OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) partnered with the deadCenter Film Festival to offer the deadCenter University (dCU) Youth Camp, an immersive educational experience sponsored by the Oklahoma Film and Music Office for 20 Oklahoma high school students.
From June 3-6, the dCU campers worked together to create a short film, “Lost and Found,” which debuted at the deadCenter Film Festival on June 8. “Lost and Found” was written and directed by dCU camp participant McKinley Paige Montez.
The camp provided students with a hands-on opportunity to explore every facet of filmmaking. From scripting and shooting to editing and screening, students worked closely with mentors to produce the narrative short film.
Instructors included Sean Lynch, OCCC’s professor of digital cinema production (DCP); Victor Caballero, director of education and outreach at deadCenter; and mentors such as Steve Mathis, known for his work on films like “Back to The Future” (1995) and “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” (2014). OCCC’s team facilitated the camp by providing access to state-of-the-art equipment and studio spaces.
“The camp was transformative for young filmmakers and a historic moment for OCCC,” said Lynch. “For the first time in deadCenter history, we hosted the camp while providing creatives with a comprehensive experience — production of a short film.”
OCCC DCP majors worked as student mentors during the camp.
OCCC student James Barrett said, “Being a part of the dCU Youth Camp and seeing the students’ enthusiasm for filmmaking reminds me of my own journey. OCCC’s program prepares us for real-world experiences, and it’s a great feeling to pass that knowledge on to the next generation of filmmakers.”
Emma Garcia, another DCP major specializing in sound, highlighted the community aspect of the camp. “It was really fun to work with the students because they were eager to learn. Seeing mentors from my high school days, who are still giving back to the film industry was really nice. It truly shows that Oklahoma’s film community is a real community,” she said.
Learn more about OCCC’s digital cinema production program here.
