In Downtown Oklahoma City, Clarity Coffee makes people happy by making coffee the best way they can. Steve Willingham and Tyler Roberts talk about the story of Clarity Coffee, what guests can expect, and how they make the shop inviting to people.
You may have seen Steve Willingham in my Short Order Poems documentary and now here he is again talking about his coffee shop. I’m not actively working on a Coffee of Oklahoma City series. This video just came into development with other projects.
I hope you enjoy this video and check out Clarity Coffee for yourself. Their mocha is in my personal top five.
Chad Reynolds and Timothy Bradford started Short Order Poems to make poetry more accessible and appealing to the general public. My documentary explores how Short Order Poems got started, with the help of Brian Bergman and the H&8th Night Market, the history of writing poems for people, and their Make It Rain Poems project in connection with Downtown OKC. Riley Cole and Steve Willingham also share their perspectives on the Make It Rain Poems.
I have been following the work of Short Order Poems since the beginning, seeing them at H&8th, which I had regularly posted articles about on Uncovering Oklahoma when the event was active. There’s footage I shot of them at the August 2015 H&8th.
This was one of those documentaries that turned out bigger than planned. Originally, my interview with Chad and Timothy was going to be shorter with a focus on the Make It Rain Poems. This would’ve been a segment for my Inviting Art documentary. The interview itself went over 30 minutes, giving me a ton of material. I realized the story was big enough to warrant its own video.
The project grew more as I decided to include interviews with Brian, Riley, and Steve. Plus, my doing a solo documentary, it gave me a chance to talk about the Make It Rain Poems during the rainy season so more people can experience them instead of waiting for the release of Inviting Art. I do still plan to include the Make It Rain Poems in Inviting Art, which will include pieces of this and perhaps more.
If you loved this documentary, consider becoming a patron. Thank you for watching!
If you’re looking for an adventure featuring an activity you can’t do anywhere else in the state of Oklahoma, plan a road trip to the Great Salt Plains State Park where you can dig for selenite crystals.
Selenite crystal formations occur when the mineral gypsum mixes with the area’s moist, salt-saturated soils. An hourglass shape of sand, clay, and iron often develop inside the crystal. This is the only place in the world where selenite crystals with this unique hourglass shape can be found.
While digging for crystals in the southwest portion of the state park is the main attraction, it’s not the only one. There are many beautiful areas to visit and trails to traverse, including an auto tour route where you can view an abundance of wildlife.
Safety Precautions:
Once in the digging area, stay on the designated road. Shorebirds nest on the flats. Their nests are camouflaged to the soil so you may not see them. Additionally, the ground is much softer than expected off the road.
Due to the white salt surface, getting sunburned is easy. Sunglasses, sunscreen, and protective clothing are recommended. Due to the winds, it is best to bring sunscreen lotion and not spray. Drinking water is not available at the dig site so be sure to bring water and pack some snacks.
Be sure to thoroughly wash your car after leaving the flats as the salt can eat away at your paint.
Overall, the Great Salt Plains State Park is an adventure worth experiencing. My wife and I enjoy our time there and thought it was worth the drive.
Un-true Stores. True Imaginations. is an ASMR style story series where I go to random places and whisper made up stories. For today’s story, I visited Sutton Wilderness to tell The New Trail in the Woods.
A getaway for two sisters soon comes crashing into reality, as one is forced to deal with her mistakes. Guilt Trip was made for Oklahoma City 48 Hour Film Project with Tiffany Gibson, Kristy Boone, Katie Kochelek, Josh Shriner, Cassondra Darling, and myself as Team Leader. The event described itself as, “a wild and sleepless weekend in which you and a team make a movie – write, shoot, edit and score it – in just 48 hours!”
With the movie done with festivals, I’ve made it public for everyone to watch online. This short contains minor violence, adult language, and mature themes.
I had a great time making this short film. Looking back at it now, there are some aspects I can improve, most of them technical. After the movie was finished, I came up with an idea for a post-credit scene that would leave the story open to flesh it out into a feature-length movie. Not saying I will remake it the future, but I’m not saying I won’t.
