September Festivals Supercharge Tulsa Video Production Momentum
Tulsa video production professionals have a packed fortnight ahead, with three distinct film festivals launching, a new studio announcement, and recent indie features showcasing the city’s cinematic appeal. Below is your guide to what’s happening, why it matters, and how to plug in.
Black Wall Street Nation Film Festival (Sept 10 – 14)
- Venue: Circle Cinema, 10 S. Lewis Ave.
- Focus: Films by Black directors, entrepreneurship panels, national music acts
- Why it matters: First-year festival rooted in Greenwood’s historic district extends Tulsa’s brand as a center for diverse storytelling.
The five-day program mixes feature premieres with workshops on financing and distribution, giving local crews face-time with visiting producers. Expect packed evening screenings and late-night mixers that can translate into future collaborations and paid gigs.
Twisted Arts Film Festival (Sept 10 – 13)
Circle Cinema flips its screens again for the fifth annual LGBTQ2S+ showcase, featuring titles such as Four Mothers and live “Drag Me to the Movies” performances. After-parties at Bar 473 and Queen Rose Arts House offer relaxed spaces for editors, DITs, and talent scouts to trade cards.
918 Day Film Fest & Student Sandbox (Sept 18 & 20)
Timed to Tulsa’s 9/18 area-code celebration, this hyper-local mini-fest spotlights student shorts, script readings, and late-night “9:18 p.m.” screenings. For recruiters, it’s a one-stop reel review of emerging camera ops and sound mixers before they hit the wider market.
Infrastructure Update: Emerge Studios, Collinsville
Collinsville city leaders previewed Emerge Studios, a 40,000-sq-ft soundstage complex slated to open in late 2025. Funded through grants rather than taxes, the $2.3 million build will give productions a climate-controlled alternative to on-location shoots and reduce the need to rent facilities in Dallas or Atlanta.
Production Impact: Once operational, Emerge could keep as many as 150 crew positions in-state per project and attract series work that currently bypasses Oklahoma for sound-stage-rich markets. The announcement is already spurring inquiries from streaming-series line producers evaluating 2026 slates.
Recent Shoot Spotlight: Ghost Complex
Indie dramedy Ghost Complex wrapped principal photography across Tulsa, Catoosa’s Blue Whale, and Sperry’s Bellissima Ranch on Aug 22. The production employed a majority-Oklahoma crew and tapped the state rebate, underscoring the incentive’s pull for coastal filmmakers. Producers plan a hometown premiere during next year’s festival circuit.
Quick-Look Calendar (Sept 10 – 24)
Date | Event | Notes |
Sept 10 – 14 | Black Wall Street Nation FF | Screenings + panels at Circle Cinema |
Sept 10 – 13 | Twisted Arts Film Festival | LGBTQ2S+ features & after-parties |
Sept 18 | 918 Day Short-Film Block | Free Whittier Square kickoff at 5 p.m. |
Sept 20 | Student Sandbox Readings | Youth scripts performed live |
What This Means for Tulsa Video Production
- Crew Availability: Overlapping festivals concentrate talent in one corridor, making it easier to staff short-notice commercial shoots.
- Networking Velocity: Evening mixers and Q&As create low-barrier entry points for early-career videographers seeking mentors.
- Economic Uptick: Hotel occupancy and vendor rentals see spikes; Circle Cinema alone projects a 20 percent concession bump over two weeks.
- Long-Term Growth: With Emerge Studios and expanding rebate funds, Tulsa edges closer to landing multi-season series work.
Whether you’re scouting crew, pitching a project, or just hungry for fresh storytelling, the next two weeks offer prime opportunities to embed yourself in Tulsa’s accelerating screen ecosystem. Pack your badges—September is show-time.
