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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Celebrity Sing
Friday was United Way of Norman’s big Celebrity Sign fundraiser event, which my wife had been working hard on. Celebrity Sign is United Way’s can’t miss event at Riverwind Casino, and features a show produced by Sooner Theatre and stars incredibly talented professional and amateur performers. In addition to some the entertainment, attendees enjoy a delicious dinner and bid on unique auction items. I recommend going to it.
Throughout the week, I’ve been doing whatever I could to help make her life less stressful, including helping out a bit on the night of the event.
Autombile Alley
With Celebrity Sing over, Leslie and I went visited Automobile Alley, and we had breakfast at Hatch. It’s fun breakfast joint. We both loved their take on hashbrowns.
After breakfast, we walked around the area visiting shops, getting ideas for gifts.
Talimena Scenic Drive
Leslie and I took our yearly road trip to the Talimena National Scenic Byway on Sunday to see the fall foliage. This year, we took a nice hike on one of the trails. We crossed into Arkansas and saw the Queen Wilhelmina Inn. We would love to stay in the area and make a weekend exploring and hiking the byway area.
The above are some of my favorite photos from the trip, which you can buy over at 500px.
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