This Free First Saturday, Florida Humanities and the Appleton are partnering to present a talk by Dr. David Morton at 2 p.m. in the auditorium.

Often overlooked in its contribution to film history, Florida has played a key role in creating the modern entertainment industry. This presentation discusses how Florida became a third coast to the American film and television industries over the past one hundred years. Starting with the first film pioneers in Jacksonville during the 1900s and 1910s to South Florida’s television boom during the 2000s and 2010s, Florida has inspired countless exciting stories captured by the camera.

This talk is part of Florida Humanities’ Florida Talks program, which offers nonprofit organizations across the state an accessible way to host engaging speakers who present Florida’s history, heritage, and culture through historical and contemporary lenses.

This event is free as part of Free First Saturday; no reservation needed to attend. Seating is limited to 250 guests on a first-come, first-served basis.

About the speaker:
David Morton received his Ph.D. in Texts and Technology from the University of Central Florida in 2019, where he also is an instructor in both History and Media Studies. He was a recipient of the 2016-17 Fulbright scholarship and serves as program director for the Flickering Landscapes Conference Series. His book, Motion Picture Paradise! A History of Florida’s Film and Television Industry was published by the University Press of Florida in July 2024.

Funding for this Florida Talks program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.”

Topics and concepts presented at this event are for discussion purposes only and are not intended to espouse, promote, advance, inculcate, or compel individuals to believe the topics or concepts presented therein. Nor do they constitute endorsement of such topics or concepts by the College of Central Florida, its Board of Trustees, or any of their officers, employees, or agents.