Film studios tour highlights Cherokee excellence

Native Commerce News is sponsored by the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Oklahoma (AICCO), dedicated to expanding Indian Country commerce across the globe. 

(CHEROKEE RESERVATION) Lights. Camera. Action. A group tour organized by the Tulsa Chapter of the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Oklahoma (AICCO) recently had the opportunity to experience a behind-the-scenes look at Cherokee Film Studios in Owasso, a tribally owned entity promoting economic opportunity and the accurate representation of Indigenous people through industry innovation. 

Cherokee Film is an umbrella of four distinct branches: Cherokee Film Studios, the Cherokee Film Institute, Cherokee Film Productions, and the Cherokee Film Commission, the last of which connects filmmakers with a database of Native American talent. 

Cherokee Film Studios sits on four acres of reservation land and includes more than 16,000 square feet of production space. It also holds offices, hair and make-up rooms, audio booths, a control room, a space for editing, a crew lounge, and a client lounge, as well as two of the largest certified sound stages in the region with certification from Oklahoma Film and Music. 

“Through our tribe’s breakthrough endeavors, Cherokee Nation remains at the forefront of the emerging film and TV industry in Indian Country,” Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said at expansion of Cherokee Film Studios earlier this fall. “The present and future of Cherokee Nation, our neighboring tribes and Oklahoma are intrinsically intertwined, and this newly expanded campus demonstrates yet another example of our commitment to investing in that future. As we increase infrastructure, explore incentives, connect resources and remove barriers, we are helping grow and amplify television and film production in Oklahoma — the home state of 39 tribal nations — while making it possible for our citizens to be a part of it.” 

During the December tour, AICCO members and non-members alike were treated to a look at the latest in cinema magic, including photogrammetry and parallaxing which marries physical and virtual cameras together to create large-scale environments with small set builds. This allows filmmakers to film more in-studio and even bring back locations that no longer exist. 

Becoming a hub for film production also allows the Cherokee Nation to preserve its language and culture. In November, Cherokee Nation announced they would partner with Amazon Prime Video to dub content into the Cherokee Language. 

“The Lord of The Rings: Rings of Power” is the first prime video content that will be dubbed into the Cherokee language. 

“We are so excited to see the Cherokee language featured in such a prominent way,” said Howard Paden, Cherokee Nation executive director of language programs. “This unique cultural collaboration with Prime Video can absolutely play a role in helping us preserve and perpetuate the language. As we create modern content that is both engaging and entertaining, we are putting a real spotlight on the Cherokee language. This will be a series that our speakers can return to time and time again.”

All 9 episodes of season one of that series will be ready for viewing in Cherokee by the Spring of 2025. 

And that’s not all that’s in the works for 2025. Classes at the Cherokee Film Institute are scheduled to begin this January. The new program will offer courses that give Native Americans interested in film the opportunity for hands-on training and skill development to help them succeed in the industry. 

The Cherokee Film Institute’s first 25 students will have their education fully covered thanks to a partnership with Amazon. 

Along with experienced talent, the Nation became the first tribal film office in the United States to offer a film incentive program, providing up to $1 million dollars every year for film productions within its reservation boundaries. Film executives are able to use the program to get 10 to 25 percent cash rebates for qualified production expenses and wages.

More information about Cherokee Film and all it offers can be found here.