ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — This month, a pilot for a new TV show is being shot right here in Tampa Bay. From local eateries to the University of Tampa, a number of recognizable locations are being used as the backdrop.
It’s the latest project from one of Tampa Bay’s newest production companies, Talon Entertainment.
Steve Demmler started Talon in 2023. You could say Demmler was born to be in show business.
“My father was a stagehand at 'Saturday Night Live' for 47 and a half years. My mom was a Rockette, and she danced at Radio City for 26 years,” he said.
Demmler quickly followed in his father’s footsteps, working alongside him in the props department at "Saturday Night Live."
“I started when I was quite young, catching cue cards,” said Demmler. “Everybody is like peak professional, executing at the highest level, so it's a quick way to go from 0 to 100 just by soaking up the skill of everybody else on the crew around you.”
Now, Demmler is bringing those skills and experience right here to Tampa Bay.
“The caliber of crew here is being slept on, so we can make really great stuff here for a great price and turn out great work without having to travel anywhere else,” said Demmler.
This month they began shooting their new pilot, "The Feather Detectives." The majority of the cast and crew are from Tampa Bay.
Talon Head of Production Tony Armer is proud of the jobs they're creating.
“I get emails and LinkedIn messages on a daily basis, ‘How can I break into the industry, what can I do, how can I be a part of things locally without having to move out of town?' It's the reason I started doing the things I’m doing here. I didn’t want to have to move to LA,” said Armer.
Demmler is also excited to showcase Tampa Bay's hidden gems, including local restaurants, the University of Tampa and Coastal Creative.
“I think I don’t realize how many creative locations there are. For example, this entire pilot takes place in Washington, D.C., in the 1960s, and it’s 2024, and we’re shooting it in Tampa and St. Pete, and when we are done editing, no one will know we aren’t in Washington, D.C.,” said Demmler.
Demmler said this is just the beginning. He hopes to be a voice in the Tampa Bay television and film industry for years to come.
“I’m really trying to be. I committed to being here long term and doing what I can to help maybe relaunch a state incentive program or help bolster the municipal incentive programs or local incentives,” said Demmler. “For better or worse, I’ll be one of the voices pushing for that from here on out.”
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