Last Updated on February 6, 2023, 12:03 PM | Published: February 6, 2023
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Office of Film and Creative Industries is now open for business. The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber and the City of Oklahoma City collaborated to establish the organization with the intention of fostering the development of the city’s developing film industry.
The initiative will be led by Jill Simpson, a veteran of the film industry and former director of the Oklahoma Film and Music Office.
Oklahoma City, according to Simpson, “has such a strong momentum for the expansion of this industry.”
“The increase in activity, along with new resources like Prairie Surf Studios, Boiling Point Media’s LED virtual production studio, Green Pastures Studio, and the enlarged State incentive, have transformed Oklahoma City into the newest movie-goer hotspot in the country. With a focus on regional economic growth and job creation, our purpose will encompass both recruiting and support of our already-existing local film community,” said Simpson.
Expansion
The office was created to support this expansion and aid in bringing the sector together on important issues including workforce development and advocacy. Additionally, the office will act as a one-stop shop for the industry’s concierge and ombudsman, offering site scouting help and databases, documenting Oklahoma City crews, talent, locations, and production services.
“The industry here is hungry to collaborate and work together to explore our full potential. So many Oklahomans who have worked in film across the country are coming back here to make this place the next big destination for film,” Simpson said.
In fact, Oklahoma City has gained recognition on a national scale as a promising location for movies.
Progress
The area ranked #13 on MovieMaker magazine’s list of the Greatest Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker, while Oklahoma City Community College was rated one of the top 40 film schools in the nation.
The first season of the Paramount+ television show “Tulsa King” was shot in Oklahoma City earlier this year.
A few of the recent feature films that were filmed in and around the Oklahoma City metro area include “Reagan,” “God’s Not Dead: We the People,” “American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story,” and “I Can Only Imagine.”
Visit www.filminokc.com to learn more about the office’s activities and Oklahoma City’s resources for the industry, including a variety of filming locations and incentives.
Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reports and photography to this site as he runs the business.
