A new local pay-for-performance incentive for large-budget film and television productions won approval from the Oklahoma City Council after language supporting small local filmmakers was added to the original resolution.

The vote was 7-1 in favor of the program, which will be funded through economic development incentives approved by city voters in 2007 and again in 2017.

It “will provide more fuel for our fast-growing film industry,” Mayor David Holt tweeted after the vote. “It continues to be a very exciting time for the film industry in Oklahoma City, which was recently named the 13th-best large U.S. city to make a film.”

Rachel Cannon, co-founder and co-CEO of Prairie Surf Media, said business is booming at the company’s downtown production studio and news of the city incentive is thrilling.

“It’s an extraordinary step in the right direction to ensure that Oklahoma City is a key player in the entertainment industry in Oklahoma,” Cannon said. It will help draw television series productions to the city, which provide long-term work for crew members, she said.

The two-tiered incentive is based on the local sales tax impact of production and post-production. Upon completion of a project, producers can receive rebates between 5% and 10% based on qualified expenses of $500,000 or more for films and $100,000 or more for TV and streaming projects.

Other components to be considered in the rebate include hiring local workforce and use of local and diverse small businesses and vendors.

“The overall goal of this program is to establish Oklahoma City as a competitive market for larger projects upon which we are continuing to build a bigger and broader film industry,” said Jeff Seymour, vice president for economic development at the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber.

It is one of many tools needed, Seymour said. In addition to incentives, there is a need for a small grant program to help local filmmakers and a need to develop a diverse local workforce, he said.

“While we definitely want to bring … big productions to our city, we have to cultivate the ones that are here,” Councilwoman Nikki Nice said, “and we can’t do that if we’re not giving them leverage and support that they need.”

Melodie Garneau, president of Green Pasture Studio in Spencer, said grants for smaller productions are absolutely needed. Drawing big-budget films is great, but local projects have an ongoing impact, she said.

“It’s really in our best interest to go with the smaller productions because they employ local people and small businesses that rent equipment,” Garneau said.

The academy at Green Pastures trains people in basic skills needed to work on production sets, where they can gain experience and move up. Of 400 graduates, about 85% are working in the industry now, Garneau said.

Cannon said she has seen a shift to more jobs being created in Oklahoma and crews being based in Oklahoma. “We are growing Oklahoma talent and we need to keep it here,” she said.

The city also is looking to establish an Oklahoma City Film Office in conjunction with philanthropic organizations to develop tools and programs for filmmakers, and provide technical support and assistance. City Manager Craig Freeman said he expects to come back to the council with a contract and possibly funding in the upcoming budget.

“There’s limitations on what we can do with city funds,” Freeman said. “There are specific funds that would have to be available. It wouldn’t just be general fund dollars that could be contributed to something like that.”

Councilman David Greenwell voted against the incentive program, saying he would rather spend economic development money on a workforce development program.

“I don’t want to focus just on the film industry when we have long-term industries throughout Oklahoma City that are suffering right now in terms of not being able to recruit and obtain the necessary employees to really operate at the capacity they’d like to,” Greenwell said.