2020 dawned bright for Kingfisher High School graduate and Los Angeles filmmaker J. Logan Alexander.

He was working as a coordinator/director’s assistant at a commercial production company – helping produce ads for brands like Canada Dry, Ritz and UberEats – while also working on his own short film projects.

“While in preproduction on a short film, I was anticipating the premiere of Joe Sparrow: Tie Me to the Bed, a music video I directed, at the deadCenter Film Festival (in Oklahoma City),” he said.

Alexander, the son of Kingfisher Mayor Roxie Alexander and her husband Jimmy, is no stranger to deadCenter, which he describes as “Oklahoma’s largest and longest running festival celebrating independent and local Oklahoma filmmakers.”

“So far in my very early career, every film I’ve made has premiered at deadCenter,” he said.

“I was lucky enough to intern there under (both the former and current heads of the festival), so maybe I’m biased, but it has always felt like home.

“Things were looking good – which, of course, is the first warning sign that something bad was around the corner.”

Because then came the pandemic.

Alexander, along with many friends and coworkers in the industry, was laid off.

“We were forced to reevaluate everything about ourselves by either leaving the industry entirely or pivoting to the dreaded ‘new normal,’” he said.

“Productions – which can last for 16-plus hours with a crew of 50-100 or more – could not happen. Festivals cancelled. Shoots were canned. Production companies shuttered.

“It was bleak in the Tinseltown.”

But while other festivals pulled the plug, Alexander said deadCenter “pivoted to a virtual event.”

That could have been bleak for an event that formerly thrived on “killer parties” and live filmmaker interaction with live theater audiences.

“There was a question of whether deadCenter could still feel like the festival it had built its reputation around as a virtual event,” Alexander said.

“But as we gathered in our Zoom waiting rooms for filmmaker Q&As or panels, the joy of seeing other filmmakers and hearing them talk about their work overrode any question.

“While nothing can replace the simple pleasure of watching something on a big screen in a dark room with total strangers (I’m eagerly waiting for the chance to see something here in LA), the virtual festival experience proved to be unique and the accessibility of films to people all around the world was unlike anything an in-person event could be.”

But after the bright spark of last year’s deadCenter, Covid continued to drain the light, he said.

“Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months, and Covid didn’t go anywhere,” Alexander said. “Cooped up in my apartment in Hollywood, I made a promise to come out of this experience with work I could be proud of.”

So Alexander turned his attention – and over abundance of free time – to a new challenge.

“While I had written tons of short films, I hadn’t written a feature – but as I found myself with nothing but time on my hands, I decided the time was now,” he said.

“That decision resulted in Sparky.

“Co-written with my partner, Elissa Nechamkin, Sparky, is a dark comedy about a meth user with a big score planned that’ll settle all his financial woes.

“But when the plan goes awry, he’ll do anything to scrounge the cash to settle a mysterious debt.

“Inspired by the gritty films of the late 60s and 70s (Born to Win, Midnight Cowboy), it is an unrelenting Dark Night of the Soul saga of a deeply lost man attempting to make a connection to a past now clouded in an amphetamine haze.

“I’m very fortunate that the script was selected as a semifinalist in the screenplay competition at this years deadCenter Film Festival.”

The contest winner will be announced at 1 p.m. Sunday, June 13 at the festival’s award ceremony, Alexander said.

“I’m also incredibly lucky to have another music video I directed, Dorrigo, screening at the festival for the super talented indie artist, Roberto.”

Alexander said the music video was shot during lockdown with strict Covid precautions – testing for all cast and crew before the shoot, masks for everyone when not on camera and “lots and lots of hand sanitizer.”

“It was a labor of love from all involved,” Alexander said, naming DP Joaquim Pujol, who shot the video and Ryan Metzler, Menu’Ette Silver, Elissa Nechamkin, and Yves Beneche who produced it.

Dorrigo also is among the films which will be available for live screenings at this year’s deadCenter.

“You can catch Dorrigo on the big screen for free as part of the Shorts: Music Video block screening at the historic Tower Theater in Oklahoma City at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 12, and Sunday, June 13, followed by a pre-recorded Q&A with several of the filmmakers behind the films.

“And the best part is, all the screenings are available on the virtual platform until June 19.”

You can find more info about all-access passes, individual screenings, events, and virtual sessions at www.deadcenterfim.org

And, you find Logan’s work on his website, www.jloganalexander.com