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It's almost time again!

deadCENTER Preview Party

Friday, May 29th, 7:30-9:30pm
Sponsored by the XO Lounge and X-Rated Vodka in the Hip Basement of the Colcord Hotel

$100 per couple grants you access to the event featuring, food, fun, film clips, and cocktails
$250 per couple grants you access to the event AND! two All-Access passes to the festival.

This is the only fundraiser deadCENTER hosts all year long. C'mon, if you divide $250 by 12 parties (Preview + the 11 at the fest), 3 Panels, 1 Screenplay reading, and 90 films, that works out to be... . 84cents per event, per person. You can afford that!

The All-Access Pass gets you GUARANTEED entry into all deadCENTER Screenings - that's over 90 films folks!
GUARANTEED entry into all deadCENTER Parties - coffee or cocktails, you're looking at 11 chances to drink and get a snack! GUARANTEED entry into the Panel Series - and we've got some FIERCE faces coming into the 4-0-5 this year - you can't miss!

And an awesome goody bag, with a program, and a t-shirt, maybe some gum or breathmints or something AWESOME. See you in the deadCENTER of the action! RSVP now by calling 405-246-9233 or go Go online (http://www.deadcenterfilm.org/) now for more about the fest!

For those of you who missed the deadCENTER Film Festival free outdoor screening of "Sweethearts of the Prison Rodeo", too bad. It was a perfect evening! Great crowd, perfect weather and an amazing film.

deadCENTER continues through Sunday and you can still catch all of the fun parties and great films. "Sweethearts" will screen again at 5:30 tomorrow at the OKCMOA.

Here is the down low on today's schedule:

OKLAHOMA CITY– Day two of one of the region’s top independent film festivals will include the screening of six full-length feature films, 14 short films and two parties.


Thursday’s Schedule:

5 p.m.
Documentary Feature – “The Triangle of Death” at Kerr Auditorium

5:30 p.m.
"Don’t Hate” Shorts – Eight short films with a non-violence theme at Untitled [Art Space]

6 p.m.
Opening Night Party at Oklahoma City Museum of Art

7 p.m.
Narrative Feature (Special Sneak Preview) – “Ecstasy of Gold” at Kerr Auditorium
(Adam Oxsen – OK Director, in attendance)

7:30 p.m.
Comedy Shorts – Six humorous short films at Uptown United
Documentary Feature – “The Day After Peace” at Untitled [Art Space]

8 p.m.
Narrative Feature – “Pearl” at Oklahoma City Museum of Art
(Director, Cast in attendance)

9 p.m.
Narrative Feature – “The Twenty” at Kerr Auditorium
(David Japka, Producer, in attendance from NYC)

9:30 p.m.
Narrative Feature – “Yesterday” – Zombie film (with drinking game) at Uptown United

10 p.m.
Opening Night After-Party at The Purple Bar at Nonna’s

For more information visit deadCENTER Film (http://www.deadcenterfilm.org)

I am mainly a screenwriter, but am close to learning the whole trait of directing, and even have a Panasonic AG-HPX170 on its way to me, with a 16gb P2 card.

The thing that gets me most about this festival, is that it doesn't to have any scouts for screenplays, or even anything acknowedging the spec market, so I kinda steered clear of this.

I mean I got my foot through the door in other ways (or have options,) but I haven't pursued those yet.

I wish they would make this more mainstream by having scouts and screenplay competitions added to it.

OKLAHOMA CITY–deadCENTER Film Festival kicks into high gear for day three of the state’s largest film festival. Chesapeake Energy compressed natural gas-powered shuttle buses to transport festi val attendees to and from the seven screening locations Friday and Saturday.

Friday’s Schedule:

10 a.m.
Shorts Block: Kid’s Fest @ Norick Downtown Library

11 a.m.
Party: Filmmaker Coffee @ OKCMOA

2 p.m.
Screening: “Official Rejection” @ OKCMOA

4 p.m.
Panel: Official Rejection @ OKCMOA

5 p.m.
Party: Oklahoma Film and Music Reception @ XO Lounge/Colcord
Shorts Block: Immigration Focus @ Kerr Auditorium

5:30 p.m.
Screening: “Sweethearts of the Prison Rodeo” @ OKCMOA
Shorts Block: America! @ [Untitiled] Artspace

7 p.m.
Shorts Block: Okie Shorts @ Kerr Auditorium

7:30 p.m.
Screening: “Sorry, Thanks” @ Uptown United

8 p.m.
Screening: “Weathergirl” @ OKCMOA
Shorts Block: Mixtape @ [Untitiled] Artspace

9 p.m.
Screening: “The Familiar” @ Kerr Auditorium

Party: Friday Night Frolic @ Magnolia Building

9:30 p.m.
Screening: “Official Rejection” @=2 0Uptown United

10 p.m.
Shorts Block: Horror Shorts @ [Untitiled] Artspace

11 p.m.
Screening: “Poultrygeist” @ Kerr Auditorium

12 a.m.
Shorts Block: Midnight Shorts @ [Untitiled] Artspace

For more information visit deadCENTER Film (http://www.deadcenterfilm.org)

Hi megax,

There IS a screenplay competition with deadCenter, and screenplays were due by Feb 1. A committee of local writers & directors reviewed them, and the winner will have her screenplay read aloud by local actors at a table read tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. at the OKC Museum of Art.

The screenplay competition just started LAST year, so they are still working on making this a growing part of the festival.

In past years, as well, the festival has brought in readers and scouts to sit in on panel discussions. What the festival doesn't have, and I'm not sure they want to have just yet, are "pitch fests" where you get to speed date scouts. A good place to network, however, and perhaps pitch some of your ideas, is at any one of the filmmaker coffees. An all-access pass gets you into those and you can meet and schmooze with the directors and producers who have brought their films in for the festival.

SXSW has a very large screenplay competition, but there are thousands of entries. I'm still not sure how those folks filter through it all. They must have hundreds of readers.

Keep your eyes peeled for info on next year's screenplay competition, and don't forget to attend the table read tomorrow - Saturday - (2:30 at OKCMOA)!

Thanks for the info.

If one's screenplay were to be scouted in any form, does the budget of the spec have to be low budget indie, or can one go the full mile and make a high budget genre/blockbuster spec to enter the competition?

Thanks again for the info. I will make sure to have something prepared for next year. However, I have other options I am running with as we speak, but can't go too far into it. This will be good info though, incase I want to pursue it later on though (or should I need to.)

As far as the competition goes, there is no limit regarding whether the film needs to be "indie" in nature, or big-budget blockbuster.

As far as scouting, I've always heard that unless you have exclusive rights to some Marvel comic hero or a best selling book you plan to adapt, you're best off working towards a film that's low- to mid-range budget.

YOUR DAILY deadCENTER –WEEKEND EDITION – JUNE 13/14, 2009

OKLAHOMA CITY – deadCENTER Film Festival boasts an ambitious day four and leaves ‘em laughing on day five. On Saturday, Chesapeake Energy’s compressed natural gas-powered shuttle buses will once again transport festival attendees between screening.


Saturday Schedule:

11 a.m.
Panel: Eekin’ Out a Living @ OKCMOA
Party: Filmmaker Coffee @ OKCMOA
Shorts Block: Kid’s Fest @ Norick Downtown Library

1 p.m.
Panel: Social Commentary @ OKCMOA
Shorts Block: Sustainability Focus @ Kerr Auditorium

1:30 p.m.
Shorts Block: Quirky Shorts @ [Untitled] Artspace

2 p.m.
Screening: “Familiar Voices” @ Norick Downtown Library

2:30 p.m.
Screenplay Table Read @ OKCMOA

3 p.m.
Screening: “Our Sprits Don’t Speak English” @ Kerr Auditorium

3:30 p.m.
Shorts Block: Short Femmes @ [Untitled] Artspace

5 p.m.
Shorts Block: Comedy Shorts @ Kerr Auditorium

5:30 p.m.
Screening: “Yveete” @ OKCMOA
Screening: “Weathergirl” @ [Untitled] Artspace
Shorts Block: Don’t Hate @ Uptown United

6 p.m.
Party: Pre-Awards Cocktails @ Visual Image (125 Park Ave.)
Party: Vintage VW load-in, other setup for “Peace Love & Wavy Gravy”, 3rd & EK Gaylord

6:30
Party: Free Yoga in the Park Kicks-off “Peace, Love & Wavy Gravy”, 3rd & EK Gaylord

7 p.m.
Screening: “Bar king Water” @ Kerr Auditorium
Party: Live Music and Various Vendors continue until 9 p.m. at PL&WG, 3rd & EK Gaylord

7:30
Shorts Block: Family Ties @ [Untitled] Artspace
Shorts Block: America! @ Uptown United

8 p.m.
Screening: “Remarkable Power” @ OKCMOA

9 p.m.
deadCENTER Film Festival Awards Presentation @ PL&WG, 3rd & EK Gaylord

9:30 p.m.
Screening: “Saint Misbehavin’ – The Wavy Gravy Movie” @ 3rd & EKG
Love Fest starts at 6:00
For the first time in its nine-year history, deadCENTER will be throwing a festival-within-the festival. Or more appropriately, a “mini-Woodstock” to honor one of the counter-culture’s more notable characters, Wavy Gravy. The subject of Saturday night’s “Saint Misbehavin’ – the Wavy Gravy Movie”, Mr. Gravy will be attendance along with filmmaker Michelle Esrick.

11:30 p.m.
Party: Awards After-Party @ Skirvin Hilton

Sunday Schedule:
11 a.m.
Party: Brunch, La Baguette @ Colcord
Shorts Block: “Best of Fest” Shorts @ OKCMOA

Actually, the brunch is at 12 noon, and the shorts are at 2:00 at the Museum. These are the "best of" shorts, so represent multiple genres and are loads of fun!