This story originally ran on VeloCityOKC.com.
The Oklahoma City Film and Creative Industries Office recently released its Fiscal Year ‘24 report, covering annual highlights from film releases, community engagement initiatives, local feature projects and so much more.
In FY24, over $22 million in direct spending occurred in Oklahoma City through feature films, documentaries, short films, student films, scripted television series, reality TV series, and commercials—with feature films alone contributing $20,323,404. In its two years of existence, the Oklahoma City Film and Creative Industries Office has tracked direct spending in Oklahoma City of $124,837,900 bolstered, in large part, by the filming of “Twisters” and “Tulsa King” in Fiscal Year ‘23. According to Jill Simpson, the office’s executive director, “These figures highlight the dynamic growth of Oklahoma’s film industry and its increasing impact on the local economy, as the dollars are directly reinvested into the region, fueling further development and opportunity.”
Twisters
The box office sensation “Twisters” was filmed over a four-month period in 2023, utilizing Oklahoma City's Prairie Surf Studios as its primary headquarters and filming location for several key scenes. The project benefited from a $1 million film incentive from Oklahoma City, generating significant employment and economic growth across the Central Oklahoma region – including Oklahoma, Canadian, Kingfisher and Grady counties.
“Twisters” exceeded expectations upon its release date, in which its box office performance doubled opening weekend projections, earning $81.25 million domestically. “Twisters” earned $370 million worldwide in its first two months in theaters.
The film made a substantial mark on the state, with an estimated $120 million spent statewide and $42.6 million spent specifically in Oklahoma City. The overall projected impact in Oklahoma City is $258 million, utilizing over 300 Oklahoma vendors and over 370 Oklahoma crew members. The production resulted in 28,000 booked hotel stays in Oklahoma City, as well as film workforce training for eight employees from diverse backgrounds.
“Twisters” premiered at Harkins Theater in Bricktown on July 15, with lead actors Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell and Anthony Ramos; director Lee Isaac Chung; producers; and studio executives from NBC/Universal in attendance. Three screening rooms were reserved for state and city leaders, community representatives, industry professionals, musicians and residents.
The “Twisters” soundtrack features a lineup of modern country artists such as Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett, Megan Moroney, Lainey Wilson and many more. The album climbed the charts, in which it was the only the second country soundtrack from a movie to debut in the Billboard 200 Top 10 list. Several songs climbed the charts, with songs like “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma,” “Out of Oklahoma” and “Caddo County” speaking specifically to the state. Film tourism also surged after the film’s release, with a major increase in visitation to El Reno – one of the film’s hotspots.
OKC Film Community
The Oklahoma City film community is thriving, with several films pre-qualified for the Oklahoma City Film Incentive Program – which offers filmmakers rebates between 5% and 10% on qualified production and post-production expenses, including local labor, hotel stays, catering, set construction, editing, photography, music and more.
Feature films, television series, streaming series, television pilots and reality television programs are eligible for these rebates. Among several films benefiting from the program are two independent films that completed filming in 2023, a digital animation feature and a local independent crime story, both currently in post-production. Two more independent films are set to begin filming in the next three months.
The Oklahoma City film community has been bustling with activity. From workshops and industry mixers to case studies and panel discussions, the film community focuses on fostering collaboration and sharing knowledge with the Greater Oklahoma City region and its residents.
As the film community continues to thrive, local businesses reap the benefits. Prairie Surf Studios is seeking a new location, Filmmakers Ranch celebrates its new Dolby-certified mixing room, Boiling Point Media continues to grow and expand efforts in the digital visual effects and animation space and Public Strategies’ One Set Studio – a cutting-edge LED virtual studio – joins the Oklahoma City film landscape.
Overall, Oklahoma City is experiencing dynamic growth in its film industry, which further boosts the economy throughout the state. This ever-changing industry enriches the cultural landscape and showcases what the state has to offer to the film environment.
Comments
Leave a Comment