If you have questions about new film legislation being proposed in Oklahoma, House Representative Jason Dunnington has answers. Rep. Dunnington sat down with a large crowd at Coffee & Conversation Friday, March 6, at Circle Cinema in Tulsa to talk firsthand about the bill he authored, House Bill 3921, and how he says it will positively impact the film industry.
In a nutshell, the bill he’s proposing will create tax credits in addition to the existing state incentive, which Dunnington says will help bring more film productions to Oklahoma and create a higher demand for film industry jobs. Check out the PDF to the left for a brief summary of the bill and other current legislation being proposed.
Current Film Bills PDF
Coffee & Conversation was a Q&A style event, and people were buzzing with questions. More than 100 people attended, including casting directors, producers, actors, crew, educators and those who have relocated from L.A. in pursuit of fostering growth of the film industry in Oklahoma.
Rep. Dunnington, Deputy Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation Bryan Warner, Cherokee Nation Film Office Director Jennifer Loren and Tulsa Film, Music, Arts & Culture Director Abby Kurin served on the Q&A panel and answered several questions regarding the future of the film industry. Some of the questions asked include, How can local students studying film get jobs working on film crews? How do individuals keep up with new legislation that comes up? Is there a quick elevator pitch you can give us on how this current bill differs from what we have now?
Tulsa FMAC Director Abby Kurin, House Rep. Jason Dunnington, CNFO Director Jennifer Loren
Another special guest at the event, Deputy Chief Bryan Warner, is also a champion for film, saying, “Oklahoma’s time is now for this industry.”
Warner is passionate about the film industry in part because of the number of jobs it will create, saying, “When we look at the momentum that this industry has – I’m talking about jobs for Cherokees and other lives in these communities … we all know that’s what’s needed,” said Warner.
The crowd also learned about CNFO and Tulsa FMAC. Loren touched on the mission of the newly launched CNFO and the 60 projects they’ve consulted on so far. Kurin talked about the growing film industry in Tulsa and plans for the future.
Want to see the play-by-play of Coffee & Conversation and how panelists answered the Q&A? Watch the live stream of the event on our Facebook page.
Film Industry Jobs & Support Services PDF
If you’re new to the film industry, here’s a PDF to learn about some potential jobs in the industry.
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