StarSpace46 Chats: Melissa Scaramucci

Across the last 20 years, the film industry in central Oklahoma has gone from an under-the-radar sector to a year-round presence in downtown OKC. One of the major people driving that change is local filmmaker, businessperson, and philanthropist, Melissa Scaramucci. She recently sat down with StarSpace46 Board Secretary Jeff Yenzer to discuss the former role as Program Director for deadCENTER Film Festival and the expanding impact of film production on the Oklahoma economy.

In December 2020, the new movie Finding Carlos was released, co-written, and co-produced by Scaramucci. In this holiday hip-hop movie film, a skateboarding adolescent adjusts to living with his estranged father and finding his place in the world. A skateboarding teenager adjusts to living with his estranged father and finding his place in the world. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recently designated deadCENTER Film Festival as a qualifying festival in two Academy Award categories, Live Action Short Film and Animated Short Film.

In this discussion, Melissa chats about the long upward journey leading this annual local event to the level of influence it has today. She also speaks to the benefits of downtown Prairie Surf Studios, home to the largest soundstage in the Midwest. Recorded on July 1, 2021.