Guymon joins Oklahoma film-friendly program, unlocking local production opportunities

Guymon was added to the Oklahoma Film + Music Office's Film Friendly Community Program for 2025, one of six towns certified this cycle and part of a statewide total of 43 certified communities. The designation signals that Guymon has a film liaison, a permitting process and local assets prepared to host productions — steps that make the town easier to scout and schedule for movie and television shoots.

Statewide activity last year illustrates the economic stakes. The office facilitated 34 film and TV productions in 2025, with roughly $65.7 million spent in Oklahoma and more than 5,300 jobs supported. That equates to about $1.93 million in spending and roughly 156 jobs per production on average, showing how even single shoots can create sizable, short-term demand for local services.

For Texas County, those statewide averages point to concrete opportunities. Location shoots typically spend on lodging, catering, rental equipment, local crew hires and set services — areas where small businesses and service providers in Guymon could capture new revenue. Filmmakers also pay for location fees, local permits and sometimes for labor-intensive set work that benefits construction and transportation businesses in town. These infusions can be particularly meaningful in rural economies where large-scale private investment is less frequent.

There are market and policy considerations local leaders should weigh. Certification reduces friction for scouts and productions, but capturing the upside requires active local planning: clear, transparent permitting rules; a designated liaison who can coordinate municipal needs; and basic capacity-building so local firms can meet production schedules and insurance requirements. Economically, film work tends to be episodic rather than ongoing, so communities must balance short-term boosts with strategies that translate one-off shoots into longer-term gains, such as repeat business or new service lines for local employers.

Longer-term trends favor regions that position themselves as reliable, production-ready hosts. Oklahoma's push to expand certified communities from prior years to 43 suggests the state is betting film and TV can be a recurring economic development tool. For Guymon, the immediate next steps will be operational: maintaining the permitting framework, marketing local sites to scouts and ensuring local training and insurance coverage align with production needs.

For residents and business owners, the designation means to expect outreach from the town's film liaison and occasional inquiries from location scouts. It also presents a practical chance to diversify revenue streams — from Main Street diners filling catering orders to motels hosting crews. If officials move decisively, Guymon can convert visibility into measurable economic returns while building capacity to host larger or repeat productions in the years ahead.