Oklahoma Film & Music Office Finds New Home In Dept. Of Commerce

As Oklahoma's movie industry grows, the Oklahoma Film and Music Office has been moved to the Department of Commerce.

Friday, April 30th 2021, 5:30 pm

By: Jonathan Cooper

TULSA, Oklahoma -

The Oklahoma Film and Music Office has a new home. This week, Governor Kevin Stitt signed Senate Bill 949, which moves the office to the Department of Commerce.

"We want to enhance their efforts beyond what they've been able to do the last several years," said Brent Kisling, Executive Director for the Commerce Department.

Kisling said this will allow the office to be included in the state's overall business recruitment strategy, something they updated a few weeks ago to include sector-based recruiting.

It will also give them resources in attracting filmmakers and TV shows.

"What the industry has seen in these last 12 months is that we are very welcoming of them coming in,” said Kisling. “Now they're looking at moving production studios here and that's what we're really after, those long-term permanent jobs."

Kisling said the film industry is diversifying the state's economy, something they've worked hard to do in recent years. The state is anticipating 10,000 new jobs this year from the industry.

In addition to this move, the legislature and commerce department are also looking to enhance the state's rebate program for filmmakers to further compete with California, Georgia and New Mexico.

"Make it more sustainable for us, make it to where it works better for these production studios," said Kisling.

This all comes as Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon films right now in Osage County, bringing along with it what's anticipated to be the highest budgeted movie in the U.S. this year.

Killers Of The Flower Moon Production Team Prepping For Filming To Start In Pawhuska