Allsweet has a 3,000 sq. ft. studio and a big stack of film gear for rent. Allsweet also makes brand videos, movies, music videos, cool experiences and other art-stuffs in Oklahoma City.
Can you tell us how and why you started your business?
When the Oklahoma film industry started to gain momentum, we noticed two major deficiencies – not enough crew, not enough gear. We saw an opportunity to help. Additionally, we wanted to build out means to production for ourselves. The rental business was a byproduct of our own creative efforts.
What services do you provide within the film/music industry?
We provide gear rental packages, studio rental and production services. As filmmakers ourselves, we understand the entire stack and can be a one-stop shop in the state.
How has your company grown to meet the needs of Oklahoma’s film and/or music industries over the last 3-5 years?
It’s been a diligent, piece-by-piece build out of our grip and electric inventory. Today, we have one of the stoutest offerings in town. Alongside our grip package, we have a 15 ft. production truck, and a strong selection of LED and fresnel lighting. We’re at a scale that can handle anything from a commercial to a music video to a feature film.
What are the benefits of basing your company’s operations in Oklahoma?
It’s early innings for the film industry in Oklahoma. There’s a ton work to build a reliable pipeline of work. We’re glad to be in early to help build the necessary infrastructure.
What would you consider your business’s greatest accomplishment to date?
Our studio has become a revolving door of creatives. It feels like a clubhouse. So, fostering that community has been gratifying personally, but has also been a boon for the business.
Are there any recent successes your company would like to highlight related to work within the Oklahoma film and music industries?
The past year included several notable projects. We provided studio, gear and production services to the Netflix number one film “Girl in the Picture.” Additionally, we were hired to provide green screen to film the background visuals for Kendrick Lamar’s “Big Steppers Tour.”
What are you working on now/next?
First and foremost, we’re filmmakers. We have both documentary and feature films slated for 2023. But, we will also continue to build out our gear and studio offerings to meet the needs of larger productions.
What is your goal/vision for the future of your company?
Our guiding principals is “story and experience.” We want to find compelling stories to present cinematically, but also want to throw some [dang] good parties. We’re going to make movies that satisfy our own creative ambitions, but we want to continue to create experiences for our community. Who wants to shoot someone out of a cannon?
What advice do you have for others who are considering starting a film or music business in Oklahoma?
Get out of here. Go get some experience in an established market. But, come back. Use that experience to open a business. We need you. There are a ton of non-obvious services that our state needs to build out to compete with other markets.
What opportunities do you believe await Oklahoma’s film/music industry in the future?
It depends. We need money to attract productions or fund local projects. To ensure the viability of this film industry, we hope the future includes a significant expansion of the film incentive.
Each featured individual or business is given the provided questions to answer in their own voice. Other than formatting and grammar, the answers are personal to each featured voice, and are not provided by the Oklahoma Film + Music Office.