Going into its first festival season on the heels of being newly minted as an OSCAR® qualifying film festival last July, deadCenter Film is proud to highlight 2022 advancements in its film education programming by opening registration for deadCenter University Class IX, and announcing the convening of a Film Education Advisory Committee and hiring of Stephanie Peña as Education Coordinator to manage and oversee all things education at the nonprofit. deadCenter Film is the organizer of Oklahoma’s largest film festival, which will return to downtown Oklahoma City June 9-12.
Since 2014, the partnership with Metro Technology Centers has expanded the two-day high school film program with unique interactive sessions to learn the filmmaking process, continuing to offer at no charge to 80 students in 9th through 12th grade. deadCenter University’s Dean, Harry Wolohon, is committed to high impact and hands-on delivery by working film professionals and this year, in-person June 9-10, students will learn the basic principles of filmmaking demonstrated through interactive sessions while meeting industry professionals, networking with other film students and gaining exclusive exposure to inspiring films and panels. An educator and film producer himself, Wolohon brings both industry knowledge and education to the forefront of film training with Metro Tech’s Digital Cinema program. No experience is required for students to register and students will also receive two complimentary EDU Passes to attend the full festival.
deadCenter Film remains committed to fostering filmmaking and celebrating the flourishing industry by introducing innovative tools for storytelling, connecting all citizens to creative resources to be found within their communities and therefore cultivating confidence and talent amongst the best and brightest future filmmakers in Oklahoma. In continued part of its education initiatives, deadCenter Film has established a Film Education Advisory Committee, composed of prominent educators and professional filmmakers statewide. Partner organizations represented include the Film Education Institute of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Film and Television Academy, Metro Technology Centers, Prairie Surf Studios, the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City Community College, Rose State College, Tulsa Technology Center, Meridian Technology Center, Oklahoma City Public Schools, Tulsa Public Schools and Lawton Public Schools.
Last, but certainly not least, deadCenter Film welcomes local performer and educator Stephanie Peña as education coordinator. “We’re ecstatic to have Stephanie’s talents on board as we continue our work to inspire future filmmakers,” said Alyx Picard, executive director at deadCenter. “Having served as the first ever Dean of deadCenter University, Stephanie’s roots in dC education go back almost a decade.”
Goals and objectives for 2022 include the continuation of online programming like Next Generation Online, the reinstatement of the award-winning Statewide Education Tour, exploring the fundamentals of filmmaking, and providing students of any age with a route to the resources they need to create and consume film. deadCenter Film’s education programs are provided at no or low cost thanks to support from Allied Arts, the Cresap Foundation, the Harris Family Foundation and the Kerr Foundation.
Registration for deadCenter University is open now through June 1. To learn more and register, visit metrotech.edu/dcu or call 405.595.4403. For EDU Passes, high school and university students and educators are offered a discounted rate of $75 and must apply at bit.ly/edupassapp22 for verification.
Passes for the 22nd Annual deadCenter Film Festival are available at dcff22.eventive.org/welcome. The festival will once again be in-person, taking over downtown Oklahoma City across multiple theaters and venues, June 9-12.
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About deadCenter Film
deadCenter Film is an Oklahoma City based non-profit and Allied Arts member agency focused on utilizing film to inspire, promote, and celebrate creativity and community. deadCenter provides free film classes and workshops to thousands of students each fall, offers continuing education classes for working film professionals each quarter, and hosts Oklahoma’s largest film festival each June, typically attracting 35,000 to downtown Oklahoma City. In 2020 and 2021, deadCenter pivoted to provide the festival in a hybrid format, featuring extended festival dates, and offering more than 200 films, panels, classes, celebrity reunions, and filmmaker discussions. In 2020 deadCenter was selected by the Smithsonian as a top eight film festival worth virtually attending and in 2021 the organization was approved as an ACADEMY AWARDS ® qualifying festival for the Short Film awards. To learn more about deadCenter Film and to support year-round programming, visit deadcenterfilm.org.
About Metro Technology Centers
One of the largest and most diverse technology centers in Oklahoma, Metro Tech has four campuses offering short-term, career and customized business training. Campuses are located in South Oklahoma City, Northeast Oklahoma City, the Will Rogers Airport and Downtown Oklahoma City. For more information, visit metrotech.edu.
About the Oklahoma Film + Music Office:
Under the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, the Oklahoma Film + Music Office (OF+MO) works to promote the state as a viable hub for film, television and music production as well as further develop opportunities for workforce, business and community growth within these sectors. For more information on the Oklahoma Film + Music Office, including the state’s film incentives and additional resources, visit okfilmmusic.org.