Signing of film incentive bill bodes well for future of industry in state

By Chamber Staff / Economy / June 24, 2021

If you live in Oklahoma, the chances of spotting a Hollywood star in your city or town just got a lot better following passage of legislation aimed at attracting more film productions to the Sooner State.

On May 24, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed Senate Bill 608 into law. The Filmed in Oklahoma Act of 2021 is aimed at increasing the number of films and television series filmed or produced in the state by providing rebates to filmmakers who meet certain requirements. The bill raises the cap on the current state film rebate program from $8 million to $30 million and creates a new tiered structure for filmmakers to qualify for the incentive. Since it was designated an emergency measure, the bill goes into effect on July 1, 2021.

“We feel enormously grateful that the state allowed us to be so collaborative with them this year. They allowed us into the Capitol to share our story and to share the economics of [the film industry] as a viable business for Oklahoma,” said Rachel Cannon, co-founder of Prairie Surf Media. Cannon, alongside partner Matt Payne, operates Prairie Surf Studios, a 1.3-million-square-foot production facility located in downtown Oklahoma City and formerly the Cox Convention Center.

Cannon said state lawmakers were more willing to listen to their pleas about increasing state incentives after Prairie Surf commissioned an economic study by long-time economist Dr. Mark Snead. Part of the results from that study, which included a “deep dive” into the industry and examining what incentives worked and which did not, showed that in order to grow an industry, you must have what Cannon referred to as the “three-legged stool”: workforce, incentives and infrastructure.

“For the last 20 plus years, Oklahoma has not had any infrastructure. By us turning the convention center into Prairie Surf Studios and bringing in these five massive soundstages, we immediately stepped into a space where we can be competitive in the industry because we have the infrastructure,” Cannon said.

Snead’s study also showed that based on a $50 million cap – the amount industry advocates originally requested when they first approached state officials about raising the cap – the film industry would generate $100 million in wages, $100 million in goods and services and an additional $605 million in economic output. It would also create 4,310 direct jobs in the state as well as thousands of indirect jobs supporting the industry.

“Think about dry cleaners and restaurants and hotels. Those are all indirect jobs that are going to be beneficiaries of this industry coming here and spending lots and lots of money. At the end of the day, it’s about jobs,” Cannon said.

Now that SB 608 has been signed by Stitt, public and private officials can confidently approach industry executives about the opportunities – and state incentives – now available for companies looking to shoot films or produce TV series in Oklahoma.

Cannon said she and Payne have been in constant contact with industry and studio executives after the bill’s final passage to share with them the good news that Oklahoma City is open for business.

“Soundstages are so hard to come by, and the fact that we have five and they are massive, is something that is very exciting when you talk to filmmakers,” she said.

Cannon noted that the state of Georgia, which currently has a vibrant film industry, passed a competitive incentive in 2008 but had to wait between 2008 and 2010 to get soundstages built before seeing the industry truly take off. With five soundstages already in place, OKC is far ahead of the curve.

This article originally appeared in the June 2021 edition of The Point.

Signing of film incentive bill bodes well for future of industry in state

RELATED