In this episode of The Cinematic Schematic, we continue our 2024 deadCenter Film Festival coverage with a conversation about one of the festival’s Oklahoma narrative films, Hailey’s Game, with writer/director Katie Hightower and executive producer Michael Johnson. Hailey’s Game Opens the 2024 deadCenter Film FestivalThe deadCenter Film Festival has long served as a showcase for Oklahoma’s most promising talent. Hightower’s directorial debut is no exception. The film follows the story of a woman named Carter(Abby Bryan) who grieves the loss of her high school best friend Hailey five years later. To confront the ghosts of her past, she recruits help to conduct a seance that will give her a chance to move on.Johnson and Hightower join us to talk about how they shifted production away from making it another web series to the feature film. They also talk about how the film champions queer representation through normalizing their relationships with others. Tune in to hear their story and don’t miss a chance to catch the film at 5 PM Thursday, June 6th at the Harkins Bricktown theater in downtown Oklahoma City.Left to Right: Michael Johnson, Katie Hightower, and Caleb MastersSpecial GuestsKatie HightowerWriter/DirectorFollow Hailey’s Game on Instagram @HaileysgamefilmFollow Goddard House Films on InstagramMichael JohnsonExecutive ProducerAbout Hailey’s GameAccording to the deadCenter website, the film is described as:When Carter McDowell lost her best friend in a car accident their senior year of high school, she never expected that five years later she’d still be haunted by visions of Hailey. Desperate to get closure, Carter recruits a zany bookstore clerk named Billy and Hailey’s old boyfriend Tanner to conduct a seance that will allow her to say goodbye. But when unexpected complications arise, Carter and Tanner will have to face the demons they’ve been running from since high school. Based on the popular web series Hailey’s Game, this film will remind you what it feels like to fall in love for the very first time.When and Where to Watch Hailey’s Game at deadCenterThursday, June 6th, Sunday, June 9th, Follow The Cinematic Schematic PodcastFind more of our past and future episodes by subscribing to The Cinematic Schematic on your preferred podcast app and leaving us a rating on Apple Podcasts!