Last Updated on June 8, 2024, 3:19 PM | Published: June 8, 2024
OKLAHOMA CITY — For the first time, deadCenter University, part of the deadCenter Film Festival, offered two film education tracks during festival week: one for high school students and one for teachers.
The Youth Camp at OCCC, June 3-6, had 20 students create a short film that premiered at the festival with hands-on instruction. The University for Educators at OCU, June 6-7, prepared about a dozen educators to teach film in their classrooms.
deadCenter University Youth Camp
From June 3-6, high schoolers lived their filmmaking dreams at the dCU Youth Camp at Oklahoma City Community College. Sponsored by the Oklahoma Film & Music Office and the deadCenter Film Festival, this experience brought together 20 aspiring filmmakers from across Oklahoma. Led by Sean Lynch, Professor of Digital Cinema Production at OCCC, and guest mentors, the students were immersed in the filmmaking process for an extended four-day program, a first for the camp.
Students, grouped by interests, gained hands-on experience in writing, directing, lighting, visual effects, sound design, and cinematography using OCCC’s equipment and studio space. They each embraced their roles, with assistant directors yelling “Quiet on set!” while others managed lighting, sound, and scripts, collaborating to create a film.
Lynch noted that despite the challenge, students handled most of the work, with film professionals supervising. He was impressed by their experience alongside industry experts.
“It’s a great way for these high school students to get excited about film,” Lynch said.
Steve Mathis, known for his work on films like Back to the Future, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Romeo + Juliet, was one of the many mentors on set for the Youth Camp. He has been mentoring with deadCenter for a decade.
“It’s just great watching these kids start off in the morning, and they’re not quite sure what to do, but by the end of the first day, I feel like I’m not doing anything at all,” Mathis said.
Their collaboration resulted in the short film “Lost and Found,” about Ivy, a high school student coping with living unhoused by scavenging items from the lost and found while dreaming of a music career. The film was shown on Saturday, June 8, at noon at Harkins Bricktown as part of the deadCenter Film Festival.
“My experience has been amazing,” Makinley Paige Montez, writer and director of “Lost and Found,” said. “I have the best mentors, and I couldn’t have been more thankful for this wonderful cast and crew. I’ve had such a blast working for them, and I’m just really grateful.”
Victor Caballero, head of dCU, noted the collaborative energy and expressed excitement for the finished project. Since August 2023, he has led deadCenter’s education, reaching over 14,000 students. He contributed to both the dCU Youth Camp and dCU for Educators and enjoyed this year’s expanded program.
“I want the kids to not just learn the department but to work in order to make a movie,” Caballero said.
deadCenter University for Educators
On June 6-7, Oklahoma City University hosted the inaugural deadCenter University for Educators. About a dozen teachers learned strategies for implementing new media arts standards and earning a media arts micro-credential, addressing the need for workforce development and high-quality film education.
Emmy-winning professor Bryan Cardinale-Powell led the workshop, fulfilling a long-envisioned plan to focus on educators as well as students.
“Trying to figure out how to teach the subject of film isn’t easy, and finding other people to talk about how you’re approaching teaching is important,” Cardinale-Powell said.
Cardinale-Powell noted that the workshop, including a panel with film professionals discussing film education, encouraged film educators to become more connected and engaged within the film community.
“It was a nice opportunity for the teachers,” Cardinale-Powell said. “They don’t have many opportunities to interact with people who are doing that kind of work, and it was good for them to learn about the resources available. And, the other way around, I think it was good for the panelists to hear a little bit from teachers.”
Alongside Cardinale-Powell, experimental filmmaker Billy Palumbo and experienced crew member Ashley Stewart provided instruction, focusing on inspiring the next generation through film programs.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Palumbo said. “We’re doing some activities that they might translate into their classroom environment or even just ways of priming their students to think about film in different kinds of ways.”
He said the workshop makes film education accessible for all ages and revealed a high interest in film among students, with some teachers having up to 350 students enrolled in film studies classes.
“To learn that there are many schools in the state that are already doing some of this work was surprising but very cool,” Palumbo said.
He said the program aims to involve teachers from diverse backgrounds, whether they’re teaching film production, appreciation, or literature. Educators learned about camera use and editing software, and they also had the chance to shoot and edit their own film.
Matt Cheek and Natalie Biggs teach film studies at Deer Creek High School, and they appreciated the multi-faceted approach to the workshop.
“There is just not a sort of generic experience for film for students in high school,” Cheek said. “So kind of moving in that direction where we’re all working towards the same, or at least similar goals, I think, is good for all of us collectively.”
Cheek and Biggs were excited to participate in the workshop, learn new aspects of filmmaking and appreciation, and connect with industry professionals.
“I feel like the resources for educators are very limited,” Biggs said. “And this is opening doors, which has been really nice to have other people to bounce ideas off of and to learn from. I’m so grateful that they’re offering that this year.”
These workshops coincided with the deadCenter Film Festival, which runs through June 9 and features about 160 films at various venues, including Harkins Bricktown 16, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Rodeo Cinema Film Row, Scissortail Park, First Americans Museum, and the new dC Hub at the Fordson Hotel.
Zoe Elrod has spent her career covering local musicians, artists, politicians, and everyday folks. She is also Oklahoma City’s most enthusiastic connoisseur of cheese danishes.
