HUDSON, Fla. – The historic novel A Land Remembered is coming to television, and the production is staying right here in Hudson. Showrunner Todd Wiseman Jr. refused offers to move the shoot to another state, opting instead to build authentic sets and hire local talent to tell Florida’s rugged past.
Local investment and state support
Wiseman secured $500,000 from the Florida Legislature and another $500,000 from the Tampa Bay Film Commission. Additional private investment came from Hudson-area cattle ranchers, citrus grove owners, business leaders and former elected officials who want a Floridian story told by Floridians.
Executive producer and investor Keebler Straz Eason called the novel “the most important piece of literature in Florida’s history,” underscoring the cultural significance of keeping the production local.
Production details
The series follows three generations of the MacIvey family as they build a cattle and citrus empire from 1858 through 1968. Crew members constructed period‑accurate sets, including chicken coops, thatched pole‑barn roofs made from palm fronds, and other historic structures using real animals and native woods.
One notable sequence—a cold open set 300 years before the main story—depicts a Calusa native attack on a Spanish settlement. The scene was captured in a single 2.5‑minute continuous shot, requiring a month of preparation and a 12‑hour shoot with 200 cast and crew members.
Local talent on screen
Hudson residents filled key roles both behind and in front of the camera. Tampa real‑estate investor Carlos Alfonso portrays Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon, while local executives and business leaders appear as extras in full historical makeup. Junior construction worker Katie Carlsen helped build the sets and noted that showcasing Florida’s wild roots highlights the need to preserve natural landscapes from over‑development.
Advocacy for film‑tax incentives
Wiseman used the project to argue for reinstating Florida’s tax incentives for film and television productions. “If I’m the state, and I’m writing a check to a film or TV show, I want something in return,” he said. “I think A Land Remembered is a good example of a project that’s going to show a new part of Florida and drive tourism to Florida.”
Next steps
Principal photography is slated to wrap in the first half of 2027. Executives are actively shopping the finished episodes to major networks and streaming platforms, with a target premiere later that year. Distribution details remain unconfirmed.
The production’s commitment to local hiring, state funding and authentic storytelling demonstrates how regional projects can boost the economy, create jobs and celebrate Florida’s heritage.
Original reporting: Tampa Bay Florida News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
