The Florida Project

by J.J. Murphy

In Sean Baker’s award-winning 2017 film The Florida Project, a young girl, her single mother, and her friends live in rundown motels near Disney World, the children’s summer fun contrasting with the grim conditions around them. In this book, J. J. Murphy delves deep into the movie’s development and filming while also examining it within the wider context of Baker’s career.

Using production documents, different versions of the screenplay, and interviews with principal members of the production team, Murphy traces the evolution of The Florida Project from initial idea through its various stages of production. He highlights Baker’s unconventional strategies in making a film about a marginalized subculture, including alternative scripting, guerrilla-like filmmaking, improvisation, and the unorthodox casting of local and first-time actors. Murphy also explores how Baker’s impromptu style sometimes rankled crew members and caused a major crisis on set, revealing the difficulties indie filmmakers can face when working with professional crews on larger films. A lively analysis of this critically acclaimed movie, its director, and its production, The Florida Project also betters our understanding of contemporary independent cinema as a whole.

Genres: Film

214 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

J. J. Murphy is Professor of Film Production and Film Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His films have played at major international film festivals and have been screened at the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Austrian Film Museum (Vienna), the Barbican Film Centre (London), and the Centre Georges Pompidou (Paris).

Reviews

[Ross Maclean · Rating 4 out of 5]

A packed, informative case study on one of this century’s best indie —nay, best— films. Its central tenet concerns the adjustment required moving from self-controlled, truly independent cinema into the realms of larger budgets and ethos clashes. The contributions from the key contributors are filled with fascinating and informative nuggets and the simple, effective chronological structure does the job perfectly. While the story of bringing The Florida Project to screen doesn’t have the level of dramatic friction they’re going to make a mini series about in the future, the tales of quiet dedication, consummate research, adaptability and improvisation is inspirational nonetheless.

[Arielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great revisit to this movie. I enjoyed learning about what happened behind the scenes and the rewrites that happened while filming.

[Malena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muchas gracias chicas me costó un poco leérmelo ya que tiene muchas referencias y ejemplos pero me chifla un beso!!! está todo subrayado y con notas que me encantan y me van a servir un montón MUAK

[Elijah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started crying when I was reading the part about the one scene near the vet end before they run off to Disney world, my only complaint is I wish this was longer.

[Tyler Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will never stop wanting to learn more about this incredible film.

This also has made me want to read more film studies. Great book!