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Image Source: Oklahoma Film + Music Office
When producers of the movie Twisters were scouting out filming locations, small Oklahoma towns like Burbank, El Reno, and Okarche weren’t at the top of the list. Yet, in the end, millions of dollars’ worth of revenue were funneled into these communities.
How did they do it?
“Georgia was offering a better incentive than Oklahoma,” explained Jeanette Stanton, Director of Oklahoma’s Film and Music Office. “But creatively, the story was told better in Oklahoma. We had to work with Universal as to why we made the most sense. You have to sell your state.”
Cities throughout the nation are vying to become the next Hollywood. Attracting film and television producers can pave the way for an economic development pathway that connects with local industries ranging from hospitality to catering to secondhand shops.
In Oklahoma alone, filming streaming series and movies, including Twisters, has added up to $500 million in revenue since 2021, Stanton said. As the state — and, separately, local cities — improve their incentive packages, they expect to become even more competitive in catching the attention of film and television producers.
Image Source: Oklahoma Film + Music Office
But as with Twisters, financial incentives are only part of the picture. Local municipalities and state film offices alike must have an in-depth understanding of the needs of the industry, support experienced and motivated crew members, and position themselves effectively to get noticed.
“A lot of communities have seen the economic benefit with their hotels, vendors, and businesses,” Stanton said. “And there’s the notoriety of seeing your town on the silver screen. They want these productions in their towns.”
Setting Up Incentives
More than 40 states nationwide, plus even more locations globally, have incentives in place to attract the film and television industry. These range from tax breaks to cash rebates, and they play a powerful role in bringing productions to town, said Andrew Jara, the film liaison for the nonprofit Film Las Cruces in New Mexico.
“You get [up to] 40 percent (back) of any dollars spent in New Mexico,” he said. “The incentives definitely help to bring people here. This last year, we haven’t gone a month without having a production.”
In New Mexico, producers start with a 25 percent state rebate. If they agree to film 60 miles outside the big cities, they can qualify for an extra 10 percent. And if they shoot in a qualified filming facility like a ranch or studio, they’ll get an extra 5 percent back. For the multi-million-dollar budgets, that adds up.
Last year, that investment brought $10 million into Las Cruces alone, Jara said.
Stanton agreed that incentive packages are “critical to the business development and recruitment of film.”
For Twisters, it helped that part of the film could be produced in Oklahoma City. There, local elected officials approved a 5-10 percent cash-back incentive in addition to the 20 percent state-sponsored cash rebate for qualified expenditures.
To receive the rebates, producers must complete a rigorous application to pre-qualify their estimated spending on labor, goods, and services. Once the shoot is wrapped, an independent CPA will review the expenditures and complete a report. The film office reviews the report and a final version of the application before working with the state tax commission to approve a payout.
“This investment in the state helps local businesses,” she said. “We have a long list of notable mainstream productions and a lot of small productions, too. Films under $3 million also provide great impact and hire local crew.”
Knowing the Industry
While the economic piece is important, states and municipalities also must have a clear understanding of what’s necessary to make a film or television production run smoothly. In Las Cruces, there are two schools that train crew members. This helps producers save money since they don’t have to bring in crew from Albuquerque or other cities.
“We constantly hear from producers that the Las Cruces crew is great to work with,” Jara said.
That’s just the beginning. Jara constantly coordinates with different vendors and city departments. For example, a recent movie production had a car explosion in the script. That required conversations with police, fire, and emergency personnel.
Another movie hired a local Mexican caterer to provide meals for the set. But after the second week of enchiladas for two meals a day, Jara was called in to gently encourage the caterer to mix up the menu. When a production needed a laundromat at 3 a.m., it was another call. Extra lumber and building materials from a local warehouse? More port-o-potties? A locksmith? A priest? Jara was there to pick up the phone.
“It’s a lot of community input and reaching out,” he said. “We want to keep the productions and the municipalities happy. It helps us all.”
In Oklahoma, a film-friendly Community certification program is offered. This ensures there is a local film liaison who can help with whatever is needed.
“Not everyone has a film background. We provide an education,” she said. “Our office has a really great relationship with cities throughout Oklahoma. We want to be good partners to them and help them understand what will happen when a production comes to their town.”
Image Source: Oklahoma Film + Music Office
Preparing for the Pitch
Jara said he has a large list of local vendors to share with producers interested in filming in Las Cruces. But he’s also got something else: an average of 300 days of sunshine every year.
“That’s a big advantage of production,” he said. “But in Portland, for example, it’s rainy, and they’re setting movies there. Certain landscapes or snow, we can’t provide that. It’s all about finding what is beneficial about your community.”
That’s where crafting your pitch comes in. In Las Cruces, Jara often highlights the diverse landscape of the nearby desert of White Sands National Park, the rocky Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, and the green farmland of Hatch, New Mexico. Las Cruces has played California, Asia, and Texas backdrops on the screen, Jara said.
It’s the same with Oklahoma. It’s not as flat as many think, and the state has the most bodies of water of any state in the nation. The Art Deco buildings of Oklahoma City have even stood in for New York City shots, Stanton said.
Film liaisons, whether they work for nonprofits contracted with local cities, in departments within local governments, or within state offices, can search the IMDbPro database to connect with scouting agents in pre-production.
To be successful with these cold calls, they need local municipalities to have up-to-date location photos, a clear permitting process, a list of available resources, and a willingness to make a production work.
“Sometimes, a location scout will look online to find looks (locations) in a town, and they’ll make a connection with the community,” Stanton said. “You may have one hour to talk about your assets, the hotels, the restaurants that can stay open late, and the vacant property for a film production office.”
After all, it’s a competitive industry with new incentives being launched. Wisconsin, for example, recently announced a potential 30 percent tax credit for qualified films starting in 2026.
The question is: Is your community ready for prime time?
