The Digital Cinema Production program at OCCC is giving students real-world filmmaking experience through its long-standing partnership with the deadCenter Film Festival. Under the leadership of DCP Professor Sean Lynch, the collaboration has recently expanded, offering students deeper involvement in both screenwriting and film production.
According to Lynch, the partnership with deadCenter has existed for many years, but significant growth began about three years ago. The program built upon deadCenter University, the festival’s educational branch, by introducing an intensive five-day filmmaking clinic. In this workshop, high school students work alongside industry professionals, using professional-grade equipment to create short films. This hands-on experience allows participants to learn filmmaking in an environment that closely reflects the professional world.
More recently, the collaboration has expanded even further. This year, OCCC and deadCenter introduced a screenwriting workshop designed to simulate a real writer’s room. The two-day session, lasting eight hours each day, gave students the opportunity to develop and refine their scripts in a collaborative setting. Rather than writing in isolation, students worked together, sharing ideas and improving each other’s work.
Lynch emphasized that this collaborative process is essential for aspiring screenwriters. He explained that screenwriting is not just about sitting alone and writing, but about working with others and learning how to develop stories as a team. During the workshop, students brought in scripts they had already started and reworked them through group discussions and feedback.
Out of the scripts developed during the workshop, one was selected for production. This chosen script will be turned into a film during the upcoming deadCenter University summer program. Students will have the chance to see their ideas move from concept to completion, gaining experience in every stage of filmmaking.
The program also focuses on storytelling that connects with audiences emotionally. Lynch noted that the selected script combines both comedy and serious elements, creating what he described as an emotional roller coaster. He believes that this balance, making audiences laugh and then feel deeply, results in more impactful films.
Students who participate in these programs gain more than just technical skills. They learn how to collaborate, give and receive feedback and adapt their ideas – skills that are critical in the film industry. Lynch observed that students’ scripts improved dramatically over the course of the workshop, with many participants noting that their work became much better by the end.
For students considering a career in filmmaking or screenwriting, Lynch offers simple but powerful advice: Do not be afraid to pursue those dreams. While he acknowledges that the industry can be challenging, he emphasizes that opportunities are growing even locally. Oklahoma’s film industry has expanded in recent years, with television series and major feature films now being produced in the state.
Lynch explained that students do not have to leave Oklahoma in order to succeed and that there are real opportunities to build a career in film right here at home.
The partnership between OCCC and deadCenter continues to provide students with valuable hands-on experience that connects education with the professional world. By combining classroom learning with industry collaboration, the program is preparing the next generation of filmmakers to succeed in an increasingly competitive field.
