deadCENTER Film

deadCENTER at SXSW: Buckle Up.

Our very own Cacky Poarch and Melissa Scaramucci are in SXSW, looking for great films, spreading the word about deadCENTER and generally being awesome. Stay tuned to this space for their dispatches.

Cacky and I can’t remember how many times we’ve made the pilgrimage south together – maybe 7 years? 8? Known universally at SXSW as “Those fun girls from Oklahoma”, we work to pile on the magic in our brief time at the fest. Seriously. One year we extended our trip to Tuesday (instead of leaving on our usual Monday) and that extra day almost left us hospitalized. These are the sacrifices we make for deadCENTER.

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The Guest Spot: Beau Leland talks The Facebook, The Twitter, The Filmmaking and The Internet

This is the first entry in a conversation we’re having with filmmakers on filmCENTRAL about the role of the internet in filmmaking. Today’s post is written by a good friend of the festival, filmmaker Beau Leland. Beau co-directed Rainbow Around the Sun with our programming director Kevin Ely. You can read more of Beau’s thoughts over at his own blog, http://invisibleartsonline.com/

When I was younger with aspirations of becoming a filmmaker, I knew it meant a lot of things. I knew it meant I needed to man up on my film history, the craft itself, the newest trends, etc. But what I never expected to have to master was this business we call “the internet.” I’m not sure any of us knew we would. But today making a great film is only half the battle. Today you must become one with “the internet” in order to create an audience for your film (this may not be the case for well-established filmmakers, but it certainly is for less-seasoned ones). Sure, marketing has always been a part of filmmaking, but in today’s indie world and today’s indie lack-of-money disorder that plagues so many of us, the use of DIY internet marketing has become a crucial survival tool. And guess what. This can be very difficult for someone who, for lack of a better term, LOATHES the brainless droning that social networking can be. Maybe loathe is a strong word, because I can’t stop checking my facebook or twitter every minute or so. But it seems that this week, I’ve had an epiphany. Social networking doesn’t have to be used for dim-witted darkness, it can be used for the powers of good. But it’s still a jungle out there, and I have a lot to learn.

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This Is An Announcement: Screening of The Great Contemporary Art Bubble at City Arts Center this Wednesday

Be sure to make your way down to City Arts Center on Wednesday, March 31 for a screening of The Great Contemporary Art Bubble. A reception will begin at 5:30, with the movie following at 6:00 and a panel discussion beginning at 7:40. Tickets to the event are $10 – student price is $7.00. Tickets include wine, popcorn, the film and the panel discussion after the movie.

For more information, visit www.cityartscenter.org or call (405) 951-0000.

This Is An Announcement: Screenwriting Class Offered by OKCMoA

The Oklahoma Museum of Art will be offering a series of classes on screenwriting. The classes are only have space for 12 students, so hurry up and secure your spot!

WRITING THE FESTIVAL SHORT

Sundays, March 28-April 25, 1-4 pm (5 classes)
Ability level: Novice/Beginner
$70 members/ $90 nonmembers (materials provided)
Maximum enrollment is 12 students.
Instructor: Kevin A. Mahoney

This class will focus on the completion of a short, twelve-page screenplay for festival consideration. Emphasis will be placed on character development, effective use of conflict, adherence to dramatic action, and revision. Students will watch film clips, read scripts, and participate in roundtable discussions.

For more information or to enroll, call (405) 236-3100, ext. 213, or register online at http://www.tickets.okcmoa.com.

Pop Culture Junkie – Episode 2: “Worst. Indie. Film. Ever”

I belong to what I like to call a “Lazy Book Club.” It started as an actual, legitimate, mostly lady-centric Book Club where they talked about the book they’d read but mostly eat fancy foods and drink fancy wine. So the husbands started crashing the Book Club. Then nobody was actually getting around to reading the books but would show up to eat and drink (now including fancy beers) and talk about things they’d heard on NPR. It was glorious.

Then we dropped the book requirement altogether and started talking about movies instead. Most now call it “Movie Club,” but I like to hold onto the smidgeon of intellectual cachet that comes with being a member of a “Book Club.”

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