Tulsa looks to capitalize on film, music industries

Mayor Dewey Bartlett and City Councilor Blake Ewing are hoping to position Tulsa to capitalize on the film and music industries.

"There is a direct tie between the top cities that draw young, creative people," Ewing said. "The common trait is that those cities are also the top cities for film and music, such as Austin (Texas) and Portland (Ore.)."

Bartlett said that because of Tulsa's rich heritage in music and film, it makes "perfect sense" to pursue the effort in an official manner.

"We have assets we can capitalize on," Bartlett said.

Earlier this month, Bartlett used an executive order to create the Mayor's Film & Music Advisory Board.

The 16-member board, which includes a designee for the mayor, is charged with promoting the city as a site for film, commercial video, and music practitioners and companies to do business, Bartlett said.

The mayor said he expects to have the full volunteer board selected by the end of the month.

Last week, the Weinstein Co. announced that Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts will play mother and daughter in a film adaptation of "August: Osage County," the Pulitzer Prize-winning play written by Tulsa native Tracy Letts.

The production company for the film has been in contact with the Oklahoma Film & Music Office about scouting filming locations in Oklahoma. The company has prequalified for state rebate, but no agreement to film in Oklahoma has been signed, state officials said.

Ewing said advancement in technology has changed the film and music industries.

"There was a time when the only people that had the equipment to make films and record music lived in Nashville and Los Angeles," he said. "But with the new technology, you can do that anywhere, giving emerging cities the opportunity to be a player in the game."

Ewing owns Black Gold Entertainment, which he said is a for-profit business that is focused on creating a film fund, "that groups money together and helps attract films to Tulsa or helps support local film makers in their endeavors."

Ewing said he began meeting with Bartlett on this endeavor well before he became a councilor.

"We export creative people like it is our job, and I think it is time to start keeping them here," Ewing said.

Tulsa Young Professionals Executive Director Brian Paschal agrees.

He said the mission of TYPros is attracting and retaining young professions and "building a vibrant music, film and arts culture in the city will only help do that."

Paschal, a Tulsan, has worked a decade in the film industry in Los Angeles before recently returning to his hometown. His experience ranges from story development to executive producing at DreamWorks, Universal Pictures and Sony Pictures.

"Whether it is film, music or arts in general, it helps create an identity for a region and potentially unify a city," he said.

Paschal also stressed the economic development boost the industries bring to an area.

"That is very real," he said.

Paschal said his hope is the board, over time, "will be successful in enhancing the external perception of northeastern Oklahoma, which would be a tremendous benefit."

Bartlett and Ewing view one of the board's missions as facilitating the growth of that specific industry through the local educational system - high school and college levels - to offer film- and music-related courses.

"So when industries are looking for cities that can house them, they will know the local colleges are exporting grips and gaffers and script supervisors," Ewing said. "So that means presenting to the film-making community that we have talent here."

Ewing said the state, with its film and music office, "has been doing great things, even though the tax credits and rebates are under attack right now. We in Tulsa just want to capitalize on it locally."

"The way that Oklahoma has shaken down, is that Tulsa is strong on the performance side and Oklahoma City stronger on the technical side, the behind the scenes stuff. Tulsa makes the actors, Oklahoma the directors," he said.

Jim Stovall, a local author and film producer, said Oklahoma also has many factors that would attract films to the area, listing weather, four seasons and an array of different terrains and the low cost of doing business.

Two of Stovall's books that were made into movies and filmed in Tulsa include "A Christmas Snow" and "The Lamp," which starred Louis Gossett Jr.

"This will be an enormous benefit to Tulsa," he said about the endeavor. "Any time you show a city in a major movie it draws attention to it."

He notes how "Field of Dreams" has changed the tiny town of Dyersville, Iowa, saying that last year it had 50,000 tourists.

Local musician Ben Kilgore, who performs with his wife, Noelle, said Tulsa's music scene has been getting some comparison to Austin.

"I think this is a great measure," he said. "Placing value on something that has unlimited value is a perfect place to start. I think this is huge for Tulsa."

He said having the local community "behind something and support it is how people are going to find out about new, up-and-coming film makers and artists."

"Even though there are big, wide-open end roads to get stuff out there, to really have value placed on it by the industry leaders in the community is invaluable, " he said.

Original Print Headline: City looks to attract more film and music

P.J. Lassek 918-581-8382
pj.lassek@tulsaworld.com

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Tulsa looks to capitalize on film, music industries

Mayor Dewey Bartlett and City Councilor Blake Ewing are hoping to position Tulsa to capitalize on the film and music industries.

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		PJ Lassek Staff Writer Beat: Tulsa City Hall pj.lassek@tulsaworld.com 918-581-8382

		Brian Barber Staff Writer Beat: Tulsa City Hall brian.barber@tulsaworld.com 918-581-8322