Oklahoma’s Filmmakers Ranch, the state’s first film and television studio campus, has announced the expansion of its 52,000-square-foot facility with two new production vendors – Apex Post Production, a full-service post-production company, and NGP Film, one of Oklahoma’s largest film equipment rental vendors. In partnership with Apex Post OKC, the studio campus will now include a certified Dolby Atmos sound mixing stage. This represents a $500,000 investment, creating up to 15 full-time jobs within Oklahoma’s film and television industry, which saw nearly $300 million in qualified expenditures from productions utilizing the state’s film incentive program in fiscal years 2021 and 2022.
“We are so excited to see one of Oklahoma’s premier film studios transform into a film production hub, further boosting the sector as a whole,” said Richard Janes, co-founder of Filmmakers Ranch. “We now can provide a turn-key environment with high-quality services at extremely competitive pricing structures.”
The Dolby Atmos certification is an industry-recognized mark of technical excellence for post-production sound facilities. It will be the first of its kind in Oklahoma for feature film and television sound mixing. In addition to a Dolby Atmos soundstage, Apex Post OKC will provide sound mixing, automated dialogue replacement, foley and music recording, picture editorial, color grading, graphics and visual effects. Film rentals – such as those for cameras, lighting and grip and electric – will be supported by NGP Film. The company has served Oklahoma’s production industry since 2011, providing equipment to clients filming on-location, such as “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Reservation Dogs,” “Minari” and more.
“Oklahoma provides an ecosystem to ensure success for those in the production industry, from state support to workforce training and sector resources,” said Jon Vogl, owner of Apex Post OKC, who previously worked in the Sound Department at Twentieth Century Fox for 16 years. “The most recent example includes Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ starring Leonardo DiCaprio – the biggest movie production ever undertaken in the state. We are poised to help develop a workforce capable of servicing the major film and TV projects coming to and currently filming in Oklahoma.”
“NGP is excited to collaborate with Filmmakers Ranch in establishing a haven for cinematic creativity. Much like an artist’s collective, each business at Filmmakers Ranch offers a unique palette of products and services, yet we all have a shared goal – to foster the art of filmmaking in Oklahoma,” said Nathan Gardocki, owner and founder of NGP Film Equipment Rental. “Bringing these resources together in one location enhances the accessibility to our services while preserving the distinct identity of each business. With NGP’s unwavering dedication to exceptional customer service, we have every confidence that our move to Filmmakers Ranch will significantly boost our capacity to support the thriving growth of filmmakers in Oklahoma.”
Oklahoma is home to one of the most attractive film incentive markets in the country with annual support and programs available to the film and television industry from state, city and tribal governments. The Oklahoma Film + Music Office (OF+MO) reports the state’s film incentive program, Filmed in Oklahoma Act, created nearly 12,000 local career opportunities with close to $120 million in wages paid to Oklahomans in fiscal years 2021 and 2022.
“The expansion of Filmmakers Ranch and their collaboration with Apex Post OKC and NGP Film are a great next step in moving Oklahoma’s film industry forward,” said Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell. “Our state’s innovative, pro-business climate, coupled with the most competitive film incentives in the nation, makes us a competitive destination for film production companies – the industry growth we’ve seen has created hundreds of jobs and hundreds of thousands of dollars in economic impact.”
Within an 18-minute drive east of downtown Oklahoma City, Filmmakers Ranch has seen increased film and television production activity in the area due to the expansion of production infrastructure throughout Oklahoma County. A diverse range of film and television productions have utilized support services and/or facilities at Filmmakers Ranch, including those from Lifetime and Hallmark, as well as major studio projects such as “Oppenheimer” and “Tulsa King.”
“The addition of Apex Post and NGP Film to Filmmakers Ranch brings important pieces of film and television infrastructure to Oklahoma City and the state,” said Jill Simpson, Executive Director of the Oklahoma City Film & Creative Industries Office. “Post-production is a key piece of the industry which we want to grow in Oklahoma City, and we see having a certified Dolby Atmos soundstage at Apex Post as a big win for the entire industry.”
“The City of Spencer is extremely pleased to be the host city for Filmmakers Ranch,” said Frank Calvin, Mayor of the City of Spencer. “Their ability to film and produce quality content will greatly impact our city and state, and the movie industry will find our community and state welcoming for their business. Congratulations to Filmmakers Ranch, including Apex Post and NGP Film, for helping lead the way for the future of film in Oklahoma.”
The surrounding area has also benefitted from the creation of the Oklahoma City Film & Creative Industries Office (OKCFCIO), which earlier this year launched its own film incentive program to further the impact of the film and television industry within the Greater OKC area spanning seven different Central Oklahoma counties.
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About Filmmakers Ranch
Filmmakers Ranch campus is a 12 acre, 52,000-square-foot facility boasting 28,000-square-feet of soundstages including a 3,000-square-foot visual effects soundstage with greenscreen, standing sets which includes a police station, hospital, school, an interior house, and a bar, and a traditional sound stage which recently housed the second season of Crackle’s TV series Fairwood. With full production suites that accommodate multiple large film and TV production office needs, down to individual and two-person offices, Filmmakers Ranch is able to support productions of all budget levels. For art departments, the facility is home to drive-in construction rooms, props and art department stores, full grip and electric packages, and catering on site. For post-production, the campus includes picture editorial, color grading, ADR/VO recording, sound editorial and Dolby Atmos sound mixing. Outside, the facility boasts fields, forests and a small lake that productions can use. For more information on Filmmakers Ranch including Apex Post OKC and NGP Film, visit www.FilmmakersRanch.com.
About the Oklahoma Film + Music Office:
Under the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, the Oklahoma Film + Music Office (OF+MO) works to promote the state as a viable hub for film, television and music production as well as further develop opportunities for workforce, business and community growth within these sectors. For more information on the Oklahoma Film + Music Office, including the state’s film incentives and additional resources, visit okfilmmusic.org.
