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Every season rolls out a new story here in Oklahoma and this summer, exciting new opportunities arrive at our doorstep. On July 1, 2021, the “Filmed in Oklahoma Act of 2021” (SB 608) goes into effect, tripling the annual cap on Oklahoma’s incentive program to $30 million. This means bigger business for more Oklahomans and new sound stage facilities opening to accommodate larger films and TV series. The impact this newly designed program is projected to have on the future growth of Oklahoma’s film and television industry is unprecedented and we are incredibly grateful to our state leadership for their support. The success of SB 608 wouldn’t have been possible without the invaluable support and advocacy by industry stakeholders, community partners, local workforce and business owners, and state leaders like Governor Kevin Stitt, Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell and the authors of SB 608: Senator Chuck Hall (R-Perry) and Representative Scott Fetgatter (R-Okmulgee). To learn more about the new program, visit the film incentive FAQ's here.
Summer wouldn’t be what it is in Oklahoma if it wasn’t for the deadCenter Film Festival and we couldn’t be prouder to ring in this year’s 21st festival this week with our statewide industry members, where we will host a variety of virtual Zoom panels with special guests. These panels will premiere on Saturday, June 12, and will be available to stream for free throughout the festival’s duration. You can find more details about this year’s offerings below.
As the world begins to reopen and resume, we look forward to connecting with you soon, and hope you’ll stay tuned to our social media (@okfilmmusic) as we rollout some exciting announcements in the season ahead!
Thank you again to all those who worked hard this session to move the needle of Oklahoma’s film, television and music industries – our story continues because of you!
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Click the image to watch the Oklahoma economic impact commercial!
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| Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt Signs ‘Filmed in Oklahoma Act of 2021’ Increasing State’s Film and TV Incentives
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed new legislation on May 24, 2021, designed to attract higher impact film and television productions to the state. SB 608 establishes the ‘Filmed in Oklahoma Act of 2021’ further increasing the state’s film incentive cap and eligibility threshold to host major motion pictures and television series with additional mechanisms in place to further grow local workforce and infrastructure as well as stimulate economic impact in Oklahoma’s rural communities.
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| JOIN OF+MO AT THESE EVENTS
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deadCenter
Streaming and in-person in Oklahoma City | June 10-20
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OF+MO “Zooms In” on State’s Film Industry at 21st Annual deadCenter Film Festival
OF+MO is proud to be a returning partner of the 21st annual deadCenter Film Festival, which will be presented as a hybrid event this year with many screenings and events held virtually as well as a limited selection of in-person events throughout Oklahoma City June 10-21, 2021.
As part of the partnership with the festival, OF+MO will host the “OF+MO Zoom Series” on Saturday, June 12, which will highlight the state’s film workforce, infrastructure and education with a variety of special guests, including industry professionals, partners, educators and state leaders. The hour-long sessions will be FREE and open to the public who may first access them when they premiere at the designated date/time via the festival’s screening portal as well as deadCenter’s and OF+MO’s Facebook pages. After premiering, the panels will then be available to stream throughout the duration of the festival via those same platforms.
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Click the image to watch OF+MO Film School!
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| Watch Now! OF+MO Film School FREE Video Series
As we count down to the 2021 deadCenter Film Festival, OF+MO is excited to share our OF+MO Film School video series, which originally streamed at the 2020 festival. OF+MO Film School provides introductory courses on film topics from some of the state’s top working film professionals. All episodes have now been released with topics such as costuming, post production, location scouting, art department and more!
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Prairie Surf Media and Oklahoma City University Present Art Department Workshop Series
Prairie Surf Media (PSM) and Oklahoma City University (OKCU) are proud to present the PSM & OKCU Art Department Workshop Series June 19-23, 2021, in Oklahoma City. Aimed at growing Oklahoma’s film workforce, participants are invited to join PSM and esteemed faculty from OKCU’s School of Theatre and Film Department for a series of training workshops designed to educate those who are interested in employment opportunities in Oklahoma’s film and television industry, specifically in the art department. The workshop series will feature special guest instructor Tristan Dalley, Production Designer for Nickelodeon’s “Fairly Odd Parents” and “Danger Force”, who will provide further instruction and insight into high-demand careers within the art department, which includes set dressers, assistant set decorators, buyers, props, scenic artists and painters, carpenters and additional support crew.
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Current Crew + Casting Calls
CREW
CASTING
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| BUSINESS + INFRASTRUCTURE
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Shuttered Venue Operators Grant: Appications are Now Open
As a result of collaborative efforts among Congress people, private sector music industry professionals that united to form the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), and the 2.1 million emails constituents sent elected officials expressing their support for the Save Our Stages Act, independent venues and promoters have been included in the latest COVID-19 Relief Bill with the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant. Applications are now open!
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FEATURED BUSINESS
Reride Animal Talent
Reride Animal Talent consists of veteran, experienced animal wranglers and trainers. The business provides set-ready large and small animals, including wildlife and reptiles. In addition, the company furnishes period piece film needs, including wagons, stagecoaches and buggies.
“Working with others here in Oklahoma has been an incredibly positive experience," said Reride Animal Talent founder Dan “Reride” Smith. “The friends and business connections I have gained in a very short time have been extremely rewarding to me both personally and professionally.”
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City of El Reno Becomes First Community to Achieve Oklahoma Film Friendly Community Certification; Establishes TV & Film Commission
The City of El Reno has seen a steady increase in film and television production in recent years. Recognizing the value and economic impact of the film and television industry, the City of El Reno has become the first community to be officially certified as “film friendly” by OF+MO after completing the requirements of the agency’s Oklahoma Film Friendly Community Program.
In addition to becoming the first certified city in OF+MO’s Oklahoma Film Friendly Community Program, the City of El Reno went above and beyond the program’s requirements to establish the El Reno TV & Film Commission (ERTVFC), the city’s first film office.
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Greenwood Film Festival
OF+MO is proud to be a partner of the inaugural Greenwood Film Festival (GFF) to be held in Tulsa June 12-14, 2021. One of many events commemorating the centennial anniversary of the Tulsa race massacre, GFF seeks to honor the past while also working to build a strong and vibrant future for the art, culture and film community in the city’s Greenwood District. This year’s festival selections will showcase the creative and visionary work of African American storytellers from around the world with a variety of films and project types to be presented. Panels and workshops will also be offered.
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| | Bob Childers’ Gypsy Café “Live from the Farm” Celebrates Tenth Year
Bob Childers’ Gypsy Café, Oklahoma’s largest homegrown songwriter festival, celebrated its tenth year with a live stream of "Live from the Farm" last month, featuring a more condensed lineup of Oklahoma musicians. The event has streamed 1,500 times, and counting, resulting in over $8,000 raised for Oklahoma musicians, through the Red Dirt Relief Fund. Ahna Jennings, our Featured Music Career last month, won the Jimmy LaFave Songwriting Contest for her song “Hope & Gasoline”, which she performed during the show. This young songwriter also won the “People’s Choice” Award and received $600 in prize money.
WATCH NOW! In case you missed it, the 2021 Bob Childers' Gypsy Cafe is available for streaming on YouTube.
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Listen to Oklahoma Music on Spotify
Want to listen to music from around the state? OF+MO has made it easy to access by creating playlists on Spotify featuring Oklahoma musicians and bands. With 18 playlists so far, genres include Amereicana, blues, hip hop, indie, pop, Oklahoma music in film, and more, with artists such as Kaitlin Butts, Original Flow, Lincka, John Mooreland, Deerpeople, Red Dirt Rangers and many more.
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 our Music Business Development Coordinator, Kati Thomason, at Kati.Thomason@TravelOK.com.
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FEATURED LOCATION
Former Parkview Hospital
Located in the newly film friendly certified community of El Reno, the largely unused Parkview Hospital is a moviemaker’s dream location for projects in need of a dynamic medical setting. The property features a variety of hospital rooms, rehabilitation wards, waiting rooms and medical equipment, which can help enhance any film or television series filming in Oklahoma. Owned by the City of El Reno, this location has previously hosted productions such as the forthcoming Lionsgate film “The Unbreakable Boy”.
Many thanks to the City of El Reno and the El Reno TV & Film Commission for sharing this location with our office.
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| OKLAHOMA FILM + MUSIC SPOTLIGHTS
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| The Oklahoma Film + Music Office (OF+MO)’s “Oklahoma Film + Music Spotlight” features various filmmakers, musicians and industry leaders who have experienced the positive benefits of making film and music in Oklahoma.
June's Spotlight features Sierra McCormick, an actor in the Oklahoma film "Christmas in the Heartland", talking about how important the film incentive is to a city's and state's economy by bringing in productions who will spend money in restaurants, hotels and more while staying in town.
Click the image to watch this month's Spotlight video!
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FEATURED FILM CAREER
Valerie Parker | costume/wardrobe
"The people that I’ve worked with are remarkable, talented and inspiring. The creativity that each person on set offers and how everything comes together perfectly is magical."
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FEATURED MUSIC CAREER
Briana Wright | singer/songwriter
"As a kid growing up in Tulsa, I always dreamed of performing at Mercury Lounge and Cain's Ballroom. To me, they were absolutely legendary so having the opportunity to perform on both stages and build relationships with the amazing people behind them this past year has blown my mind."
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NOW FILMING
OF+MO is pleased to announce one project filming this month utilizing Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program. Due to safety and public health concerns surrounding COVID-19, some productions have temporarily modified or suspended their production dates in Oklahoma.
Filming in June + July
Please note that these dates are subject to change pending the production’s compliance with the benchmarks and administrative rules for the rebate program. For a current listing of films in the rebate queue, please visit the Now Filming section of our website.
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THAT'S A WRAP
Wrapped in May
- "Reservation Dogs"
- "Black Bags"
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“Asking For It”, “Agnes” and Reservation Dogs” to Premiere at Prestigious Tribeca Film Festival
New York City’s Tribeca Film Festival will celebrate its 20th year June 9-20, more than a year after COVID-19 forced festival organizers to cancel in-person events, and will premiere three Oklahoma projects. Co-created by Oklahoma’s own Sterlin Haro (“Mekko”) alongside Academy Award winner Taika Waititi (“JoJo Rabbit”), the pilot episode for the upcoming FX television series “Reservation Dogs” will make its world premiere as part of the festival’s TV lineup. The series, which just completed filming its first season in Oklahoma, also announced that it will premiere exclusively on FX on Hulu August 9. In addition to Tribeca’s in-person offerings, festival organizers will also host a virtual component with the announcement of “Tribeca at Home”, a one-of-a-kind online festival with exclusive programming and film premieres for audiences. Two Oklahoma films will celebrate their virtual world-premieres as part of this experience, including “Agnes”, written and directed by Oklahoma City’s Mickey Reece, as well as “Asking for It”, which features an all-star cast, including Kiersey Clemons (“Hearts Beat Loud”), Vanessa Hudgens (“High School Musical”) and Ezra Miller (“Justice League”).
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| | 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!
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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!
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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.
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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.
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| About the Oklahoma Film + Music Office:
Created in 1979, the Oklahoma Film + Music Office strives to share all that Oklahoma has to offer by welcoming filmmakers and music professionals to the state and by creating a network of support to develop Oklahoma's film and music industries. For more information about the Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program or the Oklahoma Film + Music Office please visit okfilmmusic.org.
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SUPPORT • CONNECT • PROMOTE
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