VILANO BEACH, Fla. — A Netflix series is being partially shot on the First Coast this week.
Vilano Beach, a tiny, coastal town, has been selected as one of the locations for the new show.
"This is so cool, isn't it," Linda Lacerva is the president of Vilano Beach Main Street, a community group.
Tuesday, crews tended to giant lights and set artists help decorate the swimming pool at Magic Beach Motel. The local icon is where most of the shoot in Vilano will take place.
"It is done, I believe, by the producers of Game of Thrones," Lacerva noted. She had glowing praise for the crew who came to work in Vilano. "They gave us plenty of heads up and warning about what they’re were going to do."
According to Rick Ambrose, a location scout with the St. Augustine Film Office, said the crew filmed Monday at Guana State Park just a few miles north in St. Johns County for beach shots.
However, "they’re very secretive. They haven’t even told us a name," Lacerva said.
And the crew members couldn’t speak to reporters, so I called one of the film leaders. She remained tight-lipped about the name, the storyline, and the actors.
She did say there is a growing desire in the film industry to shoot more in Florida, especially shows about Florida. However, Florida doesn’t have tax incentives to lure producers, like Georgia has. Just this week, 500 hotel rooms were booked in St. Johns County by the folks working on this show.
Filming was supposed to be Tuesday night in Vilano Beach. It’s now pushed Wednesday night.
That makes locals, like Lacerva who is also a gallery and shop owner, very happy.
"My god," Lacerva said after hearing the news about the delayed filming. "So they’re going to have another day-off here? Good!" She laughed and pointed to the film crew working outside her window, "Eventually you’re going to shop here! I know it!"