Arts Alive! podcast: Tony Armer, Sunscreen Film Festival

A longtime film industry professional, Tony Armer has done more to attract attention to Tampa Bay – specifically, Pinellas County – than anybody else with a foot in Hollywood’s revolving door.

As the St. Petersburg/Clearwater film commissioner from 2014 to 2023, he worked tirelessly on the area’s behalf, luring filmmakers, videographers and advertisers here to take advantage of the world-renowned coastal scenery.

Two years into his watch, the Florida Legislature voted to discontinue the state policy of offering tax incentives – a.k.a. big discounts – to production companies. This resulted in a major exodus of big-studio and big-star movies getting made in Florida, which immediately went from No. 3 on the country’s list of top states for film production to … well, not even in the Top 20.

How Florida counties, Pinellas and Hillsborough included, got around this quagmire is just one of the topics Armer discusses in this episode of Arts Alive!

Armer founded St. Petersburg’s Sunscreen Film Festival 20 years ago; the 2025 celebration of independent film (with panel discussions, workshops and other amenities) is scheduled for April 24-27 at the Sundial 12 theater complex.

This Saturday (March 8), Armer is speaking at The Studio @620. The free, 7 p.m. event is officially the launch party for this year’s Sunscreen; Armer plans to announce the entire schedule.

Of course, he gives us a couple of hints during our podcast convo.

Click on the arrow to listen to the interview.