Lights Up in the Air Capital: Mid-September 2025 Wichita Video Production Forecast
Wichita video production professionals have plenty to track between September 10 – 24, 2025. From classic-film reunions that pack theatres with potential clients to fresh festival lineups and whispers of a world-class recording complex, here’s what’s rolling through ICT’s lenses.
‘The Goonies’ Storms Century II (Sept 18)
Sloth-size nostalgia hits the Century II Mary Jane Teall Theater when the Orpheum’s 2025 Anniversary Film Series presents The Goonies 40th-anniversary screening on Thursday, Sept 18 at 7 p.m. Ticket demand is already brisk, and series passes route cinephiles downtown every month—great news for local caterers, freelance camera ops capturing red-carpet content, and social-media crews hired by sponsors.
Tallgrass Reveals 2025 Lineup
Just days ago, the Tallgrass Film Festival dropped its first slate of titles, embracing the theme “Cinema is in our DNA.” With 175 films, panels, and parties slated for Oct 16-19, the announcement lights a two-month countdown that fills hotel blocks, uplifts location scouts, and activates Wichita video production teams hired for filmmaker EPKs and livestreams.
Mini Golf Meets Movie Night (Sept 14)
If your call sheet is clear on Sunday, Sept 14, consider teeing up at Tallgrass Film Center’s “Caddyshack Classic: Mini Golf Fundraiser & Screening.” Six putting holes wind through the lobby before Harold Ramis’s cult comedy rolls onscreen—a playful mixer where DPs, prop masters, and agency creatives swap business cards over nine-irons.
Rumored Blackbird Studio Expansion
April chatter that John McBride may replicate Nashville’s Blackbird Studio in downtown Wichita refuses to fade. The acclaimed engineer reportedly continues property talks, eyeing a cutting-edge recording and post-production hub. Should the deal close, Wichita could capture overflow from Music City shoots, elevate sound-mix options for indie features, and generate new crew gigs in 2026.
Quick-Hit Industry Notes
- Permit Primer: Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission offers free liaison and scouting help; producers can streamline state-level approvals before rolling camera.
- Audience Pipeline: Regal’s month-long Masterpieces program (ongoing through September) keeps big-screen demand high—helpful when pitching branded-content pre-shows to theatre managers.
- Festival Fringe: Tallgrass’ Take 36 Top Ten showcase lands Sept 29 (just outside our two-week window) but merits early crew bookings for highlight reels.
Why It Matters for Wichita Video Production
- Cash Flow: Visiting filmmakers average $150–$250/day in local spend on crew and gear rentals.
- Portfolio Boosts: Classic-film events and fundraisers double as low-cost environments to capture BTS social content.
- Talent Retention: Rumored studio openings could anchor graduates from WSU’s media arts program, reducing the talent drain to KC or Denver.
