About

2009 awards ceremony

The mission of the deadCENTER Film Festival is to promote independent film arts.

What is deadCENTER and what’s up with that name?

The name “deadCENTER” refers to the geographic location of the festival – in Oklahoma City – the “dead center” of the United States. And because we’re downtown Oklahoma City, essentially we’re in the dead center of everything!  Founded in 2001, we envision a thriving, interactive global film community. We provide a competitive platform for independent filmmakers and a dynamic educational forum.  Designed to inspire growth in the local film industry and energize visiting film professionals, the deadCENTER Film Festival will continue to encourage the film arts through screenings, discussions, competition, special events, panels, and focused programming.

In ten years we’ve grown from having one venue and one weekend into a nationally-recognized festival, landing on the pages of New York Times, Variety, The Boston Globe, Southern Living, Moviemaker, Cinematical, IndieWire and FilmThreat!

Attracting filmmakers from across the globe, deadCENTER screens more than a hundred independent films over a five day period in June in seven premiere downtown Oklahoma City locations.  Beyond screening world class films, deadCENTER Film Festival hosts a professional panel series and a screenwriting competition for the avid film fanatic. With a projected audience of 10,000 attendees, deadCENTER’s 10th year is set to be its biggest one yet! More filmmakers, more national press, more big names, more fun!

DONATE
deadCENTER Film is a 501 (c) (3) non profit in the State of Oklahoma. Our festival and year round events are made possible by generous donations. Thank you for your time and dedication to promoting independent film arts in Oklahoma.

deadCENTER Festival Committee and Staff

Cacky Poarch- Executive Director

Kim Haywood – Chief Operating Officer

Melissa Scaramucci – Programming Director

Kevin Ely- Programming Director

Ian Peterson-Supreme Allied Overlord of Internet Promotion

deadCENTER Board of Directors

Chairman

Peter Dolese – Director, Arts Council of Oklahoma City

Vice- Chair

Andrea Martin – Lawyer, American Eagle Title Insurance

Secretary

Timothy Fall – Actor/ Writer/Director/ Producer, COO of Yurth.com

Treasurer

Michael Heaton – Vice President, Leonard Securities, Inc.

Members

Barbara Cable – Vice President, Cable Volkswagen Mitsubishi

Robert Castleberry – President, Castleberry & Associates, PC

Eric Dawson – Strategic Accounts Manager, Apple

Karen Delaney – Community Volunteer

Chuck Ferrell – Manager, Ferrell Oil Co., L.L.C.

Taylor Fudge – Business Development Manager, Claims Management Resources

Brian Hearn – Film Curator, Oklahoma City Museum of Art

Jennifer Kiersch – Vice President, Oklahoma Events Inc.

Anthony McDermid – President, TAP Architecture

Chris Salyer – President, CD Warehouse

Melissa Scaramucci – Director/Producer, Crazy Diamond Productions

Jay Shanker – Entertainment Industry Attorney, McAfee &Taft

Marilyn Torbett – Owner, Marilyn Torbett Company

Tracey Zeeck – President, Bumbershoot