FAQ

The Compete with Canada Act introduced Oklahoma’s first film enhancement rebate program in 2001. This program was successful in introducing Oklahoma as a desirable location for film productions and set the ground work for workforce and infrastructure development. In 2021, the Filmed in Oklahoma Act was signed into law, creating a new film enhancement rebate program that replaced the previous $8 million annual cap with an increased annual cap of $30 million. The Compete with Canada Act will still exist until its scheduled sunset date, so that any projects that have already been prequalified under that program can still submit their final claims. However, as of July 1, 2021, all new applications for the Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program will be applying under the Filmed in Oklahoma Act.

Projects filmed outside of this state are eligible for the Stand-Alone Post-Production Incentive, which offers a rebate on post-production services that are performed in Oklahoma. The rebate for the stand-alone post-production incentive is 20% base with maximum of 25%.

There are separate applications for each incentive, so please make sure you are applying for the incentive that pertains to your production.

For the most part, the stand-alone post-production incentive is the same as the in-state production incentive, with a few differences.

Different from in-state production incentive

• The base incentive is 20% of qualified Oklahoma Expenditures, with a maximum of 25% available through qualified uplifts.
• Applications for the stand-alone post-production incentive (SAPI) only need to be submitted 14 days before the start of post-production in Oklahoma.
• SAPI applications do not have the 45, 30, and 10 day benchmark requirements that the in-state incentive applications have. However, full proof of funding for the full post-production budget must be submitted with the SAPI eligibility application.

Same as in-state production incentive

• Resident ATL and BTL labor qualify at 30%, Non-Resident BTL Labor qualifies at 20%.
• Out-of-state ATL labor can qualify for the SAPI, but is capped at 25% of direct qualified production expenditures, similar to the in-state production incentive.
• SAPI projects are still required to include a credit logo (provided by OF+MO) in the credits for a minimum of five (5) seconds.
• SAPI projects are still required to have their final claim reviewed by a third-party CPA before submitting it to OF+MO.
• SAPI projects are still required to have a minimum budget of $50,000.

Yes, the stand-alone post-production incentive awards come from the same funds as the filmed-in-Oklahoma rebate awards. There is not a separate fund for those applications/projects.

The Filmed in Oklahoma Act program is a cash rebate on qualifying Oklahoma expenditures.

No. OF+MO considers each Eligibility Application individually based upon many factors, including compliance with the Administrative Rules, the Filmed in Oklahoma Act of 2021, the benefits of the project to Oklahoma (such as economic impact, jobs, tourism, branding, image and follow-on work), funds available, anticipated future program needs, and other projects applying for a rebate. Application does not guarantee acceptance.

For projects with a budget of less than $7.5 Million, OFMO will review and notify applicants of approval and denial according to the schedule outlined below:

	Deadline for Applicants	Award Date	For Films Shooting in:
Series 1	June 30* (extended)	July 7*	August – January
Series 2	August 15	September 1	October – March
Series 3	October 15	November 1	December 2023 – May 2024
Series 4	December 15	January 1, 2024	February – July 2024
Series 5	February 15	March 1, 2024	April – September, 2024
Series 6	April 15	May 1, 2024	June – November 2024

*NOTE:  Projects with a budget of at least $7.5 Million may be reviewed and awarded or denied on an ongoing basis.

There are 6 award periods from throughout the fiscal year (July 1 – June 30), and funding will be allocated throughout the six periods based on the benefit of the applicant projects to the State, the amount of rebate payments already conditionally prequalified by the Department for the current fiscal year; and the ability of the Department to commit funds to additional projects for the current fiscal year.

During the assessment evaluation period, OFMO will determine which projects maximize the rebate program’s benefit to the state. Variables of the evaluation scoring system include, but are not limited to the following: Oklahoma workforce, principal photography days, ownership of a current brick and mortar film support service business, long-term or frequent investment in the state, Oklahoma branding and image through distribution.

The rebate program approvals are determined by OFMO, however, recommendations from OFMO are passed on to an internal Rebate Review Committee . The members of this committee are comprised of employees of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce which exclude an OFMO representative.

The Rebate Review Committee is made up of employees from the Department of Commerce, excluding team members from OFMO.

No, only employees of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce can be members of the Rebate Review Committee.

Yes. You can speak with the Oklahoma Film + Music Office’s Director, Jeanette Stanton, by calling (405) 522-9635 to set up an appointment.

As outlined in 150:150-1-7 of the Emergency Administrative Rules, (a) the decision as to whether to offer an incentive, and how much of an incentive may be offered is made at the discretion of OF+MO. (b) The actual rebate percentage approved for a project, if any, is determined by the Department in a way that achieves the maximum positive impact for the Oklahoma economy. (c) In determining the rebate percentage amount to be approved, if any, pursuant to either 68 O.S. §3635 or §3636, the Department may consider the following:

(1) Benefits of the project to the State (including economic impact, industry infrastructure impact, jobs, tourism, branding, image and follow-on work);
(2) The amount of rebate payments conditionally prequalified by the Department for the current fiscal year;
(3) Impact on the ability of the Department to commit funds to additional projects for the current fiscal year;
(4) The amount of incentive believed to be necessary to win the project.

No. There is not a minimum or maximum score that a project needs to meet to be approved. Scores are approved based on all the projects that have applied in that evaluation period. Busier evaluation periods may be more competitive, and higher scores may be needed for approval in those periods.

An application can receive a maximum of 7 points.

At this time, to help ensure the accuracy of applications submitted, applicants cannot know how many points are allotted in each category, however, applicants are allowed to know the variable of the scoring system. They include, but are not limited to the following: Oklahoma workforce, principal photography days, ownership of a current brick and mortar film support service business, long-term or frequent investment in the state, Oklahoma branding and image through distribution.

If more applications then available funding is received during any award period, Commerce will evaluate each application through an evaluation scoring system. Variables of the scoring system include, but are not limited to the following: Oklahoma workforce, principal photography days, ownership of a current brick and mortar film support service business, long-term or frequent investment in the state, Oklahoma branding and image through distribution.

Distribution is a vital component to Oklahoma’s branding and image, therefore, completed distribution negotiations or deals will hold more weight per application.

Iconic Oklahoma locations add value to Oklahoma’s branding and image, therefore, using an iconic location holds more weight per application. The application will provide a list of eligible iconic Oklahoma locations. Examples of iconic Oklahoma locations include, but are not necessarily limited to: the Oklahoma State capitol, The Philbrook Museum in Tulsa, Devon Tower, etc.

As outlined in 150:150-1-7 of the Administrative Rules, OF+MO may utilize a scoring system to provide guidelines as to the amount of incentive offered for a project, if any. OF+MO may also rank projects to determine which projects should receive priority in receiving an incentive offer. Any list created by OF+MO ranking projects is not subject to the Open Records Act.

As outlined in 150:150-1-7 of the Administrative Rules, the incentive percentage to be approved for a project may be determined at the time of Conditional Pre-Qualification of the application with the following limitations: (1) If a project fails to meet the criteria for a particular Rebate Enhancement for which the project was initially pre-qualified to receive, the percentage of that specific incentive enhancement is removed from the total percentage of the incentive offer. (2) If a project under performs with regards to any of the Rebate Enhancement categories from what they projected in the initial application, the additional incentive amount offered for that category may be reduced. (3) If a project uses fewer apprentices than the amount claimed at the time of Conditional Pre-Qualification, the base incentive amount may be reduced. (4) If the Rebate Claim amount is fifteen or more percent (15%+) lower than the amount for which the Film was pre-qualified, one percent (1%) of the Rebate amount for which the Film would otherwise be paid may be reduced due to the reduced economic benefit to the State.

No. There is not an appeal process at this time.

If a film has applied and been denied pre-qualification, they may ask to have their application considered for the remainder of the fiscal year.  If funding is to become available in the fiscal year, the agency can re-consider pre-qualification of the film even if principal photography has already begun or is completed, as long as principal photography did not begin until after the application was received and pre-qualification was denied.

As funding is competitive, there is no guarantee that a project which has been denied will later be approved funding.

If an applicant is approved for the incentive and wants to withdraw from the Multi-Film Deal uplift prior to filming, the OF+MO will need to be notified in writing, and a new eligibility application may be requested.

If an applicant wants to withdraw after filming is complete, the OF+MO will need to be notified in writing, and approve, before submitting the final application.

If an applicant wishes to withdraw from the Multi-Film Deal after the final application has been submitted, the OF+MO will need to be notified in writing, and upon approval, the production can withdraw from the MFD, only if the first payout has not been issued and a new final application may be requested.
If the first payout of the MFD has been issued, then the production will remain in the Multi-Film Deal for the three year/three film requirement.

Yes. If denied, you can resubmit an application for the next evaluation period, or you can let OF+MO know, in writing, that you would like for your application that is currently on file to be re-evaluated in the next period.  Your application can remain on file until July 1^st, before you would be required to re-submit a new application for the project for consideration.

Yes. OF+MO lists approved projects on its Now Filming page.

No. Not at this time.

Anyone can film in Oklahoma at any time without using the rebate program. However, if you would like to remain eligible for the Filmed in Oklahoma Act, all principal photography must commence after a project is approved for the program.

Yes, the Filmed in Oklahoma Act Rebate Program is capped at $30 million per fiscal year (July 1-June 30). Of the $30 million cap, $22.5 million is allocated for productions with budget of at least $7.5 million, and $7.5 million is allocate for productions with budget of less than $7.5 million.

Per statute, the annual cap is divided between two pools of money:

• $7.5 million of the annual cap is allocated for rebates of projects that have budgets less than $7.5 million
• $22.5 million of the annual cap is allocated for rebates of projects that have budgets of at least $7.5 million

The money is divided in this way so that there is a certain amount of funding that can only go to small-budget films. Over the past several years, the Oklahoma film industry has grown largely in part to smaller indie films. This rule ensures that there will always be space in Oklahoma’s film industry for smaller budgets, even as we continue to grow!

No. At this time, an interested applicant cannot view available incentive funds.

The Filmed in Oklahoma Act‘s sunset date is June 30, 2031.

To utilize the Filmed in Oklahoma Act, projects are required to show proof that 50% of funding is in place is due 45 days prior to the start of principal photography, and proof that complete funding is in place is due 30 days prior to the start of principal photography. For other funding benchmarks, please visit review the Administrative Rules.

Yes, a project can push their start date of principal photography up to two times, not to exceed 90 days from the original start date.

Yes, if they meet the eligibility requirements. Please visit the incentives page for more information.

Only payments or wages for work completed in Oklahoma will qualify for the rebate.

There is no application fee at this time.

A project is eligible for the Filmed in Oklahoma Act if they meet the following requirements:

• Budget of at least $50,000 with an Oklahoma Spend of at least $25,000
• For projects applying for the filmed in-state incentive, at least one day of principal photography must be in Oklahoma. However, for television pilots and seasons that are applying for the 2% TV pilot or 5% TV season uplifts, at least 75% of the television pilot or 75% of the series season must be filmed in Oklahoma. A pilot or television show that is filming less than 75% of the project in Oklahoma is still eligible for the program, but it will not be eligible for the TV Pilot or TV Season uplift.
• Unless otherwise authorized by OFMO, Eligibility Applications submitted for projects filmed inside the State pursuant to 68 O.S. §3635 may be submitted no earlier than one (1) year prior to the start of Principal Photography but no later than forty-five (45) days prior to the start of Principal Photography.
• The exact specifications of the Eligibility Application are shown on the OFMO website, and include but are not limited to:
  • (A) General information about the Production;
  • (B) Contact information;
  • (C) Preliminary production milestone dates;
  • (D) A copy of the screenplay (or treatment if appropriate);
  • (E) The OFMO Budget Template
  • (F) Various acknowledgements of program and OFMO criteria and agreements to abide by them.

No. Organizations with a tax-exempt status cannot apply for the Filmed in Oklahoma Act of 2021.

No, but Oklahoma Workforce is a variable of the application scoring system. A higher percentage of local crew will be viewed favorably.

Yes, but with limitations. Wages paid to a below-the-line Oklahoma expatriate crew member will qualify for the rebate program effective through June 30, 2031. Oklahoma expatriates are former residents of Oklahoma, and in order for their wages to qualify, expatriates must fill out a Declaration of Expatriate Status Form to be collected by the production and submitted with the final rebate claim. There is no cap for how many expats a film can use, or how much in expat wages a production can qualify.

Additionally, productions can now qualify payments to out-of-state below-the-line crew members (either through salary or loan-outs). Before April 1, 2023, these payments are only eligible for the 7.5% nonresident incentive, and that incentive is not eligible for any of the available rebate percentage uplifts. As of April 1, 2023, below-the-line crew members are eligible for the 20% nonresident incentive, not eligible for available rebate percentage uplifts.

Out-of-state loan-outs must register with the Oklahoma Secretary of State’s Office in order for their payments to qualify for the rebate program.

Yes, film apprentices must be paid for their time. The minimum hourly rate must be in accordance with the Federal and State minimum wage laws.

Yes, Oklahoma also offers a Point of Purchase Sales Tax Exemption. Please visit our incentives page for more information.

PLEASE NOTE: This Point of Purchase Sales Tax Exemption cannot be used in conjunction with the Filmed in Oklahoma Act.

Qualifying Oklahoma expenditures subject to the rebate can be defined in the Administrative Rules.

Final rebate applications will be accompanied by a CPA’s report, prepared at the expense of the applicant, attesting that the amounts in the application are qualified Oklahoma expenditures (QOE) that comply with the requirements of the Administrative Rules.

For projects with QOE over $250,000, the materiality threshold used for CPA Review is the lesser of 1% of QOE or $100,000. For projects with QOE under $250,000, contact the Oklahoma Film + Music Office.

For a list of CPA’s, please visit the Oklahoma Production Directory.

Yes. Both non-resident and resident above-the-line payments are qualified expenditures. Non-resident ATL must be paid via loan-out companies, and resident ATL must be paid via loan-out companies or via payroll. No more than twenty-five percent (25%) of your total qualifying Oklahoma spend can be comprised of aggregate qualifying above-the-line payments.

It would not apply to most of the game production. However, per statute, “Film” is defined as the following:

“Film” means a professional single media, multimedia program or feature, which is not child pornography as defined in subsection A of Section 1024.1 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes or obscene material as defined in paragraph 1 of subsection B of Section 1024.1 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes including, but not limited to,national advertising messages that are broadcast on a national affiliate or cable network, fixed on film or digital video, which can be viewed or reproduced and which is exhibited in theaters, licensed for exhibition by individual television stations, groups of stations, networks, cable television stations or other means or licensed for home viewing markets.The term shall also include filming for interactive and video gaming including, but not limited to, green screen, motion capture and similar production techniques.

At this time, only productions that have not yet started principal photography can apply for the Filmed in Oklahoma Act.

Yes, OF+MO offers a variety of services, including locations assistance, community liaising, posting casting or crew calls and promoting Oklahoma-made films that have completed production.

There is a place for YOU in the Oklahoma film industry! As the entertainment industry continues to flourish both globally and here in Oklahoma, the need for the continued development and expansion of our local film industry workforce and companies is critical. We invite you to explore our website’s resources to learn more about ways you can plug in to the industry and start your careers now! Start with our Getting Started in Film page with resources such as tips for beginners,  jobs and internships listings, webinars including OF+MO’s FREE Pivotal Work Series and OF+MO Film School, educational opportunities and more!. You may also register in the Oklahoma Production Directory as an intern in order to gain on-set experience. OF+MO periodically accepts intern applications as well. For more information about networking events, workshops, webinars and more in Oklahoma, subscribe to our e-mail notifications and monthly newsletter, Now Playing, and follow us on social media (@okfilmmusic).

Networking is crucial to connect with our state’s creative media professionals. Suggested opportunities include exploring local social media networking groups, film and music festivals and OF+MO sponsored events. Career, volunteer and internship opportunities exist within many of the state’s arts-centered organizations, events and festivals. For more information about these opportunities, please visit our jobs and internships pages, browse our list of film resources and subscribe to our e-blasts and monthly newsletter, Now Playing.

OF+MO provides casting calls on our jobs page. The majority of casting in the state is done through talent and casting agencies. Please visit our Production Directory for a list of those agencies as they will have the most updated information on available casting opportunities in the state.

Please visit the Oklahoma Production Directory to search for more information on local talent agencies or contact Yousef Kazemi.

Distribution is one of the largest hurdles for independent filmmakers. The Oklahoma Production Directory offers information on local distribution companies. Submitting your film to festivals is a great way to showcase your work to audiences and film industry professionals including distributors. Prestigious international film festivals like Sundance, South by Southwest and Tribeca provide great platforms for distribution. Local film festivals like deadCENTER Film Festival also provide filmmakers with distribution workshops and opportunities. With the rise in streaming services like Netflix and Amazon, the distribution model is rapidly changing.

OF+MO can arrange for a physical location scout to locations within the state on a case-by-case basis; however, we do not provide monetary travel compensations for productions. The fastest and most effective method to explore Oklahoma’s diverse locations is by accessing our online database, the Oklahoma Locations Directory. Users of the directory can explore thousands of photo galleries highlighting potential filming destinations across the state’s 12 different eco-regions. Inquiries about specific filming locations can be sent to OF+MO via e-mail correspondence through the directory.

OF+MO is continuously seeking locations to populate our online database, the Oklahoma Locations Directory. Sharing your property for potential use in a film production is a fairly streamlined process. Simply scout your location (take photographs) and OF+MO can create a customized login whereby you can upload your photos directly to our database. Alternative methods of submitting location photos can be arranged on a case-by-case basis. For questions about sharing your location, please contact Yousef Kazemi.

Rural locations can be found widespread across the state. The two largest cities in Oklahoma – Oklahoma City and Tulsa – often provide the most infrastructure and crew support for film, television and music productions, though other cities can also accommodate film productions. For more information, please contact Yousef Kazemi.

Please visit the Oklahoma Production Directory for information about production services or contact Yousef Kazemi for further questions.

Yes, Oklahoma has experienced crew and support services, which are listed in the Oklahoma Production Directory. Currently, our industry is about 2-3 crews deep, however, OF+MO offers an additional layer of crew through our expatriate roster upon request. Expatriates are Oklahoma natives currently working in the film industry who are based outside of Oklahoma. For more information about Oklahoma expatriates or to register as an expatriate, please visit the Oklahoma Production Directory or email Yousef Kazemi.

Most of our film crews are located in the state’s two largest cities, Oklahoma City and Tulsa; however, many of our crew members are willing to work statewide and have experience working in both urban and rural communities.

Registering in the Oklahoma Production Directory is the best way to promote your business to the state’s film, television and music industries. The Oklahoma Production Directory is an online database which allows our local industry crew members and film-friendly businesses to register their trades and services to be considered for employment by film and television productions working in Oklahoma. Registrants in the directory can upload their contact information, credits, resumés and more. The directory is a free service offered by OF+MO to promote jobs creation and economic development within the film and music industries.

**OF+MO promotes the Production Directory equally to all productions and does not give recommendations for any individuals or entity.

Oklahoma offers one of the highest cash rebate percentages in the nation at a potential maximum of 30%. With a base of up to 20% and several possible percentage uplifts, even small independent films will find the Filmed in Oklahoma Act easily accessible. There are no caps for how much a single project may obtain in rebates, however, the program has a $30 million cap per fiscal year (July 1-June 30), with $22.5 million being allocated for budgets of at least $7.5 million and $7.5 million being allocated for budgets less than $7.5 million.

An extremely wide breadth of filming locations can be found among Oklahoma’s 12 eco-regions, with everything from the trademark great plains and sweeping prairies to the unexpected lush forest, expansive plateaus and sand dunes. For any project coming to the state, film-friendly Oklahoma businesses are eager to offer up heartland hospitality to productions, big and small.

These film-friendly elements combined with the low cost of living and favorable economy make Oklahoma a prime destination for your next film, television or music production.

For a list of productions that have been pre-qualified for the Filmed in Oklahoma Act, including their tentative dates of filming, please visit our rebate queue. You may also subscribe to our e-mail notifications and monthly newsletter, Now Playing, for more information on film and music news and events in Oklahoma.

OF+MO does not have stock footage available, however, many of our state’s production companies do offer this service. Please visit the Oklahoma Production Directory for a listing of applicable companies and their contact information.

Yes, all productions filming in Oklahoma should obtain permission from their respective filming locations prior to the start of production. Permission to film on private properties must be agreed upon by the production and property owner. Properties and locations maintained by city, state, government or other municipalities require permission from their governing agency. For information about permitting, please visit our film resources page or email Yousef Kazemi for more information.

Most locations will require individual permits and location agreements per location. Oklahoma does not currently offer “blanket” permits which allow a production to film across an entire city or region. For information about permitting, please visit our film resources page or email Yousef Kazemi for more information.

Rates for filming on state property are dependent upon the impact of your production on the requested location including, but not limited to, the requested date/time of your filming, cast/crew size, equipment load and required special assistance, such as closures, traffic control and added on-site security or personnel.

Please contact your jurisdiction’s local fire department or city services office for production activity involving pyrotechnic elements. For further assistance, you may contact Yousef Kazemi.

Please contact your jurisdiction’s local police department or city services office for traffic control and special assistance on roadways. For further assistance, you may contact Yousef Kazemi.

Information on child labor laws pertaining to the entertainment industry can be found in the Labor Laws and Organizations sections of our film resources page. You may also contact the Oklahoma Department of Labor for more information.

The State of Oklahoma does not require film productions to carry insurance. However, films utilizing the Filmed in Oklahoma Act administered by OF+MO must meet specific insurance requirements as mandated by the guidelines of the program without exception. Film productions are strongly advised to have insurance policies in place to ensure the safety of cast, crew and locations while filming in Oklahoma – and many of these parties will prohibit filming and/or their involvement with the production without a policy in place.

Oklahoma is a right-to-work state.

Oklahoma has a wide range of weather patterns which allow for filming in any season. With a generally temperate climate, the statewide average temperature is 60 degrees, but temperatures may dip below zero in the winter and soar above 100 in the summer. While the east and south are more humid, the west is dry. Rainfall varies from 15 inches in the northwest to more than 50 inches in the southeast. Statewide annual precipitation is 33.79 inches. Snowfalls, ranging from two inches a year in the southeast to 25 inches in the northwest, rarely remain on the ground for more than a few days. For customized weather forecasts during filming please contact the National Weather Service.

With countless venues and events throughout the state, there is always something to do in Oklahoma! We offer an events calendar on our website with numerous film and music events in the state. In addition, Oklahoma has over 125 film and music festivals, Oklahoma City Thunder basketball, the Oklahoma Dodgers and Tulsa Drillers baseball and many concerts throughout the year at the Bank of Oklahoma Center in Tulsa or Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The TravelOK.com events calendar provides a comprehensive list of statewide events of all types.

There is no single way for artists to book gigs in Oklahoma, though networking and self-promotion are key elements in this process. In addition to the suggestions above, we recommend registration in the music talent category in the Oklahoma Music Directory. Additionally, you may search the Oklahoma Music Directory’s music business categories for booking agents to assist you or contact venues to find out more. OF+MO also lists several open calls for music events throughout the year.

There is no single way to have your music licensed for film and television, however, OF+MO hosts the Oklahoma Music Directory, a FREE online datebase. Films utilizing the Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program can earn an extra 2% cash rebate for using music that was produced or recorded in Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma Music Directory is the only official listing of Oklahoma music talent and music businesses. You can also access our rebate queue for a list of current projects filming in Oklahoma. We encourage you to attend our networking events and local film festivals to meet filmmakers who have the potential of using Oklahoma music.

Yes. There are multiple permits that may be required depending on the type of event you are looking to host, including noise permits and alcohol permits. Please review our music permitting page for more details.

OF+MO hosts the Oklahoma Music Directory, the state’s official listing of music talent and music businesses. Be sure to register so people can find you as a resource.

OF+MO hosts the Oklahoma Music Directory, the state’s official listing of music talent and music businesses. You can use this directory to browse talent listings by genre or location.