Filmmakers have a new financial incentive to make their movie, documentary or TV show in Tulsa.
The Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts and Culture announced Wednesday the launch of the Tulsa Film Incentive, which creates a fourth possible revenue stream for filmmakers who produce in the area.
Projects that spend between $100,000 and $5 million can be eligible for a 5% rebate, earning a maximum of $50,000 back. Projects that spend more than $5 million will be eligible for up to $75,000.
“I’ve seen this city grow into one of the top family destinations in the country, and now it has the potential to truly become the Hollywood on the prairie,” said Meg Gould, the office’s executive director and film commissioner. “This will help create more industry jobs in the region, growing the overall local economy and increase Tulsa’s visibility on a global scale.”
Total funds offered through the Tulsa Film Incentive will be capped at $400,000 for the first year, with awards given on a quarterly basis. Applications open Feb. 1.
To be eligible for the incentive, the production must occur within a “Tulsa Production Zone” within 30 miles of City Hall. There are other requirements, including using local crew, vendors and music. Full details can be found on FMAC’s incentive page.
Among those in attendance at the press conference inside Circle Cinema was Talia Bella, owner and producer at Rebellium Films. She has overseen numerous productions in town, including the recently wrapped “Road to Recovery.”
Gould pointed to Rebellium Films as a test case for the incentive. Its summer 2025 production of “Horrified” received funding from Tulsa’s film office, and Bella said the horror comedy would not have happened here without the tax credit.
“It’s sort of a dream for any producer to be able to live and work in your own city,” Bella said. “Things like this (incentive) continue to keep projects going and keep the film industry alive here in Tulsa.”
The Tulsa Film Incentive can be stacked with other incentives to assist filmmakers in funding their productions.
The Filmed in Oklahoma Act of 2021 offers a rebate of up to 30% for projects that film principal photography in the state. It is managed by the Oklahoma Film + Music Office.
Since 2022, Cherokee Film Commission has offered an incentive to encourage the production of film and television projects within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation and to hire Native crew in all phases of production.
To qualify for Cherokee Nation’s film incentive, a production must spend a minimum of $50,000 in Oklahoma, of which $25,000 must be spent within the Cherokee Nation Reservation.
Last year, Visit Broken Arrow created a $100,000 film incentive program designed to attract film productions. It includes a 10% rebate on local spending during a film project and a $500 rebate for every 12 room nights spent at a Broken Arrow hotel. There’s also a 10-20% rebate on the cost of production space used during filming funded through hotel/motel lodging tax funds.
Tulsa is a key piece of Oklahoma’s strategy to compete with states like Texas for Hollywood productions.
In recent years, the city and the surrounding area have been home to numerous noteworthy productions like Sterlin Harjo’s “Reservation Dogs” and “The Lowdown,” Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Erica Tremblay’s “Fancy Dance,’” Lee Isaac Chung’s “Minari” and John Swab’s “King Ivory.”
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