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- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Economic Development
Cherokee Nation became the first tribal nation to declare its reservation "Film Ready" after Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. signed a proclamation aimed at attracting film and television productions to the tribe's 14-county jurisdiction in northeastern Oklahoma.
The designation follows similar film-friendly certification programs in other states. New Jersey operates a "Film Ready" program that trains municipalities on film production basics and connects them with industry professionals. Texas and Oklahoma run comparable "Film Friendly" community certification programs to help local governments accommodate productions and market themselves as filming destinations.
The Cherokee Nation’s designation builds on the tribe's existing film infrastructure. Cherokee Nation launched Cherokee Film in 2023 to consolidate its film industry efforts under one company owned by Cherokee Nation Businesses.
In 2024, productions using the Cherokee Nation Film Rebate spent $8.5 million on local expenses and wages. The tribe launched its $1 million annual film incentive program in 2022, the first of its kind in Indian Country.
Cherokee Film operates soundstages and provides access across the reservation. The company employs 30 people across four divisions: Productions, Studios, Commission and Institute.
“The Cherokee Nation Reservation offers so much more than other filming locations," Cherokee Film Senior Director Jen Loren said in a statement. "Our film and media ecosystem provides state-of-the-art soundstages, access to 7,000 square miles of varied landscapes, cities, towns and historic locations, and access to the services and resources provided by our tribe and its businesses.”
Film and television productions created $531 million in direct economic impact on Oklahoma since 2021, according to the state Department of Commerce.
