Tony Armer is the Film Commissioner for St. Petersburg Clearwater, Florida. He is the Co-Founder of Film USA, a National non-profit organization and the first National Association of United States Film Commissions in the Country. He is an Award-Winning Filmmaker and the Founder of the internationally acclaimed Sunscreen Film Festival. Since 2014 under his leadership Tony has led the film commission to the most productive period in its 30 year history, breaking records for revenues and every other performance metric. St. Petersburg Clearwater was named one of the Top 25 Best Places to Live and Work as a MovieMaker by MovieMaker Magazine in 2021 and 2022. Making this even more impressive is the fact that this has been accomplished while the State of Florida has not had a film incentive program.
He helped write, develop and Produce the two Bernie the Dolphin films specifically for the St. Petersburg Clearwater, FL area. Those films were released theatrically in 2018 and 2019 and distributed by Lionsgate in North America.
Tony’s screenplay Can’t Stop the Dawn, was an awards finalist in Screencraft’s Action Screenplay competition. Screencraft is widely considered one of the top 3 screenplay contests in the world. He will be directing that film. After a successful festival run his Award-Winning documentary Running with Demons was distributed worldwide in 2014. His documentary Portrait of a Superhero became a festival darling and won numerous awards in 2018 and 2019.
Tony led the Sunscreen Film Festival from its inception in 2005 to an annual event in St. Petersburg, FL each Spring and Los Angeles, CA each fall. Sunscreen is consistently ranked as one of the Top 100 reviewed films on Film Freeway out of over 9000 film festivals. Sunscreen was voted one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals in the Country” by Movie Maker Magazine, and “Best Film Festival” by Tampa Bay Magazine. It was one of only 23 fests in the country to be sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the Oscars) for 2013-2014.
Tony works closely with film distributors and sales agents attending markets like Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, AFM and more. He has deep and longstanding relationships within the film industry. He has been Producing, Directing, Writing, and creating Film, TV, corporate and digital media content since 1997.
Tony studied communications at the University of Toledo, he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Business Management from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL and an MFA in Motion Pictures and Television from Academy of Art University in San Francisco, CA. He has also taught film as an adjunct professor at the Art Institute of Tampa and the University of Tampa.
Can't Stop the Dawn
(
Film
(Action)
Producer, Writer A terminally ill single mom is recruited by a mysterious agent to assassinate the ruthless leader of a human trafficking ring for the promise of a better future for her son.
A Taste of Love
(
Film
(Romance)
Executive Producer Struggling to find her culinary voice as a Network TV star, Taylor returns to her hometown to visit her parents. She must choose between her renewed relationship, saving her family restaurant, or her dream career as a worldwide known chef.
R.A.D.A.R.
(
Film
(Family)
Executive Producer A boy and his dog with bionic powers save a small town from two bumbling crooks.
Life's Rewards
(
Television
Executive Producer An ambitious young executive finds his career and life in turmoil after losing his wealth in a series of high-risk deals. Stranded in paradise, he's humbled by a hotel's employees forcing him to reevaluate what really defines life.
Like the Girls Who Wear Pink
(
Film (short)
Producer A time-traveling video finds its way to 1981. A plea from the future, it serves as warning, woven together with hope and encouragement, for a young autistic girl. And perhaps for us all.
One Last Job
(
Film
Producer
Bernie the Dolphin 2
(
Film
Producer
It's Snowing Outside
(
Film
Producer
Super! 8
(
Film
Producer
Portrait of a Superhero: A Documentary Film
(
Film
Producer
Bernie The Dolphin
(
Film
Producer
The Set
(
Film
Producer
A Running Start
(
Film
Producer
Souleater
(
Film
Actor
School Bus Diaries
(
TV Series
Miscellaneous Crew
Kevin's Epic Adventures
(
Film
Producer
A Time To
(
Film
Producer
Johnny Be Bad
(
Film
Producer
Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta
(
TV Series
Camera and Electrical Department
Sunlight Jr.
(
Film
Location management
Making Waste
(
Film
Producer
What is a Superhero?
(
Film
Producer
Devil's Game
(
Video
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Diego Garcia Tour for the Troops
(
Film
Producer
Running with Demons
(
Film
Producer
Terminal Kill
(
TV Movie
Producer
Sandrima Rising
(
Film
Producer
Lingerie Football League
(
TV Series
Camera and Electrical Department
Waste of Space
(
Film
Producer
December
(
Film
Actor
Inside the Handy Writers' Colony
(
Film
Producer
Mandatory Overtime
(
Video
Producer
The SuperHero Variety Show
(
TV Short
Producer
The Punisher
(
Film
Miscellaneous Crew
The Siamese Cat
(
TV Movie
Producer
McCinsey's Island
(
Film
Actor
Automatic Avenue
(
TV Movie
Actor
Can't Stop the Dawn
Producer
Academy of Art University
(2012-2016)
Eckerd College
(2000-2002)
University of Toledo
(1990-1993)