Tanner Ray Imagination Fund Recipient — Oklahoma Filmmaker

Artist statement

My passion for filmmaking really kicked off a few years ago after I graduated high school and realized all my friends were gone. Feeling isolated and lonely my mom gave me the idea to make a film about trying to make friends in unconventional ways. That documentary became known as "An Oklahoma Summer" . I spent a year working on it, and decided just posting it alone in my room kinda defeated the whole purpose of the film. That being said I decided to call EVERY theater in Oklahoma until one would allow me to premiere the film for my new friends and my community to enjoy. After many many "no's" and even more "maybe's" I finally got a yes. A guy named Blake allowed me to premiere my film at "Admiral Twin Drive-In" a local Drive-In in a nearby city. What I didn't expect was how it would bring my entire community together.