The real and imaginative adventures of Dennis Spielman

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Betsy King, A Date With Iris

Shop local with this week’s Uncovering Oklahoma video. First, get to know the Betsy King shoe boutique in Oklahoma City’s Paseo Arts District with the owner, Betsy King. King’s shoe boutique offers a curated selection of women’s shoes in a wide range of styles.

Then on Western Avenue, Kris Balaban and Stephanie Humes of A Date With Iris talk about their award-winning flower and gift shop.

Help support the series by becoming a patron.

Afternoon Snack - still from Quarter Minutes

Afternoon Snack

Just having an afternoon snack.

Made by Clayton J. Blair, Kristy K. Boone, Pallas, and Dennis Spielman. More short strange stories at Quarter Minutes.

On Sunday we had a brainstorming session to come up with some holiday stories for the series. We will be working on those next month.

District Up! title

District Up! Released

The Plaza District, Film Row, and Western Avenue. Each of these Oklahoma City districts may have a unique history and aesthetic, but they also have something in common: over the past few years they all have experienced a revival with the creation of regular events that bring businesses, neighbors, and “outsiders” together. District Up! is a feature-length documentary that shares stories and advice on district revitalization throughout Oklahoma City from the people who helped create positive change in their communities and want to inspire others to do the same.

  • Watch the film on Amazon
  • Watch the film on YouTube

    Director’s Statement
    When I started Uncovering Oklahoma, the main mission was to show people there were interesting and fun things to do in Oklahoma. However, there has always been a secondary mission to make Oklahoma more interesting. District Up! is the first major project to not only help make Oklahoma more lively but other communities as well with stories and advice from those who helped create positive change.

    After over a year of working on the documentary, I’m proud to release it to the public. The movie made its first public appearance at the deadCenter Film Festival to a packed venue. After receiving feedback from the festival, I continued to work on the movie, adding more interviews, filming more events, and showcasing more people while improving the message and pacing of the film.

    For this project, I wanted to focus on positive changes in business districts and community events. There are many aspects, subjects, and stories to share on city revitalization. Truth be told, all the stories could make like a 10-part documentary series, given the time and finances.

    I hope after watching District Up! people feel inspired to travel and make great things.

    Happy adventures!

  • Space4Lease - still

    Space4Lease

    On Uncovering Oklahoma, I let the band, Space4Lease, interview each other and then they do a special performance of their song, “Holding On To Hope.” Space4Lease is a four-piece psychedelic rock group formed out of Oklahoma City with musical works inspired by lost love, the grace of the unknown, and inevitable life experiences, Space4Lease welcomes their audience wholly and newly surrendered. Each song is comprised of a illustrated set of keys, luring guitar melodies, expressive bass lines, and a range of unforgettably eloquent drum patterns. This psychedelic group could carry the likes of new age audiences who wished they experienced the 70’s and still admire the grit and grime of the 90’s.


    Above is just the music session for those who want to listen to the song only or again by itself.

    District Up! movie still

    District Up! – Final Trailer

    The Plaza District, Film Row, and Western Avenue. Each of these Oklahoma City districts may have a unique history and aesthetic, but they also have something in common: over the past few years they all have experienced a revival with the creation of regular events that bring businesses, neighbors, and “outsiders” together. This feature-length documentary shares stories and advice on district revitalization throughout Oklahoma City from the people who helped create positive change in their communities and want to inspire others to do the same.

    After over a year of work, District Up! will be released on Friday, November 18th. When Uncovering Oklahoma was started, the main mission was to show people that there were interesting and fun things to do in Oklahoma. However, there has always been a secondary mission to make Oklahoma more interesting. District Up! is the first major project to not only help make Oklahoma more lively but other communities as well with stories and advice from those who helped create positive change.

    In the coming weeks, I’ll be releasing a district themed holiday gift guides on Uncovering Oklahoma along with a new article series to further improvements in the state.

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