Prairie Surf Media
Prairie Surf Media is an Oklahoma City-based global production company focused on multi-platform content creation. Through its innovative and transformative leadership team, the company has accelerated the growth of streaming, television and film production in Oklahoma. With decades of combined experience in the entertainment industry, Prairie Surf Media is the state’s undisputed category leader offering 5 clearspan soundstages and production support at Prairie Surf Studios, which boasts 1.3M Square Feet in the middle of downtown Oklahoma City. Prairie Surf Media also offers Production Services, Post Production Services and Industry Recognized Preferred Vendor Partnerships. Prairie Surf Media is co-founded by Oklahoma natives, Rachel Cannon and Matt Payne, who also serve as Co-Chief Executive Officers.
Rachel Cannon is an entertainment executive, entrepreneur, mentor, accomplished television actress, writer and producer. With an acting career in Los Angeles that spans 20 years with over 80 network television credits, Cannon has been featured on iconic television series like “Big Bang Theory,” “Two and a Half Men,” “Mad Men,” and for the last 6 years she played Deidre on ABC’s hit comedy, “Fresh Off The Boat.” Combining her on-set experience with a strong entrepreneurial spirit, Cannon is determined to bring more creative opportunities for film and television to her home State. She believes this industry will create sustainable jobs, economic diversity and a creative path for the next generation and devotes time assisting legislators in the formation of incentives that will turn the heads of studios.
Matt Payne is an Emmy award-winning filmmaker, writer, photographer and educator based in Oklahoma City. In his 15 years based in Los Angeles, Payne worked as a writer on CBS’s “Vegas,” “Without a Trace” and “The Defenders.” In 2015, Payne moved back to Oklahoma City and since then, has taken a key role in the Oklahoma film community producing documentaries for Griffin Communications and the OETA Foundation as well as teaching film business and screenwriting at Oklahoma City University. Payne remains passionate about creating pathways for the next generation into the industry, devoting a sizable amount of his time to influencing and shaping film programs that gets the attention of department heads.
EVP, Head of Finance, Tanya Ruby will also produce for Prairie Surf Media. Ruby started her career working as a production coordinator at Walden Media. She then shifted over to the finance department and moved to London as a freelance accountant for 10 years working on films like Captain Phillips, Avengers, Guardians Of The Galaxy, Prometheus, and Wonder Woman. She moved back to Los Angeles in 2017 where she worked in Finance for Amazon, Netflix and Big Beach. Ruby joined Prairie Surf Media early 2022.