Tulsa-Filmed ‘Minari’ Gets 6 Oscar Nods; Oklahomans Proud To Work On Movie

Just two weeks after winning a Golden Globe, the film shot in Tulsa, “Minari,” is getting more honors.

It picked up six Oscar nominations Monday morning, including best screenplay, score, director, two acting nominations and best picture.

The film was shot in the summer of 2019 in and around the Tulsa area and tells the story of a Korean American family who start a farm in 1980s Arkansas.

It also employed a lot of Oklahomans, people like Todd Ruffin, who owns Midwest Drone Productions.

“It all happened so fast,” Ruffin said.

His crew was hired for a day to film aerial shots for the movie.

"We're out in the middle of a pasture, holding a monitor for the film director of photography to see what we're doing, and me and Greg are just trying to do the best we can," said Ruffin.

Ruffin said he was impressed both by the story and the talent of everybody on set.

"If the production hadn't been such a high-level type thing, I'm not sure if the story would have come together on the picture screen like it did," said Ruffin.

Even though his team had a minor role in the film, Ruffin said it's been hard to wrap his head around the praise and awards it has gotten so far.

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He's especially proud though of how Oklahoma is getting attention in the industry.

"Even if it doesn't win an Oscar, it's already shown people, you can come to Oklahoma, make a really good film and it's not too expensive to do also," said Ruffin.

The Academy Awards are on April 25.