|
|
Happy New Year from the Oklahoma Film + Music Office! We hope this newsletter finds you well, recharged and ready to hit the ground running after the holidays with the opportunities that await you in Oklahoma’s film and music industries.
The Oklahoma Film + Music Office (OF+MO) continues to prioritize the development of our state’s workforce as we’ve collaborated with industry partners like the Film Education Institute of Oklahoma to present various film classes and training workshops and have spoken to students and communities across the state about growing career opportunities. Empowering our statewide communities and partners is also a priority for us and we look forward to continuing to expand our Oklahoma Film Friendly Community Program in 2022.
As we are about to enter legislative session, it’s important to be informed of the postivie economic impact the film industry has had statewide and we invite you to tune in to a seven-minute audio clip here with me and KGOU, where we discuss the ‘state of the industry’.
With many exciting things to be announced in the coming months, including new open calls for film and music opportunities, please make sure to stay subscribed to our monthly newsletters and e-blasts, and if you’re not already following us on social media, we encourage you to connect with us on those platforms (@okfilmmusic) for the latest news.
We look forward to a productive year of growth with each of you and thank you for your support and contributions to the state’s film and music industries!
| |
Stay in Touch with Our *NEW* Emails!
With our recent move to the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, make sure to stay connected with us by accessing our updated contact information, including phone numbers and e-mail addresses. We look forward to hearing from you!
| |
| JOIN OF+MO AT THESE EVENTS
| |
| | Oklahoma Film & TV Academy Offers Set Ready Course in Janaury
Oklahoma and the surrounding region have become a bustling hub of film production and there is no better time to train to become a crucial part of a film crew. The Oklahoma Film & TV Academy (OFTA) presents their next Set Ready course, a foundational training program that provides students with the practical working knowledge needed to begin working on set right away, Saturdays and Sundays January 15-16 and 22-23. Students will spend four full days learning the ins and outs of production basics from industry professionals with a host of credits and awards to their names.
| | |
OF+MO Shares Workforce Opportunities to Digital Media Students at Canadian Valley Technology Center
It was a pleasure speaking to the Digital Media Technology students of Canadian Valley Technology Center about the growing workforce opportunities within Oklahoma’s film and television industry and the resources OF+MO provides. Thank you to Digital Media Professor Afton Jameson for inviting us to speak and providing a tour of the beautiful facilities at CVTC!
| |
 |
FEIO Workshop; Photo courtesy of Josh Bivens
|
| | The Film Education Institute of Oklahoma Hosts Film Production Workshop; Partners with OF+MO
OF+MO is proud to announce a partnership with the Film Education Institute of Oklahoma’s (FEIO), including their December Film Workshop, which took place December 27-30, 2021, at Northwest Classen High School. For this event, FEIO also partnered with Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) to provide this workshop to juniors and seniors with the goal of introducing them to the film industry via a professional set where they learned among various departments with hands-on training from some of the state’s most seasoned industry members serving as their mentors. OF+MO Outreach + Production Manager Yousef Kazemi visited the workshop to meet the 40+ participating students and speak to them about the resources OF+MO can provide for continued education and career opportunities in the state’s film and television industry.
| | |
Francis Tuttle Partners with Prairie Surf to Offer Film Training Classes
Francis Tuttle Technology Center offers a broad range of programs and services in support of developing and maintaining a quality workforce in Central Oklahoma with four campuses located throughout Oklahoma City and the surrounding region. As Oklahoma’s booming film and television industry continues to create thousands of new local career opportunities, Francis Tuttle has partnered with Prairie Surf Media to launch a series of training classes geared towards growing a strong, skilled film workforce to meet the industry’s current job demand.
| |
Current Crew Calls and Career Opportunities
CREW
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
| |
| BUSINESS + INFRASTRUCTURE
| |
FEATURED BUSINESS
NGP Film Equipment Rental
Nathan Gardocki Productions (NGP) is a full-service film equipment rental house, with an extensive inventory of industry-standard gear for all departments (camera, sound, grip, electric, lighting, production, locations, and more).
"From a practical standpoint, Oklahoma’s cost of living, real estate market, and film incentive rebate are all major draws for both filmmakers and film-related businesses. But on a more personal level, this is our home. Our admin team and most of our staff were born and raised in Oklahoma. Our company started and grew right here in the heart of Oklahoma City. We’ve loved seeing this city, this state, and the local film industry grow and flourish over the past decade, and we’re excited to see where it goes next."
| |
OF+MO Speaks to City of Blackwell about the Oklahoma Film Friendly Community Program
Thank you to the Blackwell Industrial Authority for inviting our office to speak to the City of Blackwell, Oklahoma, representatives about the benefits of the Oklahoma Film Friendly Community Program, which seeks to certify ‘film friendly’ communities across all 77 counties statewide.
| |
City of Bethany Certified Film Friendly; First Oklahoma Community to Offer Local Production Incentive
OF+MO, in conjunction with the City of Bethany, is proud to announce the city has achieved ‘film friendly’ certification after completing the requirements for OF+MO’s Oklahoma Film Friendly Community Program. In addition to their film friendly certification, the City of Bethany and the Bethany Economic Development Authority recently announced the creation of an incentive package for qualifying filmmakers, becoming the first city in Oklahoma to offer a monetary incentive for film and television production. The organization administering the city’s incentive, which is directly related to local spending and improving the local economy, has annually set aside $20,000 to offer qualified productions filming in Bethany.
| |
|
FEATURED LOCATION
1901 Historic Rodkey House
Built in 1901 by a wealthy town family, the Rodkey House is a 1,400 square foot, two-story home that sits at the edge of a park in Downtown Edmond. A stellar example of Edwardian architectural design, the outside of the pale peach house has been restored and the interior is refurbished for use as a rental facility for special events. The house enters a parlor that has visible doorways into three other rooms. A bathroom and kitchenette have been added to modernize the space, although they are not visible upon entry. The house also has a modern HVAC system, and various ADA requirements, such as an outdoor ramp, which have been added. The floors are original hardwood. A street with parking spaces runs along the front of the property. As there are no permanent furnishings in the house, filmmakers would potentially be able to dress the set as-needed with approval from the Edmond Historical Society, which owns the location, so long as it would not conflict with the integrity of the structure or EHS guidelines.
Many thanks to the Edmond Historical Society for allowing us to share this location on behalf of their recently certified Oklahoma Film Friendly Community.
| |
| OKLAHOMA FILM + MUSIC SPOTLIGHTS
| |
 |
Economic Impact of Film + TV in Oklahoma
| |
| | |
| A single movie or tv series can create hundreds of jobs sending economic waves across numerous industries throughout the state. The numbers speak for themselves as the Oklahoma Film + Music Office (OF+MO) recruited 32 film and television projects that utilized the state's film incentives in Fiscal Year 21 (July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021), which employed 1,883 Oklahomans and contributed a direct fiscal impact of more than $170 million to the state’s economy. This impact does not include the 150+ productions outside the state’s incentive program, comprised of commercial projects, music videos, student films and more.
Click the image to watch the economic impact reel. We invite you to share it with your friends, family and peers who may have interest in joining the action!
| |
FEATURED FILM CAREER
Jon Roberson | film editor
"My favorite part of the Oklahoma film and television industry is that it’s here! Where I live! I don’t have to move anywhere to get the satisfaction of working on movies and tv shows! I am so thankful for the recent influx of productions."
| |
| | | FEATURED MUSIC CAREER
Jennifer Maynord | musician/founder
"Local businesses and districts are willing to uplift original music artists and help them succeed. There is an organic, grassroots feel here that is heartwarming. I’m really proud of Oklahoma and the growth we’ve had across music, film, the visual arts, etc. There’s honestly nowhere I’d rather live and work right now, and I’m so grateful for our community."
| | |
LEARN ABOUT OKLAHOMA'S FILM INCENTIVES
Film and television projects interested in applying for incentives under the ‘Filmed in Oklahoma Act of 2021’ can learn more information on the Incentives Page of our website.
| |
- "The Studio"
- "The Adventures of Jurassic Pet II"
Please note that these dates are subject to change pending the production’s compliance with the benchmarks and administrative rules for the rebate programs. For a current listing of films in the rebate queue, please visit the Now Filming section of our website.
| |
THAT'S A WRAP
OF+MO is pleased to announce the completion of one project in the last month, utilizing Oklahoma's film incentives.
| |
WATCH: Projects Filmed in Oklahoma Releasing this Month!
| |
| | Start your new career in the Oklahoma film industry!
As the entertainment industry continues to flourish both globally and here in Oklahoma, the need for the continued development and expansion of our local film industry workforce and companies is critical. We invite you to explore resources to learn more about ways you can plug in to the industry and start your careers now!
| | |
Start your new career in the Oklahoma music industry!
Home to some of the most renowned musical acts and venues in the world, there are more exciting opportunities in Oklahoma’s music industry than ever before. We invite you to explore our website’s resources to learn more about ways you can plug in to the industry and start your careers now!
| |
Listen to Oklahoma Music on Spotify
OF+MO has made it easy to listen to Oklahoma music with 18 playlists (so far) on Spotify. Genres include blues, hip hop, indie, pop, Red Dirt, Oklahoma music in film, and more!
Get your music added! If you’re an Oklahoma artist who is registered in the Oklahoma Music Directory, we invite you to be featured on one of our playlists by updating your listing with your Spotify page or emailing us at filminfo@oklahomafilm.org.
| |
At Your Fingertips!
Instantly access the Oklahoma Production, Locations and Music Directories with the OKLAHOMA FILM + MUSIC OFFICE APP to explore and connect with Oklahoma's talented crew, accommodating support services, diverse locations and legendary musicians. For more information, visit the iTunes Store.
| | | |
| |
Stay Connected with Your Legislator
Connect with your local area state legislators at oklegislature.gov or by using the Oklahoma Legislative Guide for the 58th Legislature app, which provides current contact information and photos of each representative. This free app is provided by the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives (OAEC). Find it in the app store.
| | |
| About the Oklahoma Film + Music Office:
Under the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, the Oklahoma Film + Music Office (OF+MO) works to promote the state as a viable hub for film, television and music production as well as further develop opportunities for workforce, business and community growth within these sectors. For more information on the Oklahoma Film + Music Office, including the state’s film incentives and additional resources, visit okfilmmusic.org.
| |
SUPPORT • CONNECT • PROMOTE
| |
|
|
|
|
