Level Up: A Conversation about Growing the Local Film Community

Join this exciting panel of local and experienced fillmakers as they discuss the current state of the film industry in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma film industry is in a rennaisance period, having produced a number of noteworthy projects in recent years, including The Lowdown, Reservation Dogs, Killers of the Flower Moon, as well countless indie shorts and features.

This conversation will focus on the current state of the film industry in Oklahoma and how it can be improved upon through community action that supports its vivacity and growth.

This event is in the Helmerich Research Center on OSU Tulsa campus, Room 157.

Jessica “Jessi” McEver belongs to the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and is dedicated to uplifting Native American narratives as a producer, publicist, and narrative change strategist. She has produced acclaimed projects including Love and Fury (Netflix), Chillocco: Through the Years, and Killers of the Flower Moon: An Osage Perspective, served as a cultural consultant on Marvel's Echo, and supported filmmakers premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, and SXSW. As founder of Strawberry Moon, Jessi shines a light on underrepresented voices through storytelling, creative strategy, and community building. She also co-founded the Tulsa Film Collective to create a self-sustaining ecosystem for independent film with local voices at the center.

Dylan Brodie is from Ramona, Oklahoma - Population: 500. He began editing films in 2008, making his way from local to national film festivals, which led to work on Food Network productions and feature films for both Magnet Releasing and Blumhouse Productions. He later served as UPM and Associate Producer on Sterlin Harjo's feature film, “Mekko,” and produced the series “Flipping The Heartland” for HGTV. Dylan has worked on shows of all sizes including the STARZ series “American Gods,” feature films “The Mule,” “Stillwater,” “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” and “Killers of the Flower Moon.” He has been the UPM on commercials for companies including Nike, 2K Sports, Dish Network, and Warstic baseball bats featuring Jack White. Dylan continues to produce and production manage diverse projects and recently served as UPM for the Oscar winning A24/Plan B film “Minari,” the Sundance selection and Apple Original Film “Fancy Dance,” and Associate Produced on all three seasons of the Emmy nominated Disney/FX series “Reservation Dogs.” Dylan is currently Producing the second season of the Disney/FX series “The Lowdown” from Sterlin Harjo.

Hank Byrd is a screenwriter, novelist, and educator based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A U.S. military veteran and founder of Cinemental Multimedia, he is known for bold, thought-provoking storytelling that explores identity, technology, love, and the human condition. His film and television credits include the feature films Boneyard, starring Academy Award winner Mel Gibson and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, and The Contract, featuring Lil Duval and Gabrielle Dennis; the Tubi series, bLERDS; the documentary, In The Thick: Conversations from the PLUS Side of Life; and a number of independent short films. His work blends emotional realism with speculative and socially conscious themes. In 2025, Byrd was inducted into Circle Cinema’s Walk of Fame, recognizing his significant cultural and artistic contributions to film and storytelling in Tulsa. He is the author of LuvBytes, the Hankisms series, and the forthcoming young adult novel Icarus Washington. As an educator, he serves as an English Language Arts teacher and mentor, inspiring the next generation of storytellers through film, literature, and media literacy.

Liz Blood is a staff writer on season two of FX Network’s “The Lowdown,” created by Sterlin Harjo. Blood was the writers' assistant for seasons two and three of Harjo/FX’s award-winning “Reservation Dogs” as well as season one of “The Lowdown.”

Colleen Thurston is a documentary storyteller and film curator from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Colleen has produced for the Smithsonian Channel, Vox, PBS, and federal, tribal, and non profit organizations. Her work has screened at international film festivals and broadcast nationwide. She has received support for her work from Firelight Media, the Sundance Institute, Patagonia, ITVS, the Redford Center and Creative Capital. Colleen has worked as an Assistant Professor at the University of Oklahoma, the project coordinator for the Indigenous video series, Native Lens, and as a programmer for Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival and Make Believe Seattle. She’s curated film programs for institutions such as the Momentary (Bentonville, AR), UCLA Film and Television Archives and Vidiots (Los Angeles, CA), and the National Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.). Colleen is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.

Zach Litwack is a filmmaker based out of Tulsa, OK. He has worked in the film industry and taught filmmaking in Tulsa and Chicago, IL since 2001. His fiction and documentary films have screened at numerous festivals, including The Cannes Film Festival and the Kansas City International Film Festival. He has worked as a director, writer, producer and editor for numerous clients, including the PBS program, Osiyo: Voices of the Cherokee People, for which he has earned multiple Heartland Emmy Awards. Currently, he holds a position as Filmmaker in Residence at Oklahoma State University, where he offers community-focused film education workshops. Additionally, he teaches film courses and continues to build the university’s film education program as the Director of the Entertainment Media program. In addition to recently completing post-production for the documentary feature, Drowned Land, he recently completed the short horror-comedy, I’m Taking You Home. He is currently in development on the features, Lost and Found and Quiet Storm.

Tulsa LitFest is brought to you by The Center for Poets and Writers, Tri City Collective, and Magic City Books.

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