Patrick Patterson teaming up with deadCenter for student film contest
For all of his cinephilia, Thunder forward Patrick Patterson has never been a part of a film festival until now.
Patterson is teaming up with the deadCenter Film Festival to judge a movie contest for students around the state of Oklahoma. In Patterson’s “Pat Presents Oklahoma Student Film Contest," Patterson will judge high school and college student produced short film submissions. The contest is open to all students currently enrolled in an Oklahoma high school, tech center, college or university.
Long before Patterson joined the Thunder, the 29-year-old roamed around his hometown of Huntington, West Virginia, making 10- to 15-minute short films on a camcorder with friends and family.
“It’s crazy these days how far technology has advanced,” Patterson told
The Oklahoman. “Now, kids who definitely love movies and creating content, this gives them an opportunity to put whatever they create, whatever ideas they have in their minds, out on display for everyone to see.”
The big winner of Patterson’s contest will have exactly that chance.
The initial round of judging will be conducted by the deadCenter team, then Patterson and some “celebrity friends,” according to deadCenter, will select finalists and winners.
Students participating have the chance to win prizes including passes to deadCenter Film Festival, Patterson-signed memorabilia, or new camera equipment. The grand prize is the winner having his or her movie screened at the deadCenter Film Festival in June 2019.
Not long after signing with the Thunder last July, Patterson invited fans to join him for a movie at Harkins Bricktown Cinemas in downtown Oklahoma City. That same summer, Patterson also interned with Open Road Films, a production and distribution company.
For Patterson, the contest brings back memories of before he even knew he had a deep interest in the movie industry.
“It gives me an opportunity to not only watch all these films, but also be able to talk to the creators and ask them the mindset that went behind creating the film and what the process was like, and most importantly, what they want to do with films,” Patterson said.
“It’s something I love and gives me an opportunity to see all these creative minds put something together.”
The 2019 deadCenter film festival will be June 6-9, 2019, in Oklahoma City.