The Journal Record (JR) Now Webinar Series continued its free, weekly online discussions with a second session taking a deeper dive into Oklahoma’s film and television industry and associated careers within this business sector.
“Take 2: Getting Started with Your Career in Oklahoma Film”, which originally aired November 13, 2020, further explores Oklahoma’s camera-ready workforce development with unique perspectives highlighting the state’s training and education programs as well as the immediate employment needs of current film and television productions filming in the Sooner State. This episode features Oklahoma Film + Music Office’s (OF+MO) Director, Tava Maloy Sofsky, alongside esteemed professionals Jacob Snovel, producer of the feature film “Out of Exile”, Owner of Perm Machine and the former Adult Programs Coordinator at Moore Norman Technology Center; Trevor Rogers, Director of Outreach for NGP Productions and Executive Director of Film Education Institute of Oklahoma (FEIO); and Teresa Rose Crook, Executive Director of the Communities Foundation of Oklahoma.
Since the renewal of the Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program, Oklahoma’s film and television industry continues to grow, seeing a record-breaking 39 productions utilize the program in 2019 and $30.6 million in local expenditures throughout Fiscal Year 2020 (July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020). With respect to the current COVID-19 pandemic, Oklahoma has ushered over 20 film and television productions since Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt re-opened the economy in May 2020, deeming the state’s motion picture and recording industries essential businesses at that time helping to avert future potential shutdowns in this sector.
“With several larger studio films scheduled to begin production over the next few months and into the new year, the growth of Oklahoma’s camera-ready workforce is critical looking ahead to 2021,” said OF+MO Director Tava Maloy Sofsky. “If anyone is looking to get started in the film and television industry, now is the time as there is the increased volume of content being produced in Oklahoma from local production companies like Perm Machine as well as a number of new job training resources, educational opportunities, scholarships and relief funding through organizations like the Film Education Institute of Oklahoma and the Communities Foundation of Oklahoma, which can benefit locals looking to begin or further their careers in the state’s film and television industry.”
OF+MO is proud to be a sponsor of The Journal Record’s (JR) Now Webinar Series, a free, weekly online discussion with timely topics moderated by a representative of The Journal Record.
For more information on Oklahoma’s film infrastructure, workforce and other resources, visit okfilmmusic.org.
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About Oklahoma Film + Music Office
Created in 1979, the Oklahoma Film + Music Office (OF+MO) strives to share all that Oklahoma has to offer by welcoming filmmakers and music professionals to the state and by creating a network of support to develop Oklahoma’s film and music industries. For more information about the Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program or the Oklahoma Film + Music Office, visit okfilmmusic.org.