Best places in the US for filmmakers to live and work? Two Florida cities made the list compiled by Moviemaker magazine reporter Greg Gilman, published earlier this year.

Landing at No. 24, perhaps surprisingly to Tampa Bay area and Florida film fans, is St. Petersburg. Film production in the city, home to an artsy downtown and a USF campus, and close to Gulf beaches, rebounded in a big way in 2021, as St. Petersburg Film Commissioner Tony Armer told the magazine.

Feature films “A Taste of Love” and “South Beach Love,” along with reality shows “Buying the Bay” and “Tampa Baes” were among the movie and TV productions that reportedly spent about $21 million in the area last year.

So what’s the attraction, according to Moviemaker?

“With plenty of warmth, sunshine, and beaches, St. Pete has many of the same draws as Los Angeles, and offers a lot of cultural touchstones, as well: several film festivals, ten museums, dozens of art galleries, performing arts venues, and a vibrant mural collection spread throughout the city,” Gilman writes. “Plus, the area is bursting at the seams with talented local musicians who fill venues with music all over St. Pete almost every night.”

Meanwhile, less surprisingly, at 18 is Miami, home to productions that reportedly generated $120 million in 2021 for a region with tropical flora and fauna, trendy beaches, and bustling urban settings. The city has a long history of affiliation with notable films, from Oscar best picture winner “Moonlight” to “Scarface” and beyond.

According to the magazine: “Seventeen film festivals. Eleven production facilities. Eleven equipment rental houses. Four film schools. Three independent movie theaters. Two film societies. All that and gorgeous scenery continue to lure dozens of productions year after year. Miami is a great place to be for filmmakers of all ages and professional experience.”