deadCENTER Film

Going Retro

Although I’ve only been involved with the festival for around 4 years, it’s been amazing to see how much it has grown while remaining completely indie and awesome. The “Tattoo” party has been traded up for the fantastic Friday Night Frolic. Super-duper famous people take our phone calls (or at least the message gets to their assistants). Our programs are in full color. Small steps towards making the biggest film festival in Oklahoma even bigger.

I know what you’re thinking. And yes, the parties are at the Museum of Art and Nonna’s tonight. But also, wouldn’t it be cool to get to see the spectacular growth of deadCENTER?

Well kiddos, you’re in luck. Tonight through Sunday, the Independent Artists of Oklahoma gallery (or IAO for you hipsters) is housing an interactive eXhibition spanning all 10 years of the festival. Come see the good and the not-so-good-but-so-bad-its-awesome, get a drink, sign our autograph wall, and take some pictures with bonafide celebrities. It’s your opportunity to become a part of deadCENTER history.

See you there!

Tonight’s screening of Biker Fox has been moved to Kerr Auditorium

Due to an over-whelming amount of awesomeness, tonight’s screening of Biker Fox has been moved to Kerr Auditorium at 10:15 pm. Please, tell your friends, your neighbors, your family and random people on the street.

If you need help finding Kerr, check the map below, or use the walking directions tool on our front page. And if you need reminding of why this news is important, well, I’ve included the Biker Fox trailer below as well.

View Larger Map

You know who’s awesome? Our sponsors, that’s who.

Hopefully by now you’ve experienced at least one deadCENTER event, and you can imagine how much work goes in to putting this festival together. Countless hours are spent by the staff and the volunteers to make all of this happen. But the truth is none of us would have anything to work on were it not for our generous sponsors, and their commitment to support independent film should be recognized.

To that end, recognize:

4 Questions: RACHEL IS

A little heads up on downtown congestion during deadCENTER

You may notice a little construction going on around downtown during the festival, specifically on Sheridan Ave. near our screening locations on Film Row.  Beginning Thursday, some of the normal access roads to Film Row won’t be available due to the construction.  Don’t worry though; The City of Oklahoma City Public Works Department sent us a heads-up on the changes and how to get around them , including a handy map:

download the map here

From the fine folks at Public Works: Read More »

deadCENTER Sparkle Show hits the airwaves

deadCENTER Pretty People Melissa Scaramucci and Tracy Zeeck invaded KATT Radio this morning. Take a listen:

deadCENTER on KATT

The Kick-Off is HERE!!!!!!

10th Annual deadCENTER Film Festival Kicks-Off with Free Outdoor Screening

On Wednesday, June 9th deadCENTER will celebrate it’s 10th anniversary with the FREE outdoor screening of The Birth of Big Air . Broadway Avenue will be closed from 4th to 5th Street beginning at 6pm to set-up for the event.

“If you’re going to close down Broadway to show a movie, it better be something incredibly special,” states Executive Director, Cacky Poarch. “The screening is free and open to the public; an experience that – much like his skate park by the river -jives with Mat’s dedication to our city.”

Grab your lawn chairs and enjoy a one-of-a kind event in Oklahoma City. Concessions and ‘rolling entertainment’ provided by BMX bikers and Roller Girls will begin around 7pm. The free screening will begin as soon as it gets dark … around 9:30pm. Star and Oklahoma Legend Mat Hoffman and Producer Spike Jonze scheduled to attend.

4 Questions: THE ROUNDER COMES TO TOWN

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.

One of our up-and-coming Oklahoma filmmakers this year is Adam Beatty, whose debut short The Rounder Comes to Town screens in the Okie Shorts 2 program Saturday, June 12th at 5:30pm.

Academy Award Nominee Spike Jonze Confirmed to Attend deadCENTER Kick-off Event ‘redCENTER Lounge’

Academy Award nominee Spike Jonze will join legendary BMX pioneer and Oklahoma native Mat Hoffman to kickoff the 10th annual deadCENTER Film Festival, Wednesday, June 9 in downtown Oklahoma City’s Automobile Alley.

Jonze, Hoffman and the most hip and happening filmmakers and enthusiasts in Oklahoma City will celebrate the festival’s landmark year at the exclusive “redCENTER Lounge” fundraiser at Red Prime Steak from 7-9 p.m.

Jonze was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director in 2000 for “Being John Malkovich” and directed another Academy Award nominated film, 2002’s “Adaptation.” Most recently, he directed and wrote the screenplay for 2009’s “Where the Wild Things Are.”

A $100 ticket to the “redCENTER Lounge” includes not only the opportunity to brush shoulders with the likes of Jonze and Hoffman, but also signature cocktails, Stella Artois, heavy hors d’oevres, the opportunity to bid on unique, exclusive auction items and prime, reserved seating for the outdoor screening of the Hoffman documentary “The Birth of Big Air,” produced by Jonze and extreme sport fanatic Johnny Knoxville.

“Spike Jonze is, hands down, one of the biggest, most respected names in filmmaking today. ‘redCENTER Lounge’ just went from one hot ticket to an absolute must-attend event,” said Cacky Poarch, deadCENTER executive director.

Admission to the “redCENTER Lounge” is not included with any deadCENTER pass, including the All-Access Pass. Tickets can be purchased online at the link below. Seating is limited.

“redCENTER Lounge” is a part of a host of kick-off activities for the opening of the deadCENTER film festival. The 500 block of Broadway Ave. in Automobile Alley will be closed to traffic for a free, public block party starting at 7 p.m., which includes the Oklahoma premiere of “The Birth of Big Air” under the stars at 9:30 p.m., preceded by live music, “rolling” entertainment, and a VIP party for All-Access pass holders.

Directed by Jeff Tremaine, the documentary showcases the inner workings and exploits of the man who gave birth to “Big Air,” Mat Hoffman. Partially shot in Oklahoma, the film was created for ESPN’s 30 for 30 series.

Zombies! Porn! Hot Brando! Awesome radio!

If you care about pop culture at all and you live in OKC, chances are you’ve heard about the Spy coming back to the airwaves after a much-too-long absence. And if you’ve been listening to the Spy, you know that besides having the best music on the dial, the Spy features some of the best commercials as well. Naturally, we wanted in on the party, so we teamed up with the man you know and love as the Pop Culture Junkie to come up with the spots below.

Enjoy:

Hot Brando:

Zombies!:

Porn! (not really):

Only 30 seconds: