This story originally in the VeloCity Newsletter. 

Oklahoma City film and creative industries recently released its Fiscal Year ’24 report, covering annual highlights from film releases, community engagement initiatives, local feature projects and 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. This figure highlights the dynamic growth of Oklahoma’s film industry and its increasing impact on the local economy, as these 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. In its first three weeks in theaters, “Twisters” grossed nearly $200 million domestically and surpassed $277 million worldwide. 

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 is $258 million, with 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 19, receiving attendance from lead actors Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell and Anthony Ramos; director Lee Isaac Chung; producers; and studio executives from NBC/Universal. 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 move 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 hotel stays, catering, set construction, editing, photography 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 is an independent film that completed production in January, an independent thriller set to begin filming in 2025 and a local independent crime story that wrapped up production in June. 

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. 

State Film Rebate 

For the Fall 2024 State Incentive Review Committee (IEC) Assessment of State Film Rebate Program, Philadelphia-based PFM Consulting Group reviewed the Filmed in Oklahoma Act of 2021. The film industry collaborated closely with the OKC Chamber’s Government Affairs, Economic Development and Research teams, as well as the Oklahoma Film and Music Office, the Tulsa Film, Music, Arts and Culture Office and the Cherokee Film Commission to collect local industry data and conduct case studies in support of the state film rebate program. This effort provided a thorough analysis highlighting the program's impact and effectiveness within the state's film industry. 

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.