With Martin Scorsese’a, Killer Of The Flower Moon out this weekend, we wanted to take a look at Oklahoma Production, their Incentive Program and available Sound Stages in the state. Killers of the Flower Moon was filmed in Oklahoma and with a budget of $200 million, it is surely the most expensive film ever shot in the landlocked state.
When filming commenced in February 2021, after pandemic delays, director Scorsese said: ‘We are thrilled to finally start production on Killers of the Flower Moon in Oklahoma. To be able to tell this story on the land where these events took place is incredibly important and critical to allowing us to portray an accurate depiction of the time and people. ‘We’re grateful to Apple, the Oklahoma Film and Music Office and The Osage Nation, especially all our Osage consultants and cultural advisors, as we prepare for this shoot,’ he said. ‘We’re excited to start working with our local cast and crew to bring this story to life on screen and immortalise a time in American history that should not be forgotten.’
In particular, Killers of the Flower Moon was filmed in:
- Pawhuska, Osage County, Oklahoma
- Fairfax, Osage County, Oklahoma
- Bartlesville, Washington County, Oklahoma
Bartlesville served as base, with a few sets built there in a hangar rented from the city airport. Staying true to the harrowing real events that the film is based on, most of the murders took place in Pawhuska, which was totally transformed for filming. A two block section of Pawhuska’s Kihekah Avenue in particular was closed for two and a half months for the film, with local business owners compensated for the closures by Apple Studios. ‘This has been an iconic moment, a historic marker and something that we definitely would love to do again in Pawhuska,’ Kelly Bland, executive director of Osage County Tourism, told The Oklahoman. ‘It’s been a good experience all the way around.’ Plus, thousands of extras were drawn from Native American communities in the surrounding area to fill the background of the film.
Oklahoma Tax Incentive
| Incentive | 20%-30% Rebate |
| Related Programs | CHEROKEE NATION |
| Labor | |
| Resident ATL | 30% |
| Resident BTL | 30% |
| Non-Resident BTL | 20% |
| Qualified Spend | |
| Spend | 20% |
| Qualified Production Expenditure, or production cost, includes Oklahoma expenditures or production costs paid directly or through an Oklahoma-based entity. See Administrative Rules for a list of Qualified Production Expenditures. | |
| Spend Uplifts | 2% for a TV series pilot5% for a TV series that is filmed for one or more seasons5% for a multi-film deal (at least three films in three years)3% for post-production expenses that are at least 3% of Qualified Production Expenditures2% for Music if 1% of qualified expenditures are spent on music production, recording, mixing, composition, or licensing.3% for at least 25% of main crew principal photography on location in a county of less than 250K2% for at least 25% of main crew principal photography on location in a municipality of less than 25K5% for at least 25% of main crew principal photography on a qualified soundstage and at least 3% of direct expenditures spent at the soundstage |
| Minimum/Caps | |
| Minimum Spend | $50K (total budget) |
| Project Cap | None |
| Compensation Cap | None |
| Annual Cap | $30M |
| Application | |
| OF+MO considers each Eligibility Application individually based upon many factors, including compliance with the Administrative Rules, 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.While projects are only required to submit their applications at least 45 days before the start of principal photography, it is highly encouraged for projects to submit their application before the evaluation date prior to their desired quarter of principal photography. | |
| Additional Requirements | |
| Screen Credit | Yes |
| CPA Audit | Yes |
| Loan-Out Registration | Yes |
| Income Tax Withholding | Individual: Not RequiredLoan-out: Not Required |
| Sunset Date | June 30, 2031 |
| Additional Information | Each production approved for the Filmed in Oklahoma Act rebate program is required to hire a certain amount of apprentices depending on their direct qualified production expenditures.< $7.5M Direct QPE – 2 apprentices$7.5M – $15M – 4 apprentices$15M – $25M – 8 apprentices>$25M – 16 apprentices |
Sound Stages in Oklahoma
There are two major film studios in Oklahoma. Green Pastures and Prairie Surf Studios.
With 1.3M Square Feet in the middle of downtown Oklahoma City, Prairie Surf Studios offers 5 flexible, clearspan soundstages and full production amenities including production support, offices, mill space and preferred.
Green Pastures Studio has a 12-acre campus located 18 minutes east of downtown Oklahoma City. They have a 5,500 sqft soundstage with acoustically constructed walls and ceiling complete with a 16x16ft elephant door and 27ft ceilings, a 3,000 sqft VFX soundstage with greenscreen, and a 20,000 sq ft standing sets stage which includes a police station, hospital, school, an interior house, and a bar. They have full production suites that can accommodate multiple large film and TV production office needs, all the way down to 2-person offices. For art departments, the facility is home to a 2,000 sqft drive-in construction room, props and art department stores, together with a full grip and electric package and full catering on site.
Film Projects Shooting In Oklahoma
The Drive-In
Feature Film
Perm Machine, LLC
[email protected]
September 22 – October 24, 2023
FY24 – Series 1
The Way I Heard It – Season 5 & 6
Television Series
Impact Projects
[email protected]
September 26 – October 28, 2023
FY24 – Series 1
Delivery Fee
Feature Film
Bricktown Films LLC
[email protected]
October 23 – November 19, 2023
FY23 – Q4
Cool Tenor
Feature Film
Jazz Baby, LLP
[email protected]
November 1 – December 4, 2023
FY24 – Series 1
May Your Eyes Shine
Feature Film
Last Encore LLC
[email protected]
November 13 – December 1, 2023
FY23 – Q4
Fade Em Up
Feature Film
Melvin Childs Presents, LLC
[email protected]
November 20 – December 8, 2023
FY24 – Series 1
Off the Board
Feature Film
OTB Movie LLC
job[email protected]
November 27 – December 22, 2023
FY24 – Series 1
Killdeer
Feature Film
Killdeer Film LLC
[email protected]
November 28 – December 22, 2023
FY24 – Series 2
The film premieres on
