The Oklahoma Department of Commerce announced this week that the Oklahoma Film + Music Office added six towns to the Oklahoma Film Friendly Community Program in 2025, bringing the total number of certified Film Friendly communities in Oklahoma to 43, which includes Seminole. The newest film friendly communities include Alva, Ardmore, Freedom, Oklahoma City, Owasso and Waynoka.

“Our goal is for every community in Oklahoma to be certified film-friendly,” said Jeanette Stanton, Director of the Oklahoma Film + Music Office. “Being film-friendly is the best way to show potential film and television clients that your city is primed and ready with critical support and processes in place to host productions in Oklahoma. More film and TV projects are choosing Oklahoma than ever before, and this is one of the best way communities can take advantage of and participate in Oklahoma’s booming film industry while also showcasing the unique locations and assets which make their communities so special.”

In 2025, the Oklahoma Film + Music Office facilitated the filming of 34 films/ TV productions in the state, resulting in an estimated $65.7M spent in Oklahoma and contributing to the creation of 5,336 jobs. Based in Tulsa, The Lowdown Season 1 was filmed at locations throughout Northeast Oklahoma including four film friendly certified communities. The show was recently renewed for a second season by FX after being named one of the best television series of 2025 by Time Magazine, Rolling Stone and The New York Times.

“Sterlin Harjo is an incredibly talented filmmaker, and he chose to film The Lowdown in Tulsa and Green Country for a reason,” said Meg Gould, Executive Director of the Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts and Culture. “As a certified Film Friendly Community, Tulsa offers an extensive network of crew and support staff, not to mention a variety of scenes, backdrops and locations that add color and depth to any production. It’s thrilling to know there will be a second season, filmed in Tulsa, providing more experience and opportunity for our ever-expanding workforce.”

Harjo is a citizen of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. His first feature documentary, This May Be the Last Time, is based on the story of his grandfather, who disappeared in 1962 in the Seminole County town of Sasakwa.

Towns participating in the Oklahoma Film Friendly Community Program include El Reno, Broken Arrow, Shawnee, Duncan, Grove, Nowata, Lawton, Guthrie, Edmond, Enid, Ada, Chickasha, Bethany, Seminole, Bartlesville, Weatherford, Woodward, Muskogee, Davis, Okmulgee, Pawnee, Durant, Ponca City, Stroud, Yukon, Sapulpa, Jenks, Broken Bow, Miami, Guymon, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Norman, Vinita, Claremore, Collinsville, Chandler, Ardmore, Alva, Owasso, Freedom, Waynoka and Spencer.

About the Oklahoma Film + Music Office Signed into law by Governor Kevin Stitt in 2021, the Filmed in Oklahoma Act has been transformative for the state. This landmark legislation has been instrumental in advancing workforce development, supporting business growth, and fostering the continued expansion of Oklahoma’s film and television industry. Between FY21-FY24, the program has generated more than $531 million in direct economic impact and created 22,000 jobs, supporting projects ranging from major studio blockbusters to independent films and local productions.