St. Petersburg Video Production: Mixers, Micro-Festivals & Faster Permits
St. Petersburg video production teams have a packed slate between Sept 11 and 25. From a 500-person industry mixer to a Manhattan-Short qualifying run and revised county permits, the city is primed for quick-turn shoots and priceless networking.
Network & Collaborate: Sept 18 Mixer
- Tampa Bay Film Circle Mixer — Sept 18, 6-10 p.m., NOVA 535. Entrepreneurs Social Club pairs craft-service pop-ups with speed-round project pitches; last year’s event sourced crew for three music videos. Pre-register for mic-time.
Impact: Producers report the mixer shaved two weeks off hiring cycles and locked $40 K in local spend in 2024—expect bigger this year as RSVPs climb.
Screenings Every Night
- Art After Dark @ MFA – Sept 18 & 25, 5-8 p.m. Short-film blocks follow docent tours; handheld rigs welcome with ticket.
- Surreal Nights @ The Dalí – Sept 18 only. Interactive projections turn museum facades into moving canvases; rich B-roll for AR overlays.
- International Cinema Series, Eckerd College – “Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted” (Sept 19) and “Kill the Jockey” (Sept 26). Post-show Q&As great for faculty interviews.
- Green Light Cinema – Indie run includes “The Baltimorons” Sept 19-25 and the global Manhattan Short Film Festival opening Sept 25.
Why care: Festival-qualifying screenings are Oscar-accredited; snag press passes to capture reaction reels for social.
Casting & Crew Gigs
- “sHEALed” Docuseries seeks female leads (ages 20-70s); virtual callbacks close Sept 19 with principal photography end of month; pays SAG micro-budget scale.
- Heavy Hitters S2 crew call (audio, grips) closes Sept 8; shoot dates flexible late Sept through Oct.
Permits, Incentives & Alerts
- Apply4 One-Stop – Pinellas County now processes standard shoots in 5 business days; COI naming jurisdiction still required.
- Parks Policy – Cranes, stunts or after-hours shoots in parks need a separate notice; handheld/doc shoots remain free.
- Regional Incentive – St. Pete–Clearwater Film Commission offers up to 10 % rebate on local spend for projects over $100 K; no municipal permit fees.
- Street-Closure & PD Support – City PD portal bundles off-duty officers and closure requests; start forms at least 72 hrs prior.
Pro Tips for St. Petersburg Video Production
- Book Early: Mixer week overlaps Art After Dark; downtown garages fill by 4 p.m.
- Leverage Manhattan Short: Audience ballots can double as on-camera testimonials; clear releases at box office.
- Scout Museum Facades: Dalí’s glass geodesic dome reflects sunset after 7 p.m.—ideal drone golden-hour.
- Mind COIs: Insurance must list each park or street as additionally insured; blanket certificates rejected.
Conclusion
With networking access, nightly screenings, active casting calls, and leaner permits, St. Petersburg’s mid-September window offers crews everything from art-house prestige to commercial practicality. Anchor your schedule around the Sept 18 mixer, lock permits five days out, and you’ll roll into October with new talent, fresh footage, and rebate dollars already accruing.
