At Florida State University, a new acquisition for film students will become a training ground for the next generation of filmmakers. With a $4 million purchase, FSU is transforming the former Regal Theater into ad addition to the film school.
However, some may wonder if the space will still have a role beyond the university and what role this will play for the next generation of FSU film students.
The former cinema near Governor Square, formerly known as Regal Theater, is at least a few miles from the film school — which is headquartered within the FSU football stadium complex.
But it will give the College of Motion Picture Arts top-tier facilities, according to university officials. The deal was finalized Jan. 29.
Although FSU’s College of Motion Picture Arts has been known for its hands-on approach to filmmaking since it was established in 1989 by the Legislature, preparing students for careers in entertainment, it hasn’t had a dedicated exhibition space until now. The dean of the College of Motion Picture Arts, Reb Braddock, underlined the importance of this purchase.
“The acquisition of this theater allows us to fulfill one of our three missions, which is the exhibition side of filmmaking. We develop and produce movies, but we’ve never had a theater. We’ve never had a place to show movies, exhibit movies, or have a community engagement with film series and invite the public to our student film events,” Braddock told The Famuan. “So that’s a big part of why this is special for us.”
The 42,720-square-foot theater will be more than just a place to see films. Additionally, Torchlight Studios, a program created to bridge the gap between education and the professional film business, will relocate there.
Students will now have easier access to Torchlight Studios, originally 35 minutes from school, where they may train with commercial film projects, virtual production technology and professional industry work. “This will allow our students to do advanced work, commercial work, and get more experience in the real part of the film business,” Braddock said.
The theater’s purchase by FSU gives the program a venue for student screenings and separates it from other notable film schools. Many production facilities are accessible at USC and NYU, but FSU will combine its resources into a multifunctional film centerpiece.
“What will set this apart is that as a center for cinematic innovation, it will have many components,” Braddock explained. “We’ll have visual effects stations, feature filmmaking production stages, production offices and post-production— all in one space.”
The theater transformation will offer a significant chance for students like Finley Stein, who is majoring in film production-visual effects, to present their work to a broader audience.
“One of the biggest challenges film students face is getting their films seen,” Stein said. “Having a movie theater that people recognize, people see the Governor’s Square Regal Theater and think of it as a real theater and that can help bring more eyes to the films we produce here.”
With a hopeful foresight for future filmmakers, many concerns also led to questions needing to be asked, such as what value this space will have for the Tallahassee community, who were once moviegoers. For the community, this will be an opportunity for people to support student filmmakers.
The theater is located in the heart of Tallahassee, and since FSU is a non-profit, tickets for movie premieres will most likely be free.
This year, FSU intends to start developing the theater, which should be finished by 2026. The once well-known movie theater will now be a new home for film students, showing an evolving pattern from where movies were viewed to where they are now being produced as FSU makes more investments in its film program.
