Bare Bones International Film Festival

The Bare Bones International Film and Music Festival was founded in 1999 by the Darkwood Film Arts Institute (DFAI) in the city of Muskogee, Oklahoma to showcase independent motion picture projects with budgets of less than 1 million dollars (hence Bare Bones). The festival runs for eleven days each year in late April at several venues in downtown Muskogee.[1]

MovieMaker Magazine called Bare Bones a "small-town festival that celebrates indie auteurs, directors, screenwriters, actors and cinematographers in a big way."[2] In 2010, MovieMaker named Bare Bones to its list of 25 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee.[3]

References
  1. Oklahoma Film Festivals by Rhonda Callow of Bright Hub, 29 July 2010
  2. 25 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee Archived February 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, 30 April 2009
  3. Wood, Jennifer M. (2010-05-15). "25 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee: 2010". MovieMaker Magazine. Retrieved 2020-05-20.

The BareBones International Independent Film and Music Festival was created by ShIronButterfly Ray and Oscar Ray her husband and business partner. The event was created to help expand the motion picture business in Oklahoma by encouraging film producers, directors, screenwriters and actors to visit the state. The Ray's who were independent film producers themselves found it necessary to train local helpers in every aspect of motion picture production to create their own employee base to make medium and low budget movies. Inspired by Robert Rodrigues journal Rebel Without a Crew the Rays taught themselves as they produced their first films and then developed the Darkwood Film Arts Institute which taught more individuals about motion picture production in one year than all Oklahoma Colleges and Universities combined. With students of every age and virtually every state and more than 60 cities.Their efforts were so prolific they received the governor's special recognition award at the annual governor's arts award. The Rays initially produced two film festivals a year. The BareBones Script to Screen Film Festival and the BareBones International Independent Film and Music Festival. The first individuals to do so in Oklahoma. They also helped to mentor into existence other film festivals and provided both content and volunteers for those film festivals. BareBones soon became the only film festival in the United States that would not allow larger (more than a million dollar budget) movie productions compete against small and ultra low budget movies for prizes and recognition. The festival organizers eventually established two significant budget categories for competition. Feature motion pictures with budgets of one to five million dollars and feature motion pictures with budgets of zero to one million dollars. Motion pictures with budgets larger than 1 million dollars are allowed to showcase but not allowed to compete head to head in any competition. The move surprised many movie producers as most festivals will bend over backwards to chase major movies and major stars. "Our festival was created to encourage the student, first time or struggling film producer and to bring more voices and visions to the industry. Not to cater to those who don't need the help", says ShIronbutterfly.

The festival, which features movies of every genre but porn has to date either exhibited, screened or judged more than fourteen thousand movies. The six day event every April shows 200 movies in six separate locations throughout downtown Muskogee while using Muskogee's Historic Roxy Theater as their main venue and headquarters. The event also features a screenplay competition and screenplay readings plus panels on motion picture production, editing, marketing and distribution. The film festival organizers partner with a number of civic organizations as well to screen movies that deal with issues of diversity, intolerance, domestic violence and sexual abuse and even holds an event inside of their event that features panelists, survivors. mental health professionals, therapists, counselors, first responders, law enforcement and legislators. The Festival's final day culminates with an Academy Awards style Awards show of food, entertainment and recognition for the film producers, directors, actors, cinematographers, etc and special recognition for individuals who have dedicated their lives to make positive impacts in the arts or their communities.


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