Film producer wants to make movie based on local history

A mission to produce film projects for the 500th Anniversary of Ponce de Leon’s discovery of La Florida and the 450th Commemoration of Pedro Menendez’ founding of St Augustine, has kept Tom Fortin busy during the past three years — even though support for his dream has been hard to find.

City and tourism officials here have shown little interest in picking up production for a motion picture; however, Fortin has not become discouraged, according to an article that appeared in The St Augustine Report today.

Fortin has used the time to shoot footage from various reenactments and venues to assemble a film bank of local historical sites and living history.

New Albion Pictures, Fortin’s film production company, has worked with the Galveztown Brig Project in Malaga, Spain as well as Rick Ambrose Productions and the Flagler College film production team locally.

Fortin has been shopping a movie trailer for 1513 First America in cooperation with Fountain of Youth Archeological Park. You can watch the video on YouTube.

Projects that have interested Fortin, in addition to a film for the quincentennial celebration next year, have included a film utilizing the 1812 Spanish Constitution monument in the plaza that would tell the story of Bernardo de Galvez; whose defeat of the British at Pensacola aided in the success of the Americans in the Revolutionary War.

Photo credits: © 2012 Historic City News staff photographer