.”

The Archives is the state designated collection of video and motion picture memorabilia with a mission to collect, preserve, and make accessible film and video materials made in or about Florida.
According to Davidson, having stations donate footage from early television shows and individuals contributing their own home movies are the primary objectives of the tour. Films of all types are wanted, from honeymoon movies of Miami Beach in the 1950’s to footage shot by fathers at backyard barbecues.

“So much of our state’s history has unfolded in Jacksonville and the city is also important in terms of film history,” said Davidson who points out in the early 1900s Jacksonville's Kalem Studios was among the most important in the country.

The Archive accepts donations of home movies of all formats -- 8mm, super 8, and 16mm film depending on content and condition. If accepted, the Florida Moving Image Archive will preserve the film and provide a videotape copy to the donors. The Archive retains the original film and also welcomes donations of home movie equipment - cameras, projectors and other related materials.

The presentation is sponsored by the Department of Communications and Visual Arts. Anyone who has materials that may be of interest to the Archive may speak to Davidson after his presentation or call him at (305) 375-1505.