With the growth of Tulsa’s film industry, celebrity spotting has become somewhat of a local sport over the past few years. From Sylvester Stallone to Ethan Hawke, movie stars have been popping up all over town. While it’s a thrill to catch a glimpse of Hollywood right here in Green Country, locally produced films also boost the economy and foster our homegrown talent. The film industry is good business for northeast Oklahoma, and the Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts and Culture is here to support it, helping connect filmmakers and producers with the local workforce, support services and locations.
“We’re generally the first call for films that are looking at Tulsa,” says Meg Gould, Tulsa FMAC executive director and film commissioner.
Gould and Tulsa FMAC manager Natalie Bowling break down scripts to see what key needs are for a project, such as locations, and then create location packages, connect filmmakers with local crews, help find production office space and assist with the permitting process. They’ll help with location scouting and serve as a resource for the project — whether that’s film, television, documentary, still photo shoots, commercials and others.
“We’re their connector, so we’ll help them find the different vendors, crew, all kinds of things that they need in order to start once they get here,” Gould says.
To assist with this Tulsa FMAC maintains the Tulsa Creative Directory, which lists local professionals in everything from audio and accounting to casting and catering, and the Locations Directory, which provides photos and descriptions of a wide range of available film locations. While both databases are free to join and search, in order to be included, certain categories require proof of professional credentials, and only property owners are allowed to list their property.
Tulsa FMAC’s support doesn’t end when filming stops. The office also provides support post-production.
“We’re a resource for their entire production,” Gould says. “Whenever a locally filmed project premieres, we collaborate on marketing initiatives to support its release. If the film is featured at a festival, we will often attend and celebrate the moment. With our strong social media presence, we actively promote these films online, ensuring they receive the recognition they deserve. Ultimately, we take pride in championing all the incredible works being filmed in the Tulsa region.”
While the Department of Commerce’s Oklahoma Film and Music office, the Cherokee Nation’s Film Commission and several cities currently offer film incentives to encourage filmmakers to utilize the state and its resources for their projects, Tulsa does not have its own incentive. According to Gould, however, that is about to change.
“(Tulsa FMAC is) working on that and hoping to get it launched in July,” she says. “A great selling point about Oklahoma that separates us from other states is we have local incentives that can be stacked on the state incentive,” meaning productions could potentially receive additional funds if they qualify for local incentives.
Gould sees a bright future for Tulsa’s film industry and is grateful for the individuals and businesses supporting it.
“I’m really excited about it. We have these amazing filmmakers like Sterlin Harjo and John Swab who call Tulsa home,” she says. “I’m a big cheerleader of those who have invested into the film industry here, and I am very privileged to be able to market them, tell their stories and help bring more people here.”
Go to tulsafmac.com for more information.
