Acorn Arts & Entertainment and Lonely Spectre Productions present - HOUSE OF KA a supernatural horror / mystery feature film in the vein of Penny Dreadful and Crimson Peak. 

After her father contracts a supernatural illness, a young aristocrat named Margaret Trelawny enlists the help of a gentleman lawyer to save her father's life. Their investigation doesn't go as planned when they realize what they are hunting...is already hunting them.

MARGARET TRELAWNY has known nothing but luxury her whole life. That is until she wakes to find her father convulsing on the floor of his study, possessed by the spirit of a mummified queen. Determined to save her father’s life, Margaret recruits her suitor – the gentlemen lawyer MALCOLM ROSS to solve the greatest mystery of their lives before her father dies.

What follows is an increasingly twisted investigation as Margaret and Malcolm come face-to-face with the horrors of Margaret’s father’s secret life. She discovers her father is sexually abusing a young woman of the house staff and that he is involved with the mummy trafficking industry.

Believe it or not, this was actually a real industry Victorians participated in. They bought and sold mummies so wealthy elites could unwrap them as entertainment at parties. Margaret discovers her father is the head of such a group, and she works with the spirit of the mummy to oppose their abuse.

This film draws a clear connection between mummy trafficking and human trafficking. Margaret’s father and his group of mummy-obsessed-zealots buy a female pharaoh from Egypt, rip her from her home, cart her across Europe, and unwrap her for the pleasure of men. This extreme objectification allows us to show the horror and cruelty of human trafficking without glamorizing female objectification. So often, films (especially horror films) “say” female objectification is wrong, but then show women in positions of weakness or sexual vulnerability. HOUSE OF KA is not one of those films. It shows strong women making strong choices and standing up for themselves. We believe this message of hope and allyship for women is more important than ever in our modern world, where women are so often objectified and disrespected. 

Through the film, Margaret develops a unique connection with the spirit of the female pharaoh and learns how to be an ally to other women in her life. She also comes face-to-face with her father’s zealots. Will she be able to save the mummy from complete domination?

Our team has been making Victorian / horror stories for years. We have a passion for historical horror and our previous work in this genre has gone on to win awards in some of the largest festivals. Below are a few of our dedicated team members: 

 JOSIE ELI HERMAN

 WRITER / DIRECTOR

Josie Eli Herman is a director, actor, and writer from Pinckney, Michigan. She won the Audio Verse award for best director for the audio drama THE CALL OF THE VOID - currently with half a million global downloads. She has directed productions at The Roustabout Theatre Troupe, The Penny Seats Theatre Company, and her alma mater Eastern Michigan University.

MICHAEL ALAN HERMAN

WRITER / CO-PRODUCER

Michael Alan Herman is an award-winning writer from St. Joseph, Michigan. He is the writer behind James Franco’s horror film THE MAD WHALE in collaboration with Elysium Bandini Studios, and has written for CBS, Tiktok and Spotify to name a few. Michael is an Austin Film Festival semi-finalist, a Sundance Lab second-rounder, and the recipient of the $10,000 Jay roach scholarship for excellence in cinematic writing. He has collaborated with James Corden (THE LATE LATE SHOW), Max Greenfield (NEW GIRL), and James Franco (THE DISASTER ARTIST).

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BRENDAN HALEY

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Brendan is the founder of Lonely Spectre Productions, a Los Angeles-based multimedia production house dedicated to innovative storytelling within horror, LGBTQIA+, and supernatural genres. Brendan is known for his work as the producer and script doctor on the Emmy Award-winning Netflix series, EASTSIDERS. Other prominent works include the horror/comedy audio series IT LISTENS FROM THE RADIO (which was the recipient of the 2020 Ava Digital Platinum Award), THE JESSICA CABIN, THE LATENT IMAGE, and the 2022 FANGORIA CHAINSAW AWARDS on Shudder. Brendan has collaborated with notable creatives in the industry such as Chase Williamson (THE GUEST), Harvey Guillén (WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS), Michael Varrati (THE BOULET BROTHERS' DRAGULA), Peaches Christ (MIDNIGHT MASS), and many more.

THE GOAL

With your generous support, we're hoping to raise $15,000 through Seed&Spark for the production and post-production of the film, while continuing to find investors and grants for a total budget of $50,000. If we reach our initial goal through Seed&Spark, we'll continue the campaign via Stretch Goals in hopes to fund the film entirely through this platform.

Because the film is a period piece, everything from production design to the sets are expensive. Luckily, we've already been able to gather several resources that will help relieve this burden thanks to the generosity of several contributors. We have already secured a beautiful Victorian mansion where we shot the promo footage you see above. We also own and operate the Netflix-approved Red Komodo 6K camera that will make this movie stand out as a historical masterpiece.

We're also very aware of the ongoing COVID-19 risks that the film will be facing. Luckily, our team has plenty of experience producing films in this climate safely and effectively. We will be monitoring developments and guidelines in relation to the virus and will adjust our production accordingly as information continues to become available.

THE BUDGET

Every cent you share will be put on the screen. We plan to shoot in and around Adrian, Michigan over the course of two weeks this coming January. So where is all this money going? Let's break it down:

FOLLOW

Follow our campaign! It's 100% FREE! Seed&Spark rewards us for building our audience here. If you follow us, we will move up the algorithm and unlock perks, services, and festival fee waivers courtesy of Seed&Spark!

CONTRIBUTE AND PLEDGE

You can make a contribution to our film by making a pledge. We have to collect 80% of our crowdfunding goal to keep our funds. You can choose an incentive or make a pledge to a specific wishlist item. You can choose any pledge and incentive amount that fits your budget. Seriously, no pledge is too small. Every dollar makes a difference in making our film possible!

We have some awesome incentives including digital packages, custom gifts, the chance to have your name in the film, and so much more! There are also Associate and Executive Producer credits available that will get your company or name front and center at the top of the film; You truly will have brought this film to life and will have the screen and IMDb credits to prove it!

SPREAD THE WORD

Please share this page with anyone you think would be interested in seeing a film like this come alive! Feel free to copy and paste these examples on Facebook, Twitter, and beyond:

Help filmmakers Josie and Michael Herman by supporting their Victorian horror mystery @HouseOfKaMovie! Join them on @seedandspark: https://bit.ly/3yz6sFU

I'm so excited to see @HouseOfKaMovie, by Josie and Michael Herman, being made in Adrian, Michigan this winter! Join them on @seedandspark: https://bit.ly/3yz6sFU

And hey! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your consideration and contribution. Your generosity will literally bring this film to life and we are so grateful for all your support and love in making our dreams come true!