The wind blows across Oklahoma’s wide-open plains, and the state’s beautiful scenery and unique cities look like they belong on the big screen. One of Oklahoma’s top locations managers, Alison Naifeh, turns these places into movie magic.

Filmmakers can learn from her story during Meridian Technology Center’s Key Conversations series on October 10 at the school’s South Campus in Guthrie.

Naifeh will be the speaker for Key Conversations: Locations. This session is being offered for free for anyone interested in the role locations professionals play on a film crew.

She’ll talk about how she finds and organizes filming spots for big movies like “August Osage County,” “Stillwater,” and both “Twister” and “Twisters.”

With her deep knowledge of Oklahoma’s landscapes and 25 years of locations experience, Naifeh has not only found the perfect places for these films but also helped make Oklahoma a popular filming destination.

“When you work in locations, you’re in charge of finding that perfect place that brings the director’s idea to life,” Naifeh said. “Every movie has its challenges, but that makes it fun. The best part is seeing your state on the big screen and knowing you helped make it happen.”

Over the years, Naifeh has overcome challenges, like getting permits, managing big film crews and working with local communities to ensure everything runs smoothly. Her problem-solving skills and attention to detail have driven her success in the film industry.

This session is part of Meridian’s Key Conversations series, where Oklahoma’s best film professionals come together to inspire and guide the next generation of filmmakers.

“We’ve found that people have a lot of questions about how to get into the film industry, how to get their first job on a film set, and how to work their way up in a particular department,” explained Cara Adney, Meridian’s Project Manager for Film and Special Training Projects. “This series gives them an opportunity to have a face-to-face conversation with Oklahomans who have worked their way into department head positions.”

Each Key Conversation session features a standard set of questions. The first set highlight the speaker’s career path and the unique skills needed to be successful in their department. The second set focuses on the state of the film industry in Oklahoma and the possible impact to that department. The evening concludes with audience questions.

These sessions are available both online and in person, and each one focuses on a different department on a film’s crew. Participants have flexibility in how they attend and leave with a deeper understanding of possible career paths.

Oklahoma’s film industry keeps growing, and Meridian’s programs are help fill the need for trained workers.

“Oklahoma is a great place for filmmakers because of its central location, beautiful landscapes and rich culture,” said Adney. “These qualities, along with film-friendly incentives and lower costs, make Oklahoma an easy choice. The challenge has been finding experienced crew members to support this growth.”

Whether you’re new to the film world or want to learn more, this is a chance to learn from someone who has made a big difference in Oklahoma’s film scene. Previous sessions focused on producing and assistant directing. November will highlight the Costuming department and the Makeup department will be the focus in December. To learn more and sign up, visit meridiantech.edu/key-conversations.