Omaha Video Production Outlook
Omaha video production is set for a busy stretch as festivals, special screenings, and filmmaker challenges converge between September 11 and 18. Below is your field guide to what’s happening, why it matters, and where to plug in.
Festival Ex Nihilo: Experimental Energy in Benson
- Dates: Sept 11 – 13
- Venues: Joslyn Castle, The Church Art House, Benson Theatre
Why it matters: The sixth edition brings modular-synth scores, avant-garde shorts, cross-border artist talks, and a hands-on sound-design workshop led by Dr. Stacey Barelos.
Local DPs looking for portfolio material can capture multi-sensory performances, while producers can scout fresh scoring talent for indie docs
Film Streams’ New Season
Film Streams launches three overlapping series:
- One Anderson After Another (through Sept 18)—a Wes Anderson retrospective that continues with 35 mm presentations of The Master and Inherent Vice.
- Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale preview on Sept 11, general run from Sept 12.
- The Omaha Checkup documentary cycle opening Sept 15.
Production impact: Repertory 35 mm bookings keep local projectionists sharp and encourage rental houses to maintain film-format gear, sustaining Omaha’s capacity for archival and festival work.
48-Hour Film Challenge Screening
- Event: Omaha Film Festival’s 48-Hour Challenge Screening
- When & Where: Sept 18, 6:30 p.m., Aksarben Cinema. Expect a full house of cast, crew, and potential investors. Crews that missed the challenge often network in the lobby—bring business cards and sample reels.
Free Outdoor Movies Light Up Suburbs
Family-friendly pop-ups continue:
- Napoleon Dynamite – Sept 12, Ditmars Orchard, Council Bluffs (free)
- The Greatest Showman – Sept 13, Dairy Chef, Elkhorn (free)
While not major productions, these draw sizable crowds—perfect soft-launch environments for drone ops or event-video vendors testing new rigs.
Permit & Location Notes
Nebraska still lacks a single statewide film permit; producers must coordinate with municipal offices. The state film office urges registering shoots early to speed inter-departmental approvals. No new citywide film-related street closures have been posted for this two-week window, but keep an eye on Omaha Public Works bulletins for late-breaking lane restrictions that could affect exterior shots.
