Film Tampa Bay’s WIFT Launch a Hit; Plant City, Temple Terrace Adopt Film Ordinance

March 16, 2015

On February 25, the Tampa/St. Pete branch of Women in Film & Television (WIFT) celebrated its inaugural Mix & Mingle event at Tampa’s Epicurean Hotel.  The social attracted more than 200 enthusiastic guests, many of whom had never attended a WIFT gathering before. WIFT-Florida is charged with building positive images of media-makers (both women and men), empowering them to achieve their highest professional and creative potential, and helping to create more job opportunities throughout the State of Florida.  WIFT-Florida is part of an international network, Women in Film & Television International (WIFTI), which has 40 chapters around the world.  The Florida chapter was established in 1989. Now for the first time Tampa Bay has its own branch, thanks to Film Commissioner Dale Gordon, a longtime member of WIFT.
 
To learn more about WIFT membership, click here.
 
In other Film Tampa Bay news, the governing bodies of Plant City and Temple Terrace have approved an ordinance to assist filmmakers in securing permits to film within city limits. The ordinance brings the two municipalities in alignment with the City of Tampa and unincorporated Hillsborough County, which previously approved the same legislative action. In order to streamline requests from filmmakers interested in shooting on locations within Hillsborough County, the Tampa Hillsborough Film and Digital Media Commission will now function as a one-stop permitting destination for all videographers (with the exception of news media and those shooting video for personal or family use) and still photographers accompanied by a production crew of six or more. The Film Commission will also handle coordination between production companies and government agencies as well as traffic and crowd control.
 
For more information about the Tampa Hillsborough Film and Digital Media Commission, visitFilmTampaBay.com.