With just under two weeks left until the 10th deadCENTER extravaganza, we thought it would be a good idea to help you get to know some of our fantastic filmmakers. So, borrowing an idea from LA Weekly’s Karina Longworth (the Bernard Pivot to our James Lipton), we submitted four questions to each filmmaker about and themselves and their films. We’ll be posting as many responses in random order as we can fit in between now and the kick-off.
Let’s hear from Jerry Melichar, director of Landlocked, which screens in our Okie Shorts 1 program Friday, June 11th at 6:00pm at the Kerr Auditorium:
1. Tell us about your movie. Give us the reductive, 25-word or less, “It’s like [pop culture reference a] meets [pop culture reference b]!” pitch, then explain what the quick and dirty sell leaves out.
LANDLOCKED is Hitchcock meets ELECTION.
2. Are you a full-time filmmaker? If not, tell us how you get by while raising money for your films.
I work for Focus Features in international delivery and post production, where I’ve been for 10 years. I write, produce, and direct short films in my spare time. Funding comes from local fundraisers and special events in Tulsa, friends, family, and Angels like Clark Weins of the Circle Cinema in Tulsa.
3. Have you been to deadCENTER before? What’s something you look forward to discovering (or re-living) at the festival and/or in Oklahoma City?
Haven’t been and will be traveling during the fest, but will have lots of local friends and family in the audience. I am very proud to screen the film in Oklahoma.
4. Every filmmaker has influences and cinematic heroes. Name one of yours, and while you’re at it, tell us one film (or scene) in history that you wish you had directed.
The French film WITH A FRIEND LIKE HARRY (Harry, un ami qui vous veut du bien) by Dominick Moll is a great film full of suspense and humor and surprises. I aspire to add the sense of intrigue I felt watching HARRY in my films.
