deadCENTER Film Festival and Myriad Botanical Gardens are teaming-up with community relief groups and corporate sponsors to help raise money and facilitate clothing and goods donations for tornado victims.

On the evenings of June 5, 7, 8, and 9, deadCENTER will show free outdoor movies at the Myriad Gardens Great Lawn starting at 9:15 p.m. Donation buckets, clothing drop boxes, volunteer sign-up stations and community partner booths will be open and available to the public before and during the screenings. deadCENTER is working with the United Way, Salvation Army, Red Cross, Regional Food Bank and other local organizations to identify the most pressing needs to address at that time.

On Wednesday night, Devon Energy will present The Rolling Stones: Charlie is My Darling; on Friday night, the Kirkpatrick Foundation will present The Last of the Mohicans; on Saturday night, Chesapeake Energy will present The Short Game and on Sunday night, GT Clean will present Stevie Nicks: In your Dreams. All films are free and open to the public. Donations are not required, but are encouraged.

“The relief effort in Moore will be long and arduous,” deadCENTER Executive Director Lance McDaniel said. “Our goal is to inspire people to continue to donate and provide help after the initial shock wears off.”

deadCENTER Film Festival is Oklahoma’s largest film festival for the past 13 years and one of the “Top 20 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” according to MovieMaker magazine. This year’s festival is June 5-9 and includes 115 comedies, dramas, hard-hitting documentaries and short films from Oklahoma and around the world.

deadCENTER has been selected as one of the Top 50 film festival worth the entry fee out of 6,000 festival worldwide by MovieMaker magazine.

Previously, MovieMaker had selected deadCENTER as one of the 25 Coolest festivals. This latest listing acknowledges the new Distribution Forum deadCENTER added in 2012, bringing in sales agents and distributors to meet with every accepted filmmaker at the festival. deadCENTER is run by working filmmakers that know the challenges of securing distribution for truly independent films. So, the forum was a way to empower filmmakers with the tools and avenues for distributing their films.

In other news, deadCENTER Executive Director Lance McDaniel was voted as Best non-Profit Leader in Oklahoma City in Slice Magazine readers poll. McDaniel was a volunteer for 5 years before taking the reins as Executive Director.

deadCENTER 2013 is coming June 5-9, in downtown Oklahoma City. Check out our schedule and start planning your trip to THE AWARD WINNING deadCENTER Film Festival.

After three glorious years on Automobile Alley, the deadCENTER Film Festival is moving to a permanent office on Film Row. Film Row is the historic district on the west side of downtown where Movie Studios would ship their films to be screened, reviewed and ultimately distributed to local theaters in Oklahoma, Kansas and northern Texas.

The new deadCENTER office is located inside the Hart Building at the corner of Sheridan and Shartel on Film Row. Developer Chip Fudge has been leading the charge along Film Row for several years, working with the city to renovate the street and sidewalks and providing a larger space for IAO Gallery and a new home for Joey’s Pizza.

Fudge recently renovated the Hart building with Bill Gummerson and Associates, establishing new headquarters for Claims Management Resources, Account Management Resources and Ferrell Oil and an Oklahoma City home for KOSU, the revered public radio station from Stillwater. The Spy Radio station is schedule to join KOSU and a handful of private businesses in the building, along with a gym and a healthy food restaurant.

deadCENTER’s new address is 726 W Sheridan, Suite 170, Oklahoma City, OK 73102. Please stop by and check out our new office.

deadCENTER is thrilled to honor film producer HUNT LOWRY with this year’s Oklahoma Film ICON Award.

Hunt Lowry is an award-winning film producer that has thrilled audiences with classic films for more than 30 years. Lowry is also an Oklahoma City native and Casady School graduate that has served as an inspirational beacon to Oklahomans moving to Los Angeles to pursue their dreams in motion pictures.

Renowned Native American actor Wes Studi will present the Oklahoma Film ICON Award to Hunt Lowry at a free outdoor screening of THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS, Friday, June 7, 9:00pm at the Myriad Gardens Grand Lawn.

Lowry is best know for producing Oscar winner THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS, starring
Oklahoma’s Wes Studi and Daniel Day Lewis, and A TIME TO KILL, starring Matthew
McConaughey and Sandra Bullock. But, just as impressive as any individual film is Lowry’s ability to move seamlessly across film genres and styles, creating visual stories that endure the test of time.

Early in his career, Hunt Lowry worked on classic comedies like AIRPLANE! and TOP SECRET before shifting gears to bring the intense family drama SURVIVING home to be filmed in Oklahoma City.

Lowry captured the teen market with his smorgasbord of films for Gaylord Films, including A WALK TO REMEMBER with Mandy Moore, WHAT A GIRL WANTS with Amanda Bynes, A
CINDERELLA STORY with Hilary Duff and the DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA-YA SISTERHOOD with
seemingly everyone else.

During the past decade, Lowry has produced successful comedies like the BLUE COLLAR
COMEDY TOUR: THE MOVIE and the THOU SHALT LAUGH Christian Comedian Show and the
three sequels it spawned.

But, for independent film lovers, Lowry’s masterpiece is DONNIE DARKO, a cult classic written and directed by Richard Kelly starring Jake Gyllenhaal as a very troubled teen. It was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance and three Independent Spirit Awards.

Xavier Neira has been selected to lead the 2013 deadCENTER Film Festival Board of Directors. Neira is the Oklahoma director of development at Manhattan Construction Company, Oklahoma’s first corporate construction company, established in 1896.

“Xavier is an exceptional community leader in business, education, arts and tourism,” stated Lance McDaniel, deadCENTER executive director. “He understands the importance of a thriving independent film industry in attracting businesses, employees and tourists to the state. We expect an ever larger and more successful film festival this summer under his leadership.” 

Neira is a Commissioner on the Oklahoma Tourism Board and has served as Chairman of the State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, President of the Latino Community Development Agency and National Treasurer for the Republican National Hispanic Assembly. He also serves on the board of directors for the Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools, Teach for America, Oklahoma City Educare, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, Leadership Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Heritage Association, and the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.

Neira will be joined on the Executive Committee by Whitney Moss as Vice Chair, David Portman as Treasurer, Chris Hargrove as Secretary, and Karen Delaney as Past Chair. 

Also serving on the 2013 deadCENTER Board of Directors are Sherry Blanton, Melanie Burns, Denise Castelli, Art Cotton, Susan Dunham, Judy Federa, Shannon Fudge, Jay Hannah, Ciane Hogan, Brent Johnson, Carol Johnson, Ryan Johnston, Lenice Keim, Anthony McDermid, Sara See, Dick Tanenbaum and Jeff Trachtenberg.

deadCENTER is Oklahoma’s largest film festival and one of the 20 “Coolest” festivals in the world according to MovieMaker magazine. For the past 12 years, deadCENTER has featured thousands of films from around the world and all over Oklahoma. This year’s festival takes place June 5-9 in downtown Oklahoma City. 

deadCENTER and Iguana Mexican Grill are once again teaming up for the Gazette’s Halloween Parade.  Wanna play?  Here’s how.

The deadCENTER Film Festival Fall Education Program launches this week in Ardmore with a two day film festival and free film seminar. For the second year in a row, the Goddard Art Center will host deadCENTER films on Thursday and Friday at 7:00pm and a free film seminar on Friday from 1:00pm – 4:00pm. deadCENTER is Oklahoma’s largest film festival and is partnering with the Chickasaw Nation and the Oklahoma Film and Music Office to bring their renowned education program to rural Oklahoma.

The free seminar is open to students ages 12 and above, including adults, and will cover every aspect of the filmmaking process. The program will include movie making in Oklahoma, choosing topics for films, writing screenplays, acting, auditioning for films, film production, available crew positions, camera equipment training, film education programs in Oklahoma, film festivals and distribution. The goal is to give every participant an overview of the entire film making process. Instructors for the seminar will include working filmmakers, festival staff and employees from the Chickasaw Nation Multimedia Department. Seating for the seminar is limited and participants are asked to please pre-register by calling the Goddard Center business office at (580) 226-0909.

Thursday night at 7:00pm, deadCENTER will present the G rated comedy, Just Crazy Enough, starring Saturday Night Live vet Chris Kattan, NBA star Desmond Mason and a host of outstanding Oklahoma actors. The film was made in Oklahoma using a 100% Oklahoma crew. Writer/director Lance McDaniel will be at the screening to answer questions about how the film was made. This film is appropriate for all ages.

Friday night’s line up, also at 7:00pm, will include several award winning short films from the most recent deadCENTER Film Festival. The program will include short narratives, documentaries and animated films from 2 to 17 minutes. Several of the more prestigious films being shown also played at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, and South by Southwest in Austin. Due to occasional adult language, Friday night’s program is PG-13.

If you are interested in hosting deadCENTER in your town or school, please email info@deadcenterfilm.org or call 405-246-5804.

The deadCENTER Film Festival is in its 13th year of bringing quality independent films to Oklahoma and providing a nationally recognized platform for local filmmakers to share their work. This year’s festival included James Marsden, Megan Mullally, Chris Kattan, Nick Offerman, Famke Janssen, Wes Studi, two time Oscar winner Albert S. Ruddy, artist Wayne White and Sundance Best Documentary Director Winner Lauren Greenfield. Next year’s festival takes place June 5-9, 2013, in downtown Oklahoma City. For more information, please visit www.deadcenterfilm.org. deadCENTER is a 501 (c) 3, Non-profit organization.

deadCENTER Film Festival (dCFF) is pleased to welcome media from throughout the nation to Oklahoma City to cover the 12^thannual festival, June 6-10, featuring more than 100 juried documentary and feature films. Media must obtain official festival credentials to gain access to dCFF events, including film screenings, parties (access to bluCENTER bash not included), interviews with filmmakers and celebrities, and the media lounge. Media seeking credentials must provide documentation of the media outlet(s) they represent, and show identification when picking up credentials.

 

ADVANCE CREDENTIALS

Media may register for credentials in advance by emailing Kim Haywood at kim@deadcenterfilm.org. Credentials can be picked up on Wednesday, June 6, from 6 – 8 p.m., at the bluCENTER check-in table, outside the Chesapeake Boathouse, prior to bluCENTER Bash, a private fundraiser. From Thursday until Sunday, pickup will be at the dCFF Media Lounge, located at the official dCFF headquarters at Oklahoma City Museum of Art.

 

ON-SITE CREDENTIALS

Media may register on-site for credentials at the dCFF Media Lounge.

 

MEDIA LOUNGE

The dCFF media lounge is located at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 405 Couch in downtown Oklahoma City. The dCFF media lounge will provide credentialed media with free wireless Internet access and refreshments, as well as a quiet place to work or conduct interviews throughout the festival. The lounge will be staffed with members of the dCFF Public Relations Committee who are ready to assist media with questions, arranging interviews and more.

 

The dCFF Media Lounge will be open the following hours:

5-8 p.m., Thursday, June 7

11 a.m. – 8 p.m., Friday, June 8

11 a.m. – 8 p.m., Saturday, June 9

11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Sunday, June 10

 

MORE INFORMATION

For more information on the festival, including a complete schedule of films and events, visit www.deadcenterfilm.org.

 

# # #

Media Contact:

Tracey Zeeck

traceyzeeck@gmail.com

405.501.2700

MARLEY, the definitive documentary about reggae legend Bob Marley, will kick off the 2012 deadCENTER Film Festival with a free outdoor screening at 8:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 6 at the Chesapeake Finish Line Tower on the Oklahoma River. Directed by Academy Award winner Kevin MacDonald, MARLEY, explores the amazing music and career of the man that introduced reggae music to the world.

MARLEY is one of more than 100 films from around the world and all over Oklahoma that will be featured at this year’s festival. From Sundance favorites AI WEIWEI: NEVER SORRY and THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES to celebrity hosted screenings from James Marsden, Megan Mullally, Nick Offerman, Famke Janssen and Chris Kattan to Oklahoma made films from Bartlesville, Shawnee, Pauls Valley, Oklahoma City and Edmond, deadCENTER 2012 offers a diverse selection of films for all moviegoers.
For a complete schedule and list of films, please click here.
To buy and All Access pass that gets you priority access to every film, panel and VIP party, please click here.