A new kid in town shows up at the high school boys basketball tryouts and instantly makes an impression. Will talent and drive be enough to make the team?

Interview with Writer/Director Jeannie Donohoe

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I wanted to tell a story about an ambitious, talented girl who pushes past gender expectations and limits to pursue her dreams. I love sports movies, and I wanted to take a stab at making a basketball movie that also speaks to a larger issue.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

Well, if you like basketball, it’s full of great basketball players! NBA champion-turned-actor Rick Fox plays the Coach, and it’s all real basketball players on the team. If you’re not into basketball or sports, I hope the underlying story will still resonate with you. It’s a movie about courage, perseverance, and a willingness to challenge the status quo.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Challenging gender constraints is important to me personally. I think the character’s struggle to overcome obstacles will feel universal. And her secret is hopefully relatable—all of us have something we hide.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

The script phase was pretty short because of the Lexus Short Films program’s timeline. I only wrote three drafts total and then we went into production. On set, one of the real assets to having Rick Fox play the Coach was that he really felt like the coach of these kids on the court, and he added some great ideas for the basketball scenes.

And in casting, we had all real basketball players in the lead cast and background performers, so we were able to block very naturalistic playing sequences and shoot in a 2-camera setup without cheating the shots. The editing phase, like any editing phase, weeded out anything non-essential to the story, so a few of the script’s beats ended up on the cutting room floor. Saira Haider was our amazing editor, and she brought a great pace and rhythm to the story.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

The response to the film has been terrific! I love watching the film with audiences at festivals and screenings. Sometimes people clap and cheer during the basketball scenes, as though they’re watching an actual game. And it’s very moving when people come up to me afterwards and share their stories about overcoming something through sports or being the first woman to do something.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

One guy in a Q&A asked if Nicole was really a girl – he didn’t think a girl could play that well. So that was interesting.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

We Are Moving Stories is a great website, and I’d love to have your film-loving web audience check out our story!

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

GAME has a great team from The Weinstein Company and Lexus as producers and distributors, but we’re still trying to get the message out there to audiences of all types, specifically those who might relate to its message or be inspired by it. Film festival directors and journalists would be great!

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

It’s very rewarding when I hear that the film meant something to somebody. So I’d like to make that happen as much as possible. I think the story of GAME could also spark or add to the dialogue about women’s equality in sports and all arenas.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Should sports be separated by gender?

Would you like to add anything else?

Thank you for sharing the film on We Are Moving Stories!

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I’m working on a feature-length film related to GAME’s themes, but on a bigger scale. The cast and crew are working on a number of shows, films, and playing basketball!

Interview: July 2017

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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

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GAME

A new kid in town shows up at the high school boys basketball tryouts and instantly makes an impression. Will talent and drive be enough to make the team?

Length: 15 minutes

Director: Jeannie Donohoe

Producer: Joey Horvitz

Writer: Jeannie Donohoe

About the writer, director and producer:

Writer-Director:

Jeannie Donohoe is an award-winning filmmaker based in Los Angeles. She has written and directed Game (The Weinstein Company), Lambing Season, and Public.

Producer:

Joey Horvitz is a producer and SVP of Short Film at The Weinstein Company, known for The Illusionist, Gray Matters, and Game.

Key cast: Rick Fox, Nicole Williams, Tye White, Jamie McShane, Charles Parnell, Dominique Columbus, Michael Purdie

Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists):

Film festival directors, journalists

Social media handles:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GameBasketballShortFilm

Twitter: @GameShortFilm

Instagram: @GameBasketballShortFilm

Other: email contact: GameBasketballShortFilm@gmail.com

Funders: Lexus Short Films

Made in association with: The Weinstein Company / Lexus Short Films

Where can I see it in the next month?

Woods Hole Film Festival, Sidewalk Film Festival, Vancouver Lift-Off Film Festival, HollyShorts, DC Shorts, Louisville International Festival of Film