deadCENTER Film Festival - 2006

[ksearls]

The 6th annual deadCENTER Film Festival opens Wednesday, June 7 screening local, national and international films through Sunday, June 11. Once again the festival is in the deadCENTER of downtown Oklahoma City with screenings at the Stage Center, the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, the Individual Artists of Oklahoma Gallery, the Untitled ArtSpace, the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library and the Harkins Bricktown Theater.

The festival kicks-off on Wednesday, June 7 with an Opening Night Party at Untitled [ArtSpace] at 7:30 pm – followed at 9:00 pm by a special outdoor screening at 3rd and E.K. Gaylord of Stomp! Shout! Scream! a “beach party rock-n-roll monster movie” by filmmaker Jay Edwards. Edwards is best known as editor and producer of “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” for Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. His Cartoon Network credits also include “Space Ghost Coast-to-Coast”. Stomp! Shout! Scream! is Edward’s first feature film.

On Thursday, June 8, the festival kicks into full gear with a film at 5:00 p.m. at the Harkins Theater by Enid-born, OU grad film maker Carol Wagner. Wagner’s film “Dressed to Kill, Women Who Hunt” Dressed to Kill chronicles women's experiences, motivations, and complicated emotions on five hunts across Texas in an unsettling and thought-provoking journey about ways we obtain our food and how that impacts who we are.

Later Thursday evening at 8:00 p.m. at that Oklahoma City Museum of Art, filmmaker James Scurlock will screen his film “Maxed Out” an incredibly moving documentary about credit card debt in this country. The film includes interviews with family of two University of Oklahoma students who committed suicide because of massive credit card debt.

Films continue all day Friday, June 9 including a free Kids Film Fest at Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library. Later that day at the Harkins Theater, catch Oklahoma director Fritz Kiersch’s movie “Surveillance”, filmed entirely in the state of Oklahoma, it tells the story of an obsessive department store security guard whose spotless record at crime prevention marks the horrifying reality of blackmail, deception and murder.

On Saturday, June 10 grab a spot on the amphitheatre and enjoy the stars beneath the stars. “Awesome, I F@$!*n’ Shot That!” features a live performance shot by audience members at a 2004 Beastie Boys concert at Madison Square Garden. The awards ceremony and free screening starts at 9:00 p.m. at Kerr Park on the corner of Robert S. Kerr and Broadway.

The festival wraps with a “Best of the Fest” showing of the week’s winning films at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art at 2:00 p.m.

All-access passes are $50 and include entry into all festival screenings, parties, and panels, and a goodie bag. Friday and Saturday day passes are also available for $25. Tickets for most individual screenings are $7 and are available at each venue. For more information, please visit the website at www.deadcenterfilm.org.

[The Old Downtown Guy]

Last night's opening party at Untitled Gallery followed by the FREE outdoor screening of Stomp! Shout! Scream! on the grassy lawn at 3rd & EK Gaylord, was a major success. About 250 were treated to Jay Edward's first feature film along with unexpected showers from the sprinkler system. Various parts of the crowd scurried as each sprinkler station came to life and plastic trash cans were distributed to cover the sprinkler heads as the film rolled on uninterupted. A night to remember.

[metro]

Besides the sprinklers, the smokers, and the loud obnoxious talkers, the movie was good. Ironically, most of the loud talkers and laughers were volunteers and staff (not laughing at the movie). The movie was good and humorous though.

[The Old Downtown Guy]

Sorry your experience was deminished by the chatter on the sidelines. I was probably one of the overly loud talker/laughers. I will mention to the organizers that the volunteers should hold it down during the movie in the future. Thanks for bring the problem to our attention and glad you liked the flick.

Lots more film all weekend.

[floater]

Did Prairie Home Companion show last night?

[The Old Downtown Guy]

Did Prairie Home Companion show last night?

No floater, the festival had a tentative commitment from the distributor of this film and we felt we were on firm ground in going public with that info a couple of months back, but when it came down to it, we were unable to close the deal for Prairie Home Companion showing in OKC the day before it opened in theaters nationwide. So, we went with Maxed Out, a great documentary about America's astounding pile of credit card debt; well received by the audience.

More gret films continue today and tomorrow. Be sure to catch "Awsome, I #$%^@ing Shot That" tomorrow evening at about 9:15 in Kerr Park. Day Passes for all of Saturday's films and special events can be picked up at Stage Center for $25 starting at 10AM tomorrow.

Still lots of flicks yet today, so why not drop by Stage Center after work and pick up a $50 All Access Pass that get's you into everything tonight, all day tomorrow and Sunday's Best of Fest at OKCMOA. Big party tomorrow night at Nonna's Purple Bar. Free for Pass Holders. You can do it!!!!

[floater]

Here's a little report on my experience at deadCENTER. I hadn't been able to attend Wedneday - Friday's events, so I got an all-Saturday pass for $23 and change - worth the price of three movies and the program, which was exactly what I got from it.

First was the Shorts 1 set at Stage Center. I was disappointed in the turnout (only about 20 viewers), but the shorts were very entertaining and well-done. Diverse genres and styles, which is what you want. Of these my favorites were Rusty Forkblade (another take on the fish-out-of-water story) and the lyrical A Cigar at the Beach, which showed where our imaginations can take us.

I then trekked to Bricktown to sample the outdoor jazz festival and cool down at Uncommon Grounds. I waited for the 5PM showing of Surveillance, which was shot entirely in OK, mostly at Penn Square. This showing packed its Harkins theater, with 50+ attendees. Among them was Fritz Kiersch, its director. He preluded the screening by saying how dynamic the film industry is here and that he ultimately wants future OK filmmakers to outdo his Surveillance.

Well, unfortunately, that shouldn't be too hard. The acting was okay, but the production left a lot to be desired. You could see shots repeated despite the advancement of story between them. The music was monotonous and overbearing, the story itself was underdeveloped, and some scenes didn't get the buildup they deserved. Anyway, it was nice to see the OKC shots -- the Myriad Gardens, Robinson and Park downtown, Penn Square, and the skyline. The best part of the movie was the performance of Armand Assante, whose maniacal security guard could have been phenomenal in a richer context.

Last at OCMOA was my favorite film of the day, Wordplay, about the NY Times' crossword editor Will Shortz and other crossword devotees. The almost eccentric brainpower of its writers and solvers is remarkable. How many people look at a Dunkin Donuts sign and think, "Change the d and you have unkind donuts!" The film climaxed with a crossword championship, whose players are so devoted they treat the contest as a family reunion. Commentaries came from Ken Burns, President Clinton, Bob Dole, the Indigo Girls, and Jon Stewart.

Afterword, I walked over to Kerr Park hoping to catch the awards ceremony, but was too late. They started Awesome: I F*&^%ing Shot That, a Beastie Boys concert documentary where they gave 50 fans cameras to film the concert. Not being a Beastie Boys fan, I left, but the turnout was great, 50+.

[BDP]

I checked out 'Sex Machine' Friday night. It wasn't just sold-out, it was oversold. They were bringing in chairs from outside to seat everyone and had to turn people away. I was very impressed with the film, especially what it had done on $8,000. It was kind of a modern day horror/sci-fi Frankenstein movie It was shot entirely in OKC, mainly in its seedier elements, which made for great atmosphere throughout. 66 Bowl was a prominent location.

It played a little disjointed as it was obviously an experimental vehicle for its filmmakers, but it had many impressive moments and never lost its focus on the story. As the filmmakers worked through their inspirations, you could see elements of Sam Raimi, Oliver Stone (Natural Born Killers), and several B-movie standards that actually came off as upbeat and fresh rather than tired or too clichéd.

John Howell, the lead, was very good at times and many of the supporting character actors had some shining moments. In all, it's a great one for horror and b-movie fans made by competent first time feature filmmakers.

Afterwards, we packed the rooftop at Lit for an after party that was going strong at least until I left (around 1). It was a great evening and, to me, exactly what deadCENTER is all about: a great way for local talent and Oklahoma based productions to showcase their works and network with each other. I could very easily see it becoming an important vehicle for regional indie filmmaking, if it isn't already.

This event, along with Momentum and other smaller events, shows that the creative class in OKC is not only strong, but very talented. It’s great to see it being nurtured and supported now, instead of almost exclusively exported, as in the recent past. Yes, these talented people will probably have to leave to “make it big” or even just “make a career” out of it, but you can tell they all want more for OKC in way of the arts and we should thank all of the participants and organizers for working so hard towards that goal. They truly make this a better place to live, work, raise a family, and to visit.

[The Old Downtown Guy]

Glad you had a good time BDP and I appreciate your taking the time to comment on the film and the positive impact of the arts on the quality of life in OKC.

Overall, deadCENTER was a great success. The mix of films was much improved over past years and considering that the festival is just now six years old, I think we can all look forward to an even better event next year. It's all about the quality of the films and filmmakers. From opening night on Friday at Untitled Gallery to Best of The Fest at OKCMOA on Sunday Afternoon, it was a lot of fun and another great event for the Okie City to host. . . deadCENTER Film Festival, Charlie Christian Jazz and Ringling Brothers Circus all on the same weekend . . . . it was jumpin' downtown for sure.

An unexpected bonus is that Harkins has tentatively offered one of their screens to deadCENTER one evening per month for screenings, so it's possible that we can offer more indie films year round as a suplement to what Brian Hearn is doing at OKCMOA, and at the same time build a broader base for next year's festival.

[BDP]

An unexpected bonus is that Harkins has tentatively offered one of their screens to deadCENTER one evening per month for screenings, so it's possible that we can offer more indie films year round as a suplement to what Brian Hearn is doing at OKCMOA, and at the same time build a broader base for next year's festival.

That's great news. I have been waiting for Harkins to get more involved here, as they alluded to initially. Obviously, it's improtant that it doesn't hurt OKCMOA's operation, but I think it's great they are willing to work with the local scene.