Hickson said he has already been involved in a separate production of a film called “Wishmaker” and has been active in community theater for several years with the Poplar Bluff Stage Company.

“I was actually there as an extra when ‘Gone Girl’ was filmed in Cape Girardeau,” Hickson said. “These are truly wonderful experiences to be had.”

Hickson said he believes technology is finally giving filmmakers more freedom to shoot in locations that might have been problematic in the past.

“That’s the beauty of technology,” Hibler added. “A lot of things were shot in California because of the stable climate and natural light. But now these new cameras are smaller and easier to carry, and you can shoot movies almost anywhere.”

Hibler revealed that he would be filming at his personal property in Fairdealing and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office in Greenville, in addition to Haffy’s.

“I want to keep things simple,” Hibler said. “I want to avoid an overly processed look, and there will be a lot of cinematic storytelling with camera movement.”

Hibler also had to take on the role of actor in his own production, as one of the main roles was vacated at the last minute by the person previously chosen.

“I’m so excited to be able to make this movie,” Hibler said. “It’s good for me and my mental health to have this as an outlet; And this is a project that really excites me. And I’m so happy to see so many people from the community coming out to help in a variety of ways. This makes me feel really good.”

Hibler said principal photography on the film should be completed within a few weeks, but there is no definitive timeline for post-production and subsequent release.

“Like I said, I wanted to bring some of Hollywood to Southeast Missouri,” Hibler said. “It seems like more and more people want to have this experience. “I’m glad I could help them achieve that.”