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 Journal Record Interim Editor Joe Dowd.
This episode, which aired October 2, 2020, provides an overview of Oklahoma’s thriving film and television industry with an emphasis on workforce development featuring Oklahoma Film + Music Office (OF+MO) Director Tava Maloy Sofsky alongside other special guests local filmmakers Todd and Alex Greenlee and Richard Janes, co-founder of the newly launched Oklahoma Film and Television Academy (OFTA). This is the first webinar within the series to focus on film and television with subsequent sessions beginning in November, where OF+MO will take a deep dive into industry sectors such as workforce, community and infrastructure development.
Oklahoma’s film and television industry continues to grow since the renewal of the state’s film incentive, which last calendar year saw a record breaking 39 productions utilize the Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program and over $17 million in wages to local industry members in fiscal year 2020. While the current pandemic has without question impacted most industries including film, Oklahoma has thus far welcomed 20 projects since reopening in May. OF+MO is grateful to Governor Kevin Stitt for deeming the motion picture and recording industries an essential business during this time.
With a growing need to meet the film industry’s demand for workforce and infrastructure, several new initiatives have also launched this year, including the Oklahoma Film and Television Academy and the recently announced Prairie Surf Studios, formally the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City, which will be marketed to industry professionals as a soundstage and available for alternative production use.
“OF+MO is honored to be a featured panelist for the JR Now Webinar Series alongside some of our most talented and passionate film industry colleagues,” said OF+MO Director Tava Maloy Sofsky. “The pivotal, forward-thinking steps Oklahoma’s film industry has taken to continue building our workforce and infrastructure prior to and during the pandemic have been remarkable, and we’re looking forward to discussing some of these exciting developments during this webinar.”
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 please visit okfilmmusic.org.