EDMOND — The 10th annual deadCENTER Film Festival in Oklahoma City has a distinct Edmond flavor to it with several films by local filmmakers making their debut this weekend.

The film festival runs through Sunday at seven locations in downtown Oklahoma City.

Kicking off the festival Wednesday night was the debut of “The Birth of Big Air,” the story of Edmond native and BMX trailblazer Mat Hoffman, produced by Johnny Knoxville and Spike Jonze and directed by Jeff Tremaine. The film previously premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Melissa Scaramucci, programs director for the deadCENTER Film Festival, said the movie showing was outdoors on a closed off section of Broadway Avenue between Fourth and Fifth streets.

She said it broke the festival’s all-time attendance record for a showing with 2,250 people. It shattered the 2007 record of 1,800 people who watched a Flaming Lips concert film.

“We busted our record wide open,” Scaramucci said. “It blew away all of our expectations.”

Scaramucci said “The Birth of Big Air” will be shown again tonight at 5:30 p.m. at the IAO Gallery at 811 N. Broadway Ave.

One of the film attendees was Bunee Tomlinson, an Edmond Memorial junior and aspiring filmmaker.

“I really enjoyed the Mat Hoffman film,” Tomlinson said. “The movie was fantastic.”

Last year Tomlinson’s deadCENTER Film Festival entry was “Safe,” which he co-directed with Jackson Fall, and which won 24 Hour Vid Race Student Division 2009.

Tomlinson also is debuting two short films this weekend. His entries are “Without A Doubt,” and “Mom’s Favorite Vase,” which will be shown at 10 a.m. today at the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library, 300 Park Ave. in Oklahoma City.

Tomlinson said he was happy to be participating in this year’s film festival.

“It’s an honor,” Tomlinson said. “It’s great to be at this film festival. You feel good about your accomplishments.”

“Without A Doubt” tells the story of the unexpected arrival of a longtime pen pal that creates a love triangle for a young lady who is having conflicts with her current boyfriend.

Tomlinson said he made “Without A Doubt” with Fall and Evan Anne and it won this year’s 24-hour Vid Race Student Division 2010 competition as well as second place at the Norick Library’s “I Can’t Believe I Shot That” Teen Film Fest 2010.

“Mom’s Favorite Vase” was an official selection at the Bare Bones Film Festival 2010 and the “I Can’t Believe I Shot That” Teen Film Fest 2010.

The film tells the story of a young boy and his friend accidentally breaking his mother’s favorite vase and trying to repair the damage before it is discovered.

Tomlinson’s interest in film was sparked when he started working on school videos in middle school.

“I had fun doing it with my friends. I realized that I was really into this,” Tomlinson said.

Tomlinson has taken advanced film camps at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art for five years and also has been a teaching assistant for the younger film camps.

Tomlinson will attend the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute at Quartz Mountain studying film/video for the second year, June 12-26.

Last summer, Tomlinson interned with Midwest Media and Marketing and this summer he is interning with Red Chair Productions in Oklahoma City.

This spring Tomlinson also directed a music video for the local band, Sugar Free Allstars.

Britt Billins is an owner of Red Chair Productions. He said he was impressed by Tomlinson’s interest and enthusiasm for video and filmmaking.

“I’m amazed by his energy and his passion,” Billins said. “He’s a guy that inspires us here. He has the desire to think outside the box and take a chance. He’s fearless. He just goes for it. That is priceless.”



Edmond filmmaker debuts short animation

Pete Sleeper of Edmond has also entered his short animation production “Doomsday Catch Phrase” into the deadCENTER Film Festival. It tells the story of a writer who sets out to create a simple horror story but stumbles upon a black hole instead, proving that words can be deadly.

The film showing will be tonight at 6 p.m. at the Kerr Auditorium, 123 Robert S. Kerr Ave. in Oklahoma City.

Sleeper, who works as a lead project coordinator for Fed Ex, has the unique distinction of being the only person who has had a film entry every year of the festival.

“I’ve always had an interest in storytelling and filmmaking is just a way to tell a story,” Sleeper said. “My first real short film, ‘Aussies in the Workplace,’ screened at the first deadCENTER Film Festival 10 years ago. After that I was hooked on short films. Most of my films are computer animations because I can work around my job schedule.”

Sleeper said the film festival has been ideal for him to showcase his cinematic work.

“The deadCENTER Film Festival is a wonderful venue for showcasing films made in Oklahoma and around the world,” Sleeper said. “My short films usually premier at deadCENTER before I send them to other festivals. Viewing my films with an audience for the first time is always exciting.”

Sleeper is currently writing a feature film comedy about a middle-age father who moves in with his 25-year-old son.

“Have Mercy” is a comedy feature script I’m writing,” Sleeper said. “It’s about an out-of-work middle-aged dad who moves in with his 25-year-old son. They have no common interests until the dad discovers he’s dating his son’s girlfriend. Nothing says ‘family’ more than a good fight.”

Sleeper is also working on another short animation, “Snap!” The film tells the story of a fine art photographer who couldn’t find his art with both hands.

Founded in 2001, the deadCENTER Film Festival — named for its central geographic location — has grown to become a premiere international summer event. More than 10,000 people are expected to attend this year for the festival’s 10th anniversary.

The highly interactive five-day festival offers more than 100 world-class film screenings, 12 official deadCENTER parties and four expert panel discussions on the latest trends in filmmaking.



FOR MORE information on prices and show times, call 246-9233 or visit www.deadcenterfilm.org.