Florida State University has completed the acquisition of the Governor’s Square theater complex in Tallahassee, a significant milestone for the College of Motion Picture Arts.
This acquisition enhances the college’s production facilities and supports its commitment to innovation by providing essential space for virtual production, production design and a new entrepreneurial feature film program, in addition to opportunities for screening films.
“When the film school was established in 1989 with the mission to prepare students for successful careers in the motion picture industry, it was given nearly every tool needed to become one of the greatest colleges dedicated to film education — except one: a movie theater of its own,” said Reb Braddock, dean of the College of Motion Picture Arts.
For decades, the college has lacked an exhibition facility to showcase its students’ work and curate the very cinema it seeks to inspire. Each year, the college has had to rely on external venues, subject to their schedules and prices. Those elements created a bottleneck in the kind of cinematic programming the film school could provide. This acquisition changes that.
Since Florida State University’s First Lady Jai Vartikar arrived in Tallahassee, she has focused on supporting and enhancing the world class art schools at FSU and took an interest in helping the college acquire a theater of its own. She saw the potential of the Governor’s Square theater and worked to help facilitate its purchase.
“We are profoundly grateful to Dr. Vartikar and the incredible leadership team of President Richard McCullough, Provost Jim Clark and Vice President Kyle Clark for making it possible for Florida State University to acquire the theater facilities,” Braddock said.
The new facility will house the college’s Center for Cinematic Innovation, known as Torchlight Studios, relocating it from Midway, Florida, to the heart of Tallahassee.
Torchlight Studios focuses on lighting the pathways from education to industry by bringing state-of-the-art production resources, including an innovative virtual production stage that features a high-tech LED screen. That technology, made famous by shows like “The Mandalorian” and “House of the Dragon,” allows filmmakers to use interactive virtual backgrounds to enhance their productions.
Another arm of Torchlight Studios is Torchlight Cinematheque, which has curated films that have been screened by FSU’s festival of the fine and performing arts, Opening Nights, and in venues around the region. For the first time, the Cinematheque will have a dedicated exhibition space to celebrate cinema within the Tallahassee community.
“This visionary move transforms the Governor’s Square theater into a true center for film appreciation and production, with a strong focus on community engagement,” Braddock said. “The college will open its doors to showcase the cinematic work of its students, faculty and alumni and to create unique theatrical experiences curated for the broader Tallahassee audience.”
Provost Clark emphasized the innovative curriculum and industry connections of the film school.
“The College of Motion Picture Arts at FSU is renowned for its cutting-edge curriculum and robust industry links that prepare our students for successful careers in the motion picture industry,” Clark said. “This new facility will enhance our ability to deliver an unparalleled educational experience and foster strong ties with the professional film community.”
The facility will enable FSU students to immerse themselves in hands-on experiences to ensure that they are well-prepared for their careers and can showcase their talents both locally and globally as distinguished alumni.
“It is my hope that this facility will become a new partner in all things cinematic for the Tallahassee community,” Braddock said. “Our dream is for Tallahassee to see this not as the loss of another movie theater but as an exciting opportunity for the film school and the community to come together to celebrate our shared love of the movies.”
For more information, visit film.fsu.edu.