House Rules
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Horror, Comedy
When a board game possesses a group of friends from different financial standings, the competition turns personal and cutthroat...literally. HOUSE RULES is a horror comedy about class tension and how money can bring out the worst in people, even our friends.
House Rules
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Horror, Comedy
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $20,860 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
81 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
When a board game possesses a group of friends from different financial standings, the competition turns personal and cutthroat...literally. HOUSE RULES is a horror comedy about class tension and how money can bring out the worst in people, even our friends.
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
HOUSE RULES is about a game night that spirals into bloody chaos as a group of friends from different financial standings becomes possessed by a cursed board game, forcing them to confront capitalistic forces to survive. There's wine, a charcuterie board, a bloody gouda knife, a faulty phone lockbox, a game board demon, and more.
THE CHARACTERS
DENISE
Denise, like most millennials, is drowning in student loan debt. She works for a non-profit and comes from a normal family. Married to Manny, she picks up most of the bills since Manny bought their home with his grandfather's inheritance.
GRACE
Grace, an heiress but like a cool heiress. She has been to every silent meditation retreat you can imagine and would say “money is energy.” She especially loves going to ayahuasca ceremonies and only shops at Erewhon.
MANNY
A wannabe entrepreneur, inventor, VC of unlucky startups, and calls himself a feminist (but is he really?). He came into inheritance from his grandfather so gets to play around and figure out life as it comes. Manny is married to Denise and demands she cover all their expenses since he thinks she should be grateful live in a nice home for free.
BEN
A Bitcoin and GameStop investor. Made it big in shorting stocks. Considered "new money." Lives on the edge financially and has been bankrupt a few times. Grew up lower middle class, and was constantly reminded of it from his elite peers. Making money has been his only goal in life.
-2.png)
If you're a horror movie connoisseur - you know the drill. Low lighting, jump scares, tense music, and some fun bloody moments.

HOUSE RULES is a horror comedy about how class disparities and capitalism affect our interpersonal relationships and how the “rules of life” are not the same for everyone.
The film will adopt a satirical and energetic tone throughout as we are introduced to each of our main contrasting characters. While thematically we will be exploring class differences through competitive gameplay, we will adopt a satirical and energetic tone as we are introduced to our characters. This film doesn’t let you rest as clever quips turn frantic and grim when game night turns gruesome. As each of them are punished by the malignant demon possessing the board game, we come face to face with each of their fatal flaws.
-2.png)
We are calling on our community, fellow film lovers, and horror comedy fans alike to join us in bringing HOUSE RULES to life. As we said earlier, there are lots of moving parts to this game board that can only be done by meeting our budget goals.
Contributing to our campaign will help us by:
- Paying our cast and crew
- Helping us acquire the best equipment to execute our vision
- Cover all permit and insurance fees
- Provide our team healthy and yummy food for long shoot days
- Having *killer* special and practical horror effects to make you scream
-2.png)
While our crowdfunding goal is $20K to make this film, our STRETCH GOAL is $25K. Here is a little breakdown if we can make those extra 5K!
$20,000: We will be able to film our project with limited crew
$23,000: We will be able to film our project with full crew and be able to start the editing process
$25,000: Our Stretch Goal! We can do it it all!
***ANYTHING BEYOND THAT***
We can enhance our production value with:
Specialized equipment rentals
Added production design
Pay increase for cast and crew
Contribute to film festival submissions
-2.png)
SHARE our Seed and Spark page to your friends and family!
FOLLOW us to be apart of the journey:
Instagram: @houserulesshortfilm
TikTok: @tesmarproductions
Join us in making HOUSE RULES a reality!
We are fiscally sponsored by FROM THE HEART PRODUCTIONS, a 501c3, so all donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE and will receive a Donation Receipt.
We are able to provide donation receipts for goods and services. If you wish to donate any goods or services, please reach out to us at [email protected].
If you work for a company that does DONATION MATCHING - you can DOUBLE your impact by donating to our film!
EMAIL us at [email protected] for more information on how how to double your donation!
Are you ready to put your pieces on the board and join us in making this film?
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Blood and Guts
Costs $1,000
We have an incredible SPFX MU Artist who will be building our bloody world with custom prosthetics and gallons of blood.
Players Gotta Play!
Costs $9,500
We gotta pay our cast and crew so we can play!
Lights, Camera, and a...few C-Stands!
Costs $3,000
We will need a full camera package and a simple lighting and grip kit to help bring this project to life.
Food Glorious Food!
Costs $1,500
Making sure our crew is fed and hydrated is important to us. This will go towards lunches, snacks and water over our 3 filming days.
Building The Game
Costs $250
The game may come from inspiration, but it's not real...yet! We will be designing and creating the game for this film.
Capitalism Strikes Again
Costs $2,250
Like any film production, we need insurance and filming permits.
Director's Monitor
Costs $200
A handheld monitor will help our Director keep a close eye on the action.
Production Sound Gear
Costs $800
We have dialogue, screams and oozing blood and we want to hear it all.
Costumes, Bloody Costumes!
Costs $1,000
Sometimes you have to buy a new outfit just to throw blood all over it.
Set Decoration
Costs $500
To help us bring the game night to life, we need a table and chairs, a charcuterie board, lamps and a seatbelt? Yes, a seatbelt!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
About This Team
Tessa Stokes | Executive Producer / Co-Writer / Actor
I am an actor, writer, and producer interested in telling the stories of those unseen and unheard. As a Trinidadian-American, I have always been attracted to stories of people who never felt they could fit in anywhere. As a storyteller across multiple mediums, I am interested in questioning the status quo, unpacking societal norms, and bringing humor and truth to whatever story I come across. I have lived and studied in the UK, Argentina, Trinidad, Los Angeles, and New York City. I have performed in theater productions in Los Angeles, New York, and Scotland. I have voice acted in over 50 Netflix, Disney, Amazon Prime series and features. My most recent theatre performance was in Conundrum Theatre Company’s “Legally Blonde,” and my most recent film performance was in Maritza Cruz’s “Acid Trip,” a dark comedy that won accolades at the 24 Risas Por Segundo Film Festival in Mexico City.
Abigail Webster | Producer
Abigail Webster is a Los Angeles-based Producer and Production Consultant with over a decade of experience in Physical Production. Her diverse career includes working internationally on productions for HBO, Netflix, and Apple TV+, as well as producing a variety of independent projects. With a strong foundation in business and a genuine commitment to fostering meaningful relationships, Abigail is passionate about creating inclusive, collaborative spaces for creatives. She is deeply dedicated to the power of filmmaking and to amplifying under-represented voices in the industry. Recent projects include Fraggle Rock, The Last of Us S1, The Adam Project, and more.
Darion Trotman | Cinematographer
Darion Trotman is an Afro-Caribbean British filmmaker based in Vancouver, BC, with a passion for storytelling through the power of cinema. At 29 years old, Darion has already amassed 12-14 years of experience in the film and television industry, working on a diverse range of projects including short and feature length films, commercials, and music videos. Deeply rooted in photography and cinematography, Darion has had the privilege of collaborating with a multitude of talented emerging artists and seasoned professionals, using the cinematic image to bring their stories to life. For the past 7 years, he has served as a camera assistant within ICG 669's esteemed camera union, contributing to renowned productions such as HBO's "The Last of Us,” “Spiderwick Chronicles,” "Predator," "Sonic," "The I-Land," "Big Sky," CBC's "Fortunate Son," and "Twilight Zone."
This invaluable experience provided him with the skills and expertise to step into the role of cinematographer for the independent feature film "Vagrant" in 2019, shot in Calgary, AB. The film has since garnered recognition at various festivals and secured distribution on the Crave streaming service. Driven by a profound love for the moving image and its ability to convey powerful messages, Darion has devoted his life to this wonderful aspect of the cinematic form. In this exciting endeavor, he is particularly enthusiastic about collaborating with unheard and underrepresented individuals, bringing their untold stories to the forefront. Darion's dedication to amplifying diverse voices and showcasing their unique perspectives makes him a formidable force in the world of filmmaking.
Marshall Ross | Composer / Co-Writer / Executive Producer
Marshall Ross (he/him) is a composer and creative technologist with a background in music production, live television production, and creative software development. His almost 15 years of experience living and working at the intersection of the arts and computer science make him a uniquely qualified problem solver, and a swiss army knife of any team.
Recent projects include orchestrating the short film “The Girl Who Drowns” directed by McLean Fletcher (Hero’s Journey), editing and producing the Springboard Student Success web series, composing live music for UCB’s “Hollywood’s Biggest Night,” directed by SNL’s John Milhiser, and leading the app development of BarkBarkBark, Place Your Party Bets, and Feels apps.
Cindy Ramirez Torres | Costume Designer
Cindy Ramirez Torres is a Colombian-born costume and fashion designer based in Vancouver. She combines her love for fashion and art history with a passion for storytelling to create well-developed and believable characters. Cindy's career began as a co-founder of Solar Sisters in 2015, a designer label that gained recognition at the 2017 Dominican Fashion Week " Dominicana Moda" for its minimalist style and innovative designs. In 2017, she transitioned to the audiovisual industry, excelling as an assistant costume designer, set supervisor, and costume designer across a diverse range of projects, including commercials, music videos, and both short and feature films. In 2023, Cindy designed the costumes for She Talks to Strangers, a black comedy feature film that premiered at the Whistler International Film Festival. Renowned for her ability to bring characters to life through their wardrobe, Cindy blends narrative depth with striking visual impact. She transforms fabric into a powerful storytelling tool, creating designs that resonate deeply both on and off the screen.
Brittnay Johnston | Co-Writer
Brittnay Johnston is a Los Angeles based writer and performer still reeling from her parents' divorce. She has written an episode of and appeared on Pop TV's comedy series, FLORIDA GIRLS, and has worked on shows like SEARCH PARTY (HBO Max), KILLING IT (Peacock), BIRDGIRL (Adult Swim), DOLLFACE (Hulu), and many more. She is a contributor to the online satirical site, Reductress, and graduated Cum Laude from The University of Miami with a degree in screenwriting, and got mono from an ice luge only once while there. She is repped at 3 Arts.
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
HOUSE RULES is about a game night that spirals into bloody chaos as a group of friends from different financial standings becomes possessed by a cursed board game, forcing them to confront capitalistic forces to survive. There's wine, a charcuterie board, a bloody gouda knife, a faulty phone lockbox, a game board demon, and more.
THE CHARACTERS
DENISE
Denise, like most millennials, is drowning in student loan debt. She works for a non-profit and comes from a normal family. Married to Manny, she picks up most of the bills since Manny bought their home with his grandfather's inheritance.
GRACE
Grace, an heiress but like a cool heiress. She has been to every silent meditation retreat you can imagine and would say “money is energy.” She especially loves going to ayahuasca ceremonies and only shops at Erewhon.
MANNY
A wannabe entrepreneur, inventor, VC of unlucky startups, and calls himself a feminist (but is he really?). He came into inheritance from his grandfather so gets to play around and figure out life as it comes. Manny is married to Denise and demands she cover all their expenses since he thinks she should be grateful live in a nice home for free.
BEN
A Bitcoin and GameStop investor. Made it big in shorting stocks. Considered "new money." Lives on the edge financially and has been bankrupt a few times. Grew up lower middle class, and was constantly reminded of it from his elite peers. Making money has been his only goal in life.
-2.png)
If you're a horror movie connoisseur - you know the drill. Low lighting, jump scares, tense music, and some fun bloody moments.

HOUSE RULES is a horror comedy about how class disparities and capitalism affect our interpersonal relationships and how the “rules of life” are not the same for everyone.
The film will adopt a satirical and energetic tone throughout as we are introduced to each of our main contrasting characters. While thematically we will be exploring class differences through competitive gameplay, we will adopt a satirical and energetic tone as we are introduced to our characters. This film doesn’t let you rest as clever quips turn frantic and grim when game night turns gruesome. As each of them are punished by the malignant demon possessing the board game, we come face to face with each of their fatal flaws.
-2.png)
We are calling on our community, fellow film lovers, and horror comedy fans alike to join us in bringing HOUSE RULES to life. As we said earlier, there are lots of moving parts to this game board that can only be done by meeting our budget goals.
Contributing to our campaign will help us by:
- Paying our cast and crew
- Helping us acquire the best equipment to execute our vision
- Cover all permit and insurance fees
- Provide our team healthy and yummy food for long shoot days
- Having *killer* special and practical horror effects to make you scream
-2.png)
While our crowdfunding goal is $20K to make this film, our STRETCH GOAL is $25K. Here is a little breakdown if we can make those extra 5K!
$20,000: We will be able to film our project with limited crew
$23,000: We will be able to film our project with full crew and be able to start the editing process
$25,000: Our Stretch Goal! We can do it it all!
***ANYTHING BEYOND THAT***
We can enhance our production value with:
Specialized equipment rentals
Added production design
Pay increase for cast and crew
Contribute to film festival submissions
-2.png)
SHARE our Seed and Spark page to your friends and family!
FOLLOW us to be apart of the journey:
Instagram: @houserulesshortfilm
TikTok: @tesmarproductions
Join us in making HOUSE RULES a reality!
We are fiscally sponsored by FROM THE HEART PRODUCTIONS, a 501c3, so all donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE and will receive a Donation Receipt.
We are able to provide donation receipts for goods and services. If you wish to donate any goods or services, please reach out to us at [email protected].
If you work for a company that does DONATION MATCHING - you can DOUBLE your impact by donating to our film!
EMAIL us at [email protected] for more information on how how to double your donation!
Are you ready to put your pieces on the board and join us in making this film?
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Blood and Guts
Costs $1,000
We have an incredible SPFX MU Artist who will be building our bloody world with custom prosthetics and gallons of blood.
Players Gotta Play!
Costs $9,500
We gotta pay our cast and crew so we can play!
Lights, Camera, and a...few C-Stands!
Costs $3,000
We will need a full camera package and a simple lighting and grip kit to help bring this project to life.
Food Glorious Food!
Costs $1,500
Making sure our crew is fed and hydrated is important to us. This will go towards lunches, snacks and water over our 3 filming days.
Building The Game
Costs $250
The game may come from inspiration, but it's not real...yet! We will be designing and creating the game for this film.
Capitalism Strikes Again
Costs $2,250
Like any film production, we need insurance and filming permits.
Director's Monitor
Costs $200
A handheld monitor will help our Director keep a close eye on the action.
Production Sound Gear
Costs $800
We have dialogue, screams and oozing blood and we want to hear it all.
Costumes, Bloody Costumes!
Costs $1,000
Sometimes you have to buy a new outfit just to throw blood all over it.
Set Decoration
Costs $500
To help us bring the game night to life, we need a table and chairs, a charcuterie board, lamps and a seatbelt? Yes, a seatbelt!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
About This Team
Tessa Stokes | Executive Producer / Co-Writer / Actor
I am an actor, writer, and producer interested in telling the stories of those unseen and unheard. As a Trinidadian-American, I have always been attracted to stories of people who never felt they could fit in anywhere. As a storyteller across multiple mediums, I am interested in questioning the status quo, unpacking societal norms, and bringing humor and truth to whatever story I come across. I have lived and studied in the UK, Argentina, Trinidad, Los Angeles, and New York City. I have performed in theater productions in Los Angeles, New York, and Scotland. I have voice acted in over 50 Netflix, Disney, Amazon Prime series and features. My most recent theatre performance was in Conundrum Theatre Company’s “Legally Blonde,” and my most recent film performance was in Maritza Cruz’s “Acid Trip,” a dark comedy that won accolades at the 24 Risas Por Segundo Film Festival in Mexico City.
Abigail Webster | Producer
Abigail Webster is a Los Angeles-based Producer and Production Consultant with over a decade of experience in Physical Production. Her diverse career includes working internationally on productions for HBO, Netflix, and Apple TV+, as well as producing a variety of independent projects. With a strong foundation in business and a genuine commitment to fostering meaningful relationships, Abigail is passionate about creating inclusive, collaborative spaces for creatives. She is deeply dedicated to the power of filmmaking and to amplifying under-represented voices in the industry. Recent projects include Fraggle Rock, The Last of Us S1, The Adam Project, and more.
Darion Trotman | Cinematographer
Darion Trotman is an Afro-Caribbean British filmmaker based in Vancouver, BC, with a passion for storytelling through the power of cinema. At 29 years old, Darion has already amassed 12-14 years of experience in the film and television industry, working on a diverse range of projects including short and feature length films, commercials, and music videos. Deeply rooted in photography and cinematography, Darion has had the privilege of collaborating with a multitude of talented emerging artists and seasoned professionals, using the cinematic image to bring their stories to life. For the past 7 years, he has served as a camera assistant within ICG 669's esteemed camera union, contributing to renowned productions such as HBO's "The Last of Us,” “Spiderwick Chronicles,” "Predator," "Sonic," "The I-Land," "Big Sky," CBC's "Fortunate Son," and "Twilight Zone."
This invaluable experience provided him with the skills and expertise to step into the role of cinematographer for the independent feature film "Vagrant" in 2019, shot in Calgary, AB. The film has since garnered recognition at various festivals and secured distribution on the Crave streaming service. Driven by a profound love for the moving image and its ability to convey powerful messages, Darion has devoted his life to this wonderful aspect of the cinematic form. In this exciting endeavor, he is particularly enthusiastic about collaborating with unheard and underrepresented individuals, bringing their untold stories to the forefront. Darion's dedication to amplifying diverse voices and showcasing their unique perspectives makes him a formidable force in the world of filmmaking.
Marshall Ross | Composer / Co-Writer / Executive Producer
Marshall Ross (he/him) is a composer and creative technologist with a background in music production, live television production, and creative software development. His almost 15 years of experience living and working at the intersection of the arts and computer science make him a uniquely qualified problem solver, and a swiss army knife of any team.
Recent projects include orchestrating the short film “The Girl Who Drowns” directed by McLean Fletcher (Hero’s Journey), editing and producing the Springboard Student Success web series, composing live music for UCB’s “Hollywood’s Biggest Night,” directed by SNL’s John Milhiser, and leading the app development of BarkBarkBark, Place Your Party Bets, and Feels apps.
Cindy Ramirez Torres | Costume Designer
Cindy Ramirez Torres is a Colombian-born costume and fashion designer based in Vancouver. She combines her love for fashion and art history with a passion for storytelling to create well-developed and believable characters. Cindy's career began as a co-founder of Solar Sisters in 2015, a designer label that gained recognition at the 2017 Dominican Fashion Week " Dominicana Moda" for its minimalist style and innovative designs. In 2017, she transitioned to the audiovisual industry, excelling as an assistant costume designer, set supervisor, and costume designer across a diverse range of projects, including commercials, music videos, and both short and feature films. In 2023, Cindy designed the costumes for She Talks to Strangers, a black comedy feature film that premiered at the Whistler International Film Festival. Renowned for her ability to bring characters to life through their wardrobe, Cindy blends narrative depth with striking visual impact. She transforms fabric into a powerful storytelling tool, creating designs that resonate deeply both on and off the screen.
Brittnay Johnston | Co-Writer
Brittnay Johnston is a Los Angeles based writer and performer still reeling from her parents' divorce. She has written an episode of and appeared on Pop TV's comedy series, FLORIDA GIRLS, and has worked on shows like SEARCH PARTY (HBO Max), KILLING IT (Peacock), BIRDGIRL (Adult Swim), DOLLFACE (Hulu), and many more. She is a contributor to the online satirical site, Reductress, and graduated Cum Laude from The University of Miami with a degree in screenwriting, and got mono from an ice luge only once while there. She is repped at 3 Arts.
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