No spoilers: A glimpse behind the scenes of a new Western filming at Prairie Song

The quaint 1800s pioneer village just outside Dewey, located down a long dusty gravel road, is teaming with life as film crews rush from building to building capturing the latest Okie-produced film, "Cottonmouth."

Local treasure and international attraction Prairie Song, sitting on the edge of the Great Plains, needed little work to become the backdrop for the Western thriller as it comes complete with hand-hewn log buildings packed to the rafters with period antiques.

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"There was too much. We had to label and remove a lot of the memorabilia for filming," producer Randy Wayne of Rebellium Films noted during the EE's tour of the set. "We tried to keep every scene as accurate to the period as possible."

Without spoiling anything and staying true to the genre, Wayne confirmed there would be shootouts, tavern ladies of the night, horses galloping through fields and a dude getting his head lit on fire.

Behind the scenes of the latest Oklahoma film

Over the last 15 days, a cast and crew of around 70 descended on the replica frontier town to tell a story of loss and revenge — and blood.

While watching the actors and crew capture each scene repeatedly with tights, wides and follow shots, Wayne doted on Hollywood stars such as "Hellboy" star Ron Perlman, "Mission: Impossible" actor Esai Morales and "Yellowstone" star Martin Sensmeier. But he added that everyone has been "phenomenal."

"We've gotten amazing performances out of all the actors," Wayne said in between takes. "They are killing it."

Wayne even hinted he had a small cameo in the film as he jokingly said, "I didn't want to pay for another stuntman."

"I got shot off a horse," Wayne said with a smile. "It wasn't too bad. I wanted to go bigger, but they said it was good enough."

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Suddenly, a commanding voice yells "cut," launching a seamless synchronization of movement as crews grab everything that isn't adhered to the ground. Soon, everything is set for the next scene, a dramatic chase through the woods.

Wayne noted the crew was around 40% tribal members, and since it had Native American characters, they worked with the Cherokee Nation Film Office to ensure they were portrayed accurately.

Since starting his production company, Rebellium Films, headquartered in Tulsa, has made 13 films in the last four years. "Cottonmouth" marks the fifth of the year.

Unable to use his crystal ball, and with the film industry moving at its own pace, Wayne hopes the film gets picked up and released sometime next year.

Economic impact for Bartlesville

The production of the film "Cottonmouth" not only spotlights the region's captivating scenery but also provides a substantial economic lift for the Bartlesville community. The estimated economic impact for the community totals nearly $560,000, Visit Bartlesville Director Maria Gus says.

For an 18-night period, Gus said the 70-member film crew spent an estimated $243,180, including an injection of around $9,484 in sales tax and $4,095 in lodging tax into the community on housing alone.

"Visit Bartlesville warmly welcomes film crews to our vibrant area, especially when films like 'Cottonmouth' are a majority-Oklahoman crew and highlight numerous indigenous cast members," Gus said. "The recurring economic lift from film production is instrumental in fostering growth and fortifying Washington County's economy."

Gus notes the community's partnership with entities like Buffalo Roam and the Cherokee Nation Film Office also goes a long way in cultivating collaboration in future endeavors.

State of the movie industry in Oklahoma

As reported in the Oklahoman, the Oklahoma film industry is booming with a recent surge in in-state film industry spending, which spiked to $169.1 million during the 2021 fiscal year, particularly high-profile productions like Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon."

For the 2022 fiscal year, film expenditures for the state exceeded $104 million.

In March of this year, the Oklahoma House passed HB 1362, a bill seeking to elevate the state's film incentive cap from $30 million to $80 million annually, but it never made it out of the Senate.

Rep. Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee, championed that legislation.

"If you think about the film industry, it's a business," Fetgatter told the Oklahoman. "At the end of the day, they have accountants, they have bankers, they have lawyers, they have physicians on set. They have caterers, they have carpenters, they have electricians and plumbers. They encompass the entire workforce."

According to Fetgatter, despite its success in attracting both major and independent productions since its August 2021 inception, the current incentive program has nonetheless been insufficient, forcing the state to turn away 80% of applying films and foregoing around $87 million in rebates last year.

The Oklahoma Film + Music Office underscores a booming appetite for filmmaking in the region − evidenced by 121 incentive applications this fiscal year − and emphasizes the industry's substantial economic and employment contributions across diverse sectors.

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This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Okie-produced Western thriller filming at Prairie Song near Dewey