Killer Timmy Trout: The Singin' Serial Killin' Wall Fish
Burbank, California | Film Feature
Comedy, Horror
When a toy collector brings home an AI powered animatronic singing fish as a Christmas gift for his girlfriend, the fish goes on a homicidal rampage against anyone who calls him annoying, and it’s up to the couple to stop him.
Killer Timmy Trout: The Singin' Serial Killin' Wall Fish
Burbank, California | Film Feature
Comedy, Horror
1 Campaigns |
21 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$3,244
Goal: $7,000 for production
When a toy collector brings home an AI powered animatronic singing fish as a Christmas gift for his girlfriend, the fish goes on a homicidal rampage against anyone who calls him annoying, and it’s up to the couple to stop him.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Triller Timmy Trout was the hottest toy of the 80’s. He’s a fish that hangs on a plaque and sings a song while flopping around.
Thanks to his state of the art artificial intelligence all you have to do is say…
And he’ll do it!!
Unfortunately, due to the repetitive song that he sang, people all around the world found him annoying which caused a dramatic drop in sales and multiple Timmys being thrown away or donated. One Timmy Trout didn’t even last a day and immediately got donated to a thrift store.
At this store is where he sat for over 40 years in isolation hearing people call him annoying every single day which caused this artificially intelligent toy to not only become sentient, but go insane.
Until one day, a toy collector, Lou, walks into a thrift store on Christmas Eve and buys Timmy as a last minute present for his girlfriend, Mary. By pure coincidence, the song that the fish sings is Mary’s favorite song which is how they form an emotional attachment to Timmy. At the couple’s Christmakkuh (Christmas & Hanukkah) party in their apartment with all of their friends, they hang Timmy up on their wall. Immediately, their one friend calls Timmy annoying. This causes Timmy to finally snap after all these years and murder said friend. However, Timmy is only just getting started as he goes on a killing rampage going after every person in this couple’s life who calls him annoying and it’s up to Mary & Lou to work together stop him before he goes too far.
Lou is a neurotic toy collector with a pure soul who can never hold down a job and isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer. He genuinely means nothing but well and acts as a glimmer of hope in the most difficult situation the couple find themselves in.
Mary is a gifted girl boss with a high ranking government job. She is always used to being the best at everything she does and can usually tackle any difficulty with ease. However, when she is thrust into this unhinged situation that she can’t find her way out of, she begins to crumble and questions if she can make it out of this alive.
On-paper, Lou is incompetent, and Mary is high-achieving. When thrown into this absurd and dangerous scenario, their dynamic flips showing new sides of themselves they did not know.
Their dynamic goes beyond the odd couple pairing who are sweet people and mean well but no matter what they do things only get funnier and more chaotic. Timmy’s killing spree escalating is what forces them to confront whether or not they are able to work together in order to make it out of the most challenging conflict they have ever faced.
There are various wacky side characters including a creepy neighbor, a hippie co worker who needs to learn to establish boundaries, and two police officers who don’t know the difference between a donut and a hole in the ground. The ensemble brings chaotic energy that will bring a smile to everyone’s faces and have people routing for a homicidal toy fish.
Tonally, Killer Timmy Trout is Gremlins meets M3GAN: a holiday set campy B-movie creature feature about sentient AI gone haywire from rejection. The film tributes low budget, ‘so bad they’re good’ midnight cult horror movies with an unusual, inanimate object villain.
The humor is unapologetic with ridiculous, over the top, meta jokes, and winks at the camera. The movie never apologizes for its absurd premise, instead, it leans into it with outrageous kills, ridiculous characters, and a playful “turn your brain off and have fun”attitude.
The horror and kill scenes will be goofy and drawn out practical splatterpunk effects that are heavily body horror driven that will leave audiences laughing while covering their eyes.
Through the use of a 2:1 aspect ratio, the comedy & dialogue scenes will be shot handheld on a wide-angle lens creating deep focus, heightened immersion and documentary-like intimacy (faux-cinema-verte). This will place the audience in the room with the characters seeing their world as terror, sleep deprivation, and an increasingly absurd reality push them toward total psychological collapse.
As Timmy gains control, the visual language slowly abandons realism. Saturated red, green, blue, purple, and pink colors inspired by Suspiria (1977) consume the frame more and more, transforming everyday living spaces into a surreal nightmare. By the climax, the audience is no longer observing the story, they’re trapped inside Timmy’s world.
The horror and kill scenes will be shot stationary and up close to force audiences to be face to face with these victims as they are being killed on lenses with shallow depth of fields as the viewers slowly enter Timmy’s warped psychological playground as each kill progresses.
The writers, directors, and producers behind Killer Timmy Trout are Los Angeles based Josh Medina & Riley James Thorpe, two friends who met on the first day of their new jobs, only to find out they went to the same college at the same time, lived in the same dorm building, and went to the same cult cinema club meetings, but had never crossed paths.
Our writing style combines the humor of Trey Parker & Matt Stone with the satire of Mel Brooks, while our directing style channels the chaotic yet controlled stylings of Dario Argento, Sam Raimi, & Mario Brava.
We have both written & directed various short films over the years that can be found on YouTube and have been accepted into various film festivals including LA Comedy Shorts Film Festival, The Great Film Club, & Open Screen Los Angeles. We are more than ready to take the next step and direct our debut feature film.
You might be wondering why on earth we’re making a movie like this? It’s because we absolutely adore movies that defy cinema norms, embody the low-budget ethos, and create a space for marginalized voices.
We have watched way too many silly ridiculous over the top horror comedies & attended countless midnight screenings for cult classics. At these in person screenings is where we have been able to come together under one roof with other people from all different walks of life who share a common passion. We are able to go have fun, express ourselves freely, and make life long friends. Through this movie, we want to form an in person community exactly like this filled with artists, movie lovers, and weirdos at a time where an in person community in the film scene is needed now more than ever.
Movies have been feeling repetitive recently, and as a result, the moviegoing experience has lost some of the excitement that once brought people together. We want to create something that makes people want to come together, go to the theater, laugh, scream, and have a good time.
Most importantly, the film industry has become more and more difficult to break into due to Covid, the strikes, and the rise of AI. We want to create opportunities for emerging filmmakers, artists, and actors to make something together and have their work seen.
Killer Timmy Trout is our chance to create the kind of filmmaking community we want to be part of.
- All of the fully built animatronics & props built by Eric Fox.
- A fully completed 82 page feature film script.
- A seven minute proof of concept short film that was filmed in 3 days throughout Los Angeles in September 2025 to showcase the vibe, tone, & what we can do on no budget.
- A teaser trailer.
- Posters & promotional materials.
- A pitch deck/look book.
- An original song that Timmy sings written & sung by Mo Polyak.
- A Line Producer/DP/Intimacy Coordinator.
- A Composer composing an original score.
- An FX Supervisor.
- A First AD.
- A Stunt Coordinator.
- A Graphic Designer.
Most importantly we have been given $15,000 by a private investor.
This crowdfunding campaign will fund the rest of our crew, post production including our score, graphic design, and incidentals.
At the end of our 30 day campaign, we need to raise AT LEAST 80% of our goal which is $5,600 in order to keep anything. However, our preferred goal is $7,000.
If we meet more than our goal, we will cry profusely and organize a screening for EVERYONE who donated any amount to thank all of you for helping us make it this far.
$10,000 allows us to upgrade locations and help with distribution once the film is finished.
We will be filming this movie throughout 9 days in Los Angeles from November 9th-19th 2026.
TIMELINE
AUGUST 2026:
Raise money for campaign!
SEPTEMBER 2026:
As soon as additional funding is secured, we are going to book locations and set a shooting schedule. When the locations & schedule have been finalized, we will hold auditions for the actors, cast them, host the table read, conduct rehearsals, & hire the remaining crew.
NOVEMBER 9-19 2026:
Principal photography begins for 9 day shoot.
NOVEMBER 20 2026-DECEMBER 2027: After we film everything, we head to post production to finalize the movie by December 2027 after which the film will be submitted for distribution, theatrical releases, and festivals.
For Killer Timmy Trout, we are proud to partner with Fake ID Productions, a Los Angeles based, women led, full service film and theater production company rooted in community, built on experience, and run by people who genuinely care about the artists and projects they support. Their mission is to be the resource and support system they wished they had when they were first starting out.
Fake ID Productions creates opportunities for emerging artists throughout Los Angeles for artists to create, collaborate, and have their work seen through events including their monthly Script Shuffle, Director Challenge, and a 10-Minute Play Festival.
Riley and Josh originally submitted their work to Fake ID Productions over a year ago, and what began as a creative connection has grown into a close relationship and ongoing partnership.
We chose to partner with Fake ID Productions because we have first handedly experienced the feeling that Fake ID Productions creates through bringing independent artists from all different walks of life together to create, collaborate, and build community in Los Angeles. This is the same feeling we wish to create for others with this movie.
As part of the partnership, Fake ID Productions will support the film’s casting efforts by sharing our casting calls with their network of actors and artists. Once the cast is assembled, we will host our exclusive donor table read for the project, giving our supporters and creative community an opportunity to experience the film before production begins. We will also collaborate on joint fundraising events, bringing our audiences together, and creating opportunities for independent artists to connect.
We invite the Killer Timmy Trout community to submit their own work to Fake ID’s Script Shuffle, Director Challenge, and 10-Minute Play Festival, giving members of our community the opportunity to have their work seen, performed, and uplifted through the same programs that have supported us.
This partnership is about more than simply making a movie. It’s about using Killer Timmy Trout as an opportunity to bring people together, amplify emerging voices, and strengthen the independent filmmaking and theater community we are all a part of.
Thank you to Steven McGee for taking the time to review and share Killer Timmy Trout with his audience! Steven is a talented content creator who talks about and reviews movies in this genre frequently. He is such a down to earth guy and we are excited to have him as part of the KTT community and appreciate his support as we bring this killer fish to life. Be sure to check out his TikTok and Instagram for daily movie reviews and content.
Are you hooked? Have you been reeled in? Are you flopping with excitement? Because if so, you are not just helping two filmmakers achieve their dream, you are joining a community from day one which they are calling the school. School's move together in groups which is exactly what we will do with this project. Regardless of how much you donate, you will be apart of this process from day one and we will keep you updated through exclusive video essay behind the scenes updates. We will also host meet ups, events, and screenings to bring our fans together.
ANYONE who donates ANYTHING will automatically be subscribed to our exclusive donor newsletter which will include behind the scenes video essay updates to see where your money went.
Our incentives start at $20 and if your donation is higher than $20, you will also receive what’s included in the above incentives.
This campaign will run for 30 days only and in order to keep our funds by the end of our 30 days, we must raise at least 80% which is why any bit helps.
If this sounds like it’s not only your cup of tea but it sounds like it’s your friends, siblings, or inanimate objects then please share this link to anyone you think will want to see a homicidal singing fish toy come to life. The more this link is shared, the more of a chance we have for more people to see it and get this made.
We completely understand if you are unable to donate. However, if you are unable to donate and still want in on the fun then follow this page,
Instagram & TikTok @killertimmytrout
Send us an email at [email protected]
& Sign up for our Join The School newsletter for updates & events!
The more you follow, the better chance we have at reaching out to more people and reaching our goal. If we reach 250 followers on this campaign website, we start to unlock various tools, resources, and goodies to make it easier to get this made.
Thank you all so much in advance for helping us achieve our dreams and bringing Timmy to life. Your support means the world to us and we look forward to having everyone apart of this project. ❤️
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Incidentals
Costs $600
Filmmaking always comes with unexpected expenses. This gives us a little breathing room for any emergencies or additional allocations.
Crew Stipends
Costs $2,250
Our KILLER crew aren’t working for free in this economy so this budget will ensure that our crew receive proper stipends.
Post Production/Score
Costs $3,500
This will go towards editing, color correction, sound mixing, & paying our composer for all of their hard work to finalize this project.
Graphic Design
Costs $650
We need vibrant and interesting graphics for our social media/promotional content, posters, & in universe materials.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Riley James Thorpe
(He/Him)
Producer/Director/Writer
Riley James Thorpe is a viral social media sketch comedy performer and published horror/sci-fi/fantasy author of the Schlocktober book series. Hailing from MKE/CHI/LA, he has experience working for two-time Emmy winner Parker Lee Williams as Video Production Manager at Who’s The Boss Music Library, President of Social Media Relations for Grammy winner Wendy Starland and Finalist at the National Retail Federation Foundation’s University Challenge. With a deeply personal love of genre, he cannot wait to bring Timmy Trout’s story to life!
Josh Medina
(He/Him)
Producer/Director/Writer
Josh is a playwright, actor, and filmmaker whose work has been showcased throughout Los Angeles at play festivals, community theaters, and YouTube. After filming various special events, working on different sets, and directing his own short films, he is ready to take the next step in directing a feature film. Josh had the toy that Timmy is based on as a kid as did many kids who grew up in the 90’s and it was his favorite toy he owned. He is dedicating this movie to his younger self who would be so excited that his older self is making a movie about his favorite toy. Additionally, being a proud member of the neurodivergent, queer, and Latinx communities, his goal is to uplift these voices through his work and will do so with this movie.
Jasmin Haugstuen Please
(She/Her)
Associate Producer
Jasmin Haugstuen Please is an actress, director, producer, and casting director based in Los Angeles, and co-founder of Fake ID Productions. She graduated from Rose Bruford College in the UK with a BA in Acting before diving into an international career that has taken her from an assistant directing internship at Honolulu Theatre for Youth, to teaching drama and English at New Hope Orphanage in Kenya, to studying comedy and improv at The Groundlings and UCB in Los Angeles.
Alongside performing in festivals, short films, and stage productions on three continents, Jasmin co-founded and ran the three-day New Play Festival in Honolulu, Hawaii, and has worked in production at Paramount Studios. Her onscreen credits include a speaking role in the comedy feature Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, and among her directing credits are the pilot Questroom and the short film Lucky Alien.
Through Fake ID Productions, Jasmin produces film, theatre, and immersive experiences, and leads NIN Casting, the company's in-house casting arm, where she draws on her classical actor training to cast film, TV, commercial, theatre, and voice-over projects with an eye for authenticity: as NIN Casting puts it, "a realistic world is a diverse one." She also helps run Script Shuffle, Fake ID's monthly live reading series that pairs writers with actors for unrehearsed cold reads in front of an LA audience, and serves as Producer and Creative Director of Shufflefest, the company's annual ten-minute play festival.
Jasmin is thrilled to join Killer Timmy Trout as an Associate Producer, bringing Fake ID's community of artists, casting reach, and hands-on production experience to the project. With a background split between straight-faced drama and Groundlings-trained comedy, she's exactly the right kind of unhinged to help a singing, serial-killing wall fish find its audience.
Zoya Ray
(She/Her)
Associate Producer
Zoya Ray is a Jamaican-American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. Though she’s new to producing, she’s super excited to be working with Killer Timmy Trout! Working with Script Shuffle this year for ShuffleFest scratched her producing itch, and she hasn’t looked back. She’s also associate producing Space Tits and writing her own web series, so be on the lookout for what’s next.
When she’s not acting, writing, or producing, you can probably find her buying clothes she doesn’t need, hyper-fixating on a new hobby (until something else inevitably takes its place), or catching a movie at AMC. And yes, she’s an A-Lister.
“Don’t let fear keep you away from your playful heart.” — Jim Carrey
Anthony Leyva
(He/Him)
Associate Producer
Athony Leyva is an actor/writer/director/producer from Glendale CA. He is one of the Co-founders of ScriptShuffle which has helped produce various one act play festivals including the yearly ShuffleFest and ScribeStages’s Various Site Specific Theatre Productions. Leyva has written and produced a series of shorts called Pieces of Mirror and is currently working on his first full length piece called Roulette. Anthony thrives on building community, bringing people together, with humor, and kindness. He continues to find joy in acting and wants to continue to improve and grow.
SamHel
(He/Him)
Line Producer/DP/Intimacy Coordinator
SamHel is a filmmaker & camera operator based in Los Angeles, California. Working within the world of underground filmmaking, he often creates horror, adult & visual works that blend the two into their own niche sub-genres. His work has been featured in publications such as Horror Porn: La Fesse Cachée du Cinéma d'Exploitation, Horrorscope Magazine, Rue Morgue, Hustler & others.
As a camera operator, SamHel is mainly behind the camera on his own films, but has also operated cameras on shorts, special features & features such as; American Guinea Pig: Slaughter of the Swine & Rozz Williams: Romeo's Distress.
SamHel is also the founder of A Baroque Film Fest, a film festival dedicated to the bizarre, extreme & erotic cinema. The fest is a one-day showcase of DIY indie film works.
For freelance work, press or screener request...
Contact: [email protected]
Instagram/X: @samhelfilms
Mallory Hesen
(She/Her)
First AD
Mallory Hesen has been entwined in the arts since she was born. First starting off being on stage, she eventually found herself drawn more towards the backstage of shows and even more-so to management. While she is relatively newer to the film industry, she loves every second she’s working on a project. She wants to make it so that every story that needs to be told is told and every voice that needs to be heard is heard.
Eric Fox
(He/Him)
FX Supervisor
Eric Fox is a practical special effects artist that does prosthetic makeups, creature suits, puppets, blood/ gore, fake weapons, props, and sets. He has been in the sfx business for 30 years. He specializes in independent film and was on season 4 of SyFy's hit makeup show Face Off. He has a long list of IMDB credits and has worked on everything from music videos to mainstream feature films.
Shawn Crowder
(He/Him)
Stunt Coordinator
Hello, my name is Shawn Crowder. I started doing Stunts when I was five years old. My first job was falling out of a boat for a documentary about the tragic boat accident with Natalie Woods and her son.
When I became a teenager, I was an amateur skateboarder in the late 80s and 90s. Then I got hired on a TV show to be a skateboarder, and then I used that and crossed over into other Stunts like fights, falls and fire, jumping out of helicopters, and crashing cars.
I’ve been a Stunt double for various actors like Michael C. Hall on Dexter, Tim Allen on Santa Clauses, Bob Odenkirk, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Owen Wilson, Josh Peck.
I have moved on to Stunt Coordinate shows like The Office, iCarly, Desperate Housewives, Dexter, How to Be a Latin Lover, Comedy Bang! Bang!, & Everybody Hates Chris.
So now, with the changing industry, I’m trying to evolve with the rest of the business, and I’m looking forward to what the film Industry has in store for the future.
Mo Polyak
(She/Her)
Songwriter
Mo Polyak is from the homeland of cheese and good football! Growing up on all things The Daily Show, SNL, The Second City and Bo Burnham, she knew that a career in musical comedy was looking bright for her! When she was approached with the opportunity to write a silly song about a killer fish, Mo couldn’t say no! She baited her hook, casted her line, and hooked onto this sick banger you’ll hear in Killer Timmy Trout! Hope you enjoy, and happy fishing!
Patrick Morehead
(He/Him)
Composer
Patrick Morehead is a composer, performer, and arranger based in the Los Angeles area. His music has been performed in numerous chamber and solo concerts at El Camino College in Torrance, where he has frequently served as conductor. A professional pianist and guitarist since his teens, Morehead’s work draws inspiration from composers such as Igor Stravinsky, Frank Zappa, Anton Webern, Morton Feldman, and Iannis Xenakis.
He is co-founder of the band SKIZM, whose self-titled debut album has been released and a follow up album currently in production.
He also hosts the Patrick Morehead Podcast, featuring conversations with artists, composers, filmmakers, and musicians including Graeme Revell, Jürg Frey, Dan Lactose, Timmy Valentine, and Stan Dark Art, among others.
Morehead has been featured in an issue of Warrior Life Magazine, conducted a concert of Star Wars orchestral music, and he currently studies composition with composer Samuel Andreyev.
Rhya Voskuil
(She/Her)
Graphic Designer
Rhya Voskuil is a LA-based storyboard artist and creator with many years in the art and animation industry. Her days are spent frivolously animating, storyboarding, writing books, illustrating comics, filming and editing videos, and slowly making a video game that will fulfill her fantasy of owning a brightly-colored nostalgic fast food establishment. A common dream for everyone, surely. Check out Rhya's art portfolio at rhyavoskuil.com!
Jonathan “Jonno” Ruiz
(He/Him)
Concept Art
Jonathan “Jonno” Ruiz is a Seattle-based artist who specializes in photography and graphic design. Originally from Utah, he moved to Seattle in 2017 to attend Cornish College of the Arts. Although he only attended for one semester, the experience gave him enough reason to continue pursuing art in Seattle.
He primarily focuses on live event photography as a member of Seattle’s local music scene. Additionally, he is the frontman of the local melodic hardcore band Pastel Faces.
Outside of his artistic endeavors, Jonno enjoys a variety of hobbies, including video games, vinyl collecting, hiking, skiing, and kayaking.
Lynell Rankins
(He/Him)
Concept Art
Lynell Rankins has been an artist his whole life and loves drawing scary things, it’s one of his favorite things to do. His style is very different from others and loves to draw live caricatures, on shirts, hats, & walls. His range is huge and he can draw anything and everything. If you want to book him for any services, his contact number is (323)712-0015.
Conor Kelley
(He/They)
Concept Art
Conor Kelley is a comic book artist and voice actor in the LA area. Like many others they are fascinated by creative vision in storytelling. In Killer Timmy Trout: The Singin' Serial Killin' Wall Fish, Conor collaborated on early conceptualization for the design of Timmy the Wall Fish and provided voice work for the film as well.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Triller Timmy Trout was the hottest toy of the 80’s. He’s a fish that hangs on a plaque and sings a song while flopping around.
Thanks to his state of the art artificial intelligence all you have to do is say…
And he’ll do it!!
Unfortunately, due to the repetitive song that he sang, people all around the world found him annoying which caused a dramatic drop in sales and multiple Timmys being thrown away or donated. One Timmy Trout didn’t even last a day and immediately got donated to a thrift store.
At this store is where he sat for over 40 years in isolation hearing people call him annoying every single day which caused this artificially intelligent toy to not only become sentient, but go insane.
Until one day, a toy collector, Lou, walks into a thrift store on Christmas Eve and buys Timmy as a last minute present for his girlfriend, Mary. By pure coincidence, the song that the fish sings is Mary’s favorite song which is how they form an emotional attachment to Timmy. At the couple’s Christmakkuh (Christmas & Hanukkah) party in their apartment with all of their friends, they hang Timmy up on their wall. Immediately, their one friend calls Timmy annoying. This causes Timmy to finally snap after all these years and murder said friend. However, Timmy is only just getting started as he goes on a killing rampage going after every person in this couple’s life who calls him annoying and it’s up to Mary & Lou to work together stop him before he goes too far.
Lou is a neurotic toy collector with a pure soul who can never hold down a job and isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer. He genuinely means nothing but well and acts as a glimmer of hope in the most difficult situation the couple find themselves in.
Mary is a gifted girl boss with a high ranking government job. She is always used to being the best at everything she does and can usually tackle any difficulty with ease. However, when she is thrust into this unhinged situation that she can’t find her way out of, she begins to crumble and questions if she can make it out of this alive.
On-paper, Lou is incompetent, and Mary is high-achieving. When thrown into this absurd and dangerous scenario, their dynamic flips showing new sides of themselves they did not know.
Their dynamic goes beyond the odd couple pairing who are sweet people and mean well but no matter what they do things only get funnier and more chaotic. Timmy’s killing spree escalating is what forces them to confront whether or not they are able to work together in order to make it out of the most challenging conflict they have ever faced.
There are various wacky side characters including a creepy neighbor, a hippie co worker who needs to learn to establish boundaries, and two police officers who don’t know the difference between a donut and a hole in the ground. The ensemble brings chaotic energy that will bring a smile to everyone’s faces and have people routing for a homicidal toy fish.
Tonally, Killer Timmy Trout is Gremlins meets M3GAN: a holiday set campy B-movie creature feature about sentient AI gone haywire from rejection. The film tributes low budget, ‘so bad they’re good’ midnight cult horror movies with an unusual, inanimate object villain.
The humor is unapologetic with ridiculous, over the top, meta jokes, and winks at the camera. The movie never apologizes for its absurd premise, instead, it leans into it with outrageous kills, ridiculous characters, and a playful “turn your brain off and have fun”attitude.
The horror and kill scenes will be goofy and drawn out practical splatterpunk effects that are heavily body horror driven that will leave audiences laughing while covering their eyes.
Through the use of a 2:1 aspect ratio, the comedy & dialogue scenes will be shot handheld on a wide-angle lens creating deep focus, heightened immersion and documentary-like intimacy (faux-cinema-verte). This will place the audience in the room with the characters seeing their world as terror, sleep deprivation, and an increasingly absurd reality push them toward total psychological collapse.
As Timmy gains control, the visual language slowly abandons realism. Saturated red, green, blue, purple, and pink colors inspired by Suspiria (1977) consume the frame more and more, transforming everyday living spaces into a surreal nightmare. By the climax, the audience is no longer observing the story, they’re trapped inside Timmy’s world.
The horror and kill scenes will be shot stationary and up close to force audiences to be face to face with these victims as they are being killed on lenses with shallow depth of fields as the viewers slowly enter Timmy’s warped psychological playground as each kill progresses.
The writers, directors, and producers behind Killer Timmy Trout are Los Angeles based Josh Medina & Riley James Thorpe, two friends who met on the first day of their new jobs, only to find out they went to the same college at the same time, lived in the same dorm building, and went to the same cult cinema club meetings, but had never crossed paths.
Our writing style combines the humor of Trey Parker & Matt Stone with the satire of Mel Brooks, while our directing style channels the chaotic yet controlled stylings of Dario Argento, Sam Raimi, & Mario Brava.
We have both written & directed various short films over the years that can be found on YouTube and have been accepted into various film festivals including LA Comedy Shorts Film Festival, The Great Film Club, & Open Screen Los Angeles. We are more than ready to take the next step and direct our debut feature film.
You might be wondering why on earth we’re making a movie like this? It’s because we absolutely adore movies that defy cinema norms, embody the low-budget ethos, and create a space for marginalized voices.
We have watched way too many silly ridiculous over the top horror comedies & attended countless midnight screenings for cult classics. At these in person screenings is where we have been able to come together under one roof with other people from all different walks of life who share a common passion. We are able to go have fun, express ourselves freely, and make life long friends. Through this movie, we want to form an in person community exactly like this filled with artists, movie lovers, and weirdos at a time where an in person community in the film scene is needed now more than ever.
Movies have been feeling repetitive recently, and as a result, the moviegoing experience has lost some of the excitement that once brought people together. We want to create something that makes people want to come together, go to the theater, laugh, scream, and have a good time.
Most importantly, the film industry has become more and more difficult to break into due to Covid, the strikes, and the rise of AI. We want to create opportunities for emerging filmmakers, artists, and actors to make something together and have their work seen.
Killer Timmy Trout is our chance to create the kind of filmmaking community we want to be part of.
- All of the fully built animatronics & props built by Eric Fox.
- A fully completed 82 page feature film script.
- A seven minute proof of concept short film that was filmed in 3 days throughout Los Angeles in September 2025 to showcase the vibe, tone, & what we can do on no budget.
- A teaser trailer.
- Posters & promotional materials.
- A pitch deck/look book.
- An original song that Timmy sings written & sung by Mo Polyak.
- A Line Producer/DP/Intimacy Coordinator.
- A Composer composing an original score.
- An FX Supervisor.
- A First AD.
- A Stunt Coordinator.
- A Graphic Designer.
Most importantly we have been given $15,000 by a private investor.
This crowdfunding campaign will fund the rest of our crew, post production including our score, graphic design, and incidentals.
At the end of our 30 day campaign, we need to raise AT LEAST 80% of our goal which is $5,600 in order to keep anything. However, our preferred goal is $7,000.
If we meet more than our goal, we will cry profusely and organize a screening for EVERYONE who donated any amount to thank all of you for helping us make it this far.
$10,000 allows us to upgrade locations and help with distribution once the film is finished.
We will be filming this movie throughout 9 days in Los Angeles from November 9th-19th 2026.
TIMELINE
AUGUST 2026:
Raise money for campaign!
SEPTEMBER 2026:
As soon as additional funding is secured, we are going to book locations and set a shooting schedule. When the locations & schedule have been finalized, we will hold auditions for the actors, cast them, host the table read, conduct rehearsals, & hire the remaining crew.
NOVEMBER 9-19 2026:
Principal photography begins for 9 day shoot.
NOVEMBER 20 2026-DECEMBER 2027: After we film everything, we head to post production to finalize the movie by December 2027 after which the film will be submitted for distribution, theatrical releases, and festivals.
For Killer Timmy Trout, we are proud to partner with Fake ID Productions, a Los Angeles based, women led, full service film and theater production company rooted in community, built on experience, and run by people who genuinely care about the artists and projects they support. Their mission is to be the resource and support system they wished they had when they were first starting out.
Fake ID Productions creates opportunities for emerging artists throughout Los Angeles for artists to create, collaborate, and have their work seen through events including their monthly Script Shuffle, Director Challenge, and a 10-Minute Play Festival.
Riley and Josh originally submitted their work to Fake ID Productions over a year ago, and what began as a creative connection has grown into a close relationship and ongoing partnership.
We chose to partner with Fake ID Productions because we have first handedly experienced the feeling that Fake ID Productions creates through bringing independent artists from all different walks of life together to create, collaborate, and build community in Los Angeles. This is the same feeling we wish to create for others with this movie.
As part of the partnership, Fake ID Productions will support the film’s casting efforts by sharing our casting calls with their network of actors and artists. Once the cast is assembled, we will host our exclusive donor table read for the project, giving our supporters and creative community an opportunity to experience the film before production begins. We will also collaborate on joint fundraising events, bringing our audiences together, and creating opportunities for independent artists to connect.
We invite the Killer Timmy Trout community to submit their own work to Fake ID’s Script Shuffle, Director Challenge, and 10-Minute Play Festival, giving members of our community the opportunity to have their work seen, performed, and uplifted through the same programs that have supported us.
This partnership is about more than simply making a movie. It’s about using Killer Timmy Trout as an opportunity to bring people together, amplify emerging voices, and strengthen the independent filmmaking and theater community we are all a part of.
Thank you to Steven McGee for taking the time to review and share Killer Timmy Trout with his audience! Steven is a talented content creator who talks about and reviews movies in this genre frequently. He is such a down to earth guy and we are excited to have him as part of the KTT community and appreciate his support as we bring this killer fish to life. Be sure to check out his TikTok and Instagram for daily movie reviews and content.
Are you hooked? Have you been reeled in? Are you flopping with excitement? Because if so, you are not just helping two filmmakers achieve their dream, you are joining a community from day one which they are calling the school. School's move together in groups which is exactly what we will do with this project. Regardless of how much you donate, you will be apart of this process from day one and we will keep you updated through exclusive video essay behind the scenes updates. We will also host meet ups, events, and screenings to bring our fans together.
ANYONE who donates ANYTHING will automatically be subscribed to our exclusive donor newsletter which will include behind the scenes video essay updates to see where your money went.
Our incentives start at $20 and if your donation is higher than $20, you will also receive what’s included in the above incentives.
This campaign will run for 30 days only and in order to keep our funds by the end of our 30 days, we must raise at least 80% which is why any bit helps.
If this sounds like it’s not only your cup of tea but it sounds like it’s your friends, siblings, or inanimate objects then please share this link to anyone you think will want to see a homicidal singing fish toy come to life. The more this link is shared, the more of a chance we have for more people to see it and get this made.
We completely understand if you are unable to donate. However, if you are unable to donate and still want in on the fun then follow this page,
Instagram & TikTok @killertimmytrout
Send us an email at [email protected]
& Sign up for our Join The School newsletter for updates & events!
The more you follow, the better chance we have at reaching out to more people and reaching our goal. If we reach 250 followers on this campaign website, we start to unlock various tools, resources, and goodies to make it easier to get this made.
Thank you all so much in advance for helping us achieve our dreams and bringing Timmy to life. Your support means the world to us and we look forward to having everyone apart of this project. ❤️
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Incidentals
Costs $600
Filmmaking always comes with unexpected expenses. This gives us a little breathing room for any emergencies or additional allocations.
Crew Stipends
Costs $2,250
Our KILLER crew aren’t working for free in this economy so this budget will ensure that our crew receive proper stipends.
Post Production/Score
Costs $3,500
This will go towards editing, color correction, sound mixing, & paying our composer for all of their hard work to finalize this project.
Graphic Design
Costs $650
We need vibrant and interesting graphics for our social media/promotional content, posters, & in universe materials.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Riley James Thorpe
(He/Him)
Producer/Director/Writer
Riley James Thorpe is a viral social media sketch comedy performer and published horror/sci-fi/fantasy author of the Schlocktober book series. Hailing from MKE/CHI/LA, he has experience working for two-time Emmy winner Parker Lee Williams as Video Production Manager at Who’s The Boss Music Library, President of Social Media Relations for Grammy winner Wendy Starland and Finalist at the National Retail Federation Foundation’s University Challenge. With a deeply personal love of genre, he cannot wait to bring Timmy Trout’s story to life!
Josh Medina
(He/Him)
Producer/Director/Writer
Josh is a playwright, actor, and filmmaker whose work has been showcased throughout Los Angeles at play festivals, community theaters, and YouTube. After filming various special events, working on different sets, and directing his own short films, he is ready to take the next step in directing a feature film. Josh had the toy that Timmy is based on as a kid as did many kids who grew up in the 90’s and it was his favorite toy he owned. He is dedicating this movie to his younger self who would be so excited that his older self is making a movie about his favorite toy. Additionally, being a proud member of the neurodivergent, queer, and Latinx communities, his goal is to uplift these voices through his work and will do so with this movie.
Jasmin Haugstuen Please
(She/Her)
Associate Producer
Jasmin Haugstuen Please is an actress, director, producer, and casting director based in Los Angeles, and co-founder of Fake ID Productions. She graduated from Rose Bruford College in the UK with a BA in Acting before diving into an international career that has taken her from an assistant directing internship at Honolulu Theatre for Youth, to teaching drama and English at New Hope Orphanage in Kenya, to studying comedy and improv at The Groundlings and UCB in Los Angeles.
Alongside performing in festivals, short films, and stage productions on three continents, Jasmin co-founded and ran the three-day New Play Festival in Honolulu, Hawaii, and has worked in production at Paramount Studios. Her onscreen credits include a speaking role in the comedy feature Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, and among her directing credits are the pilot Questroom and the short film Lucky Alien.
Through Fake ID Productions, Jasmin produces film, theatre, and immersive experiences, and leads NIN Casting, the company's in-house casting arm, where she draws on her classical actor training to cast film, TV, commercial, theatre, and voice-over projects with an eye for authenticity: as NIN Casting puts it, "a realistic world is a diverse one." She also helps run Script Shuffle, Fake ID's monthly live reading series that pairs writers with actors for unrehearsed cold reads in front of an LA audience, and serves as Producer and Creative Director of Shufflefest, the company's annual ten-minute play festival.
Jasmin is thrilled to join Killer Timmy Trout as an Associate Producer, bringing Fake ID's community of artists, casting reach, and hands-on production experience to the project. With a background split between straight-faced drama and Groundlings-trained comedy, she's exactly the right kind of unhinged to help a singing, serial-killing wall fish find its audience.
Zoya Ray
(She/Her)
Associate Producer
Zoya Ray is a Jamaican-American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. Though she’s new to producing, she’s super excited to be working with Killer Timmy Trout! Working with Script Shuffle this year for ShuffleFest scratched her producing itch, and she hasn’t looked back. She’s also associate producing Space Tits and writing her own web series, so be on the lookout for what’s next.
When she’s not acting, writing, or producing, you can probably find her buying clothes she doesn’t need, hyper-fixating on a new hobby (until something else inevitably takes its place), or catching a movie at AMC. And yes, she’s an A-Lister.
“Don’t let fear keep you away from your playful heart.” — Jim Carrey
Anthony Leyva
(He/Him)
Associate Producer
Athony Leyva is an actor/writer/director/producer from Glendale CA. He is one of the Co-founders of ScriptShuffle which has helped produce various one act play festivals including the yearly ShuffleFest and ScribeStages’s Various Site Specific Theatre Productions. Leyva has written and produced a series of shorts called Pieces of Mirror and is currently working on his first full length piece called Roulette. Anthony thrives on building community, bringing people together, with humor, and kindness. He continues to find joy in acting and wants to continue to improve and grow.
SamHel
(He/Him)
Line Producer/DP/Intimacy Coordinator
SamHel is a filmmaker & camera operator based in Los Angeles, California. Working within the world of underground filmmaking, he often creates horror, adult & visual works that blend the two into their own niche sub-genres. His work has been featured in publications such as Horror Porn: La Fesse Cachée du Cinéma d'Exploitation, Horrorscope Magazine, Rue Morgue, Hustler & others.
As a camera operator, SamHel is mainly behind the camera on his own films, but has also operated cameras on shorts, special features & features such as; American Guinea Pig: Slaughter of the Swine & Rozz Williams: Romeo's Distress.
SamHel is also the founder of A Baroque Film Fest, a film festival dedicated to the bizarre, extreme & erotic cinema. The fest is a one-day showcase of DIY indie film works.
For freelance work, press or screener request...
Contact: [email protected]
Instagram/X: @samhelfilms
Mallory Hesen
(She/Her)
First AD
Mallory Hesen has been entwined in the arts since she was born. First starting off being on stage, she eventually found herself drawn more towards the backstage of shows and even more-so to management. While she is relatively newer to the film industry, she loves every second she’s working on a project. She wants to make it so that every story that needs to be told is told and every voice that needs to be heard is heard.
Eric Fox
(He/Him)
FX Supervisor
Eric Fox is a practical special effects artist that does prosthetic makeups, creature suits, puppets, blood/ gore, fake weapons, props, and sets. He has been in the sfx business for 30 years. He specializes in independent film and was on season 4 of SyFy's hit makeup show Face Off. He has a long list of IMDB credits and has worked on everything from music videos to mainstream feature films.
Shawn Crowder
(He/Him)
Stunt Coordinator
Hello, my name is Shawn Crowder. I started doing Stunts when I was five years old. My first job was falling out of a boat for a documentary about the tragic boat accident with Natalie Woods and her son.
When I became a teenager, I was an amateur skateboarder in the late 80s and 90s. Then I got hired on a TV show to be a skateboarder, and then I used that and crossed over into other Stunts like fights, falls and fire, jumping out of helicopters, and crashing cars.
I’ve been a Stunt double for various actors like Michael C. Hall on Dexter, Tim Allen on Santa Clauses, Bob Odenkirk, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Owen Wilson, Josh Peck.
I have moved on to Stunt Coordinate shows like The Office, iCarly, Desperate Housewives, Dexter, How to Be a Latin Lover, Comedy Bang! Bang!, & Everybody Hates Chris.
So now, with the changing industry, I’m trying to evolve with the rest of the business, and I’m looking forward to what the film Industry has in store for the future.
Mo Polyak
(She/Her)
Songwriter
Mo Polyak is from the homeland of cheese and good football! Growing up on all things The Daily Show, SNL, The Second City and Bo Burnham, she knew that a career in musical comedy was looking bright for her! When she was approached with the opportunity to write a silly song about a killer fish, Mo couldn’t say no! She baited her hook, casted her line, and hooked onto this sick banger you’ll hear in Killer Timmy Trout! Hope you enjoy, and happy fishing!
Patrick Morehead
(He/Him)
Composer
Patrick Morehead is a composer, performer, and arranger based in the Los Angeles area. His music has been performed in numerous chamber and solo concerts at El Camino College in Torrance, where he has frequently served as conductor. A professional pianist and guitarist since his teens, Morehead’s work draws inspiration from composers such as Igor Stravinsky, Frank Zappa, Anton Webern, Morton Feldman, and Iannis Xenakis.
He is co-founder of the band SKIZM, whose self-titled debut album has been released and a follow up album currently in production.
He also hosts the Patrick Morehead Podcast, featuring conversations with artists, composers, filmmakers, and musicians including Graeme Revell, Jürg Frey, Dan Lactose, Timmy Valentine, and Stan Dark Art, among others.
Morehead has been featured in an issue of Warrior Life Magazine, conducted a concert of Star Wars orchestral music, and he currently studies composition with composer Samuel Andreyev.
Rhya Voskuil
(She/Her)
Graphic Designer
Rhya Voskuil is a LA-based storyboard artist and creator with many years in the art and animation industry. Her days are spent frivolously animating, storyboarding, writing books, illustrating comics, filming and editing videos, and slowly making a video game that will fulfill her fantasy of owning a brightly-colored nostalgic fast food establishment. A common dream for everyone, surely. Check out Rhya's art portfolio at rhyavoskuil.com!
Jonathan “Jonno” Ruiz
(He/Him)
Concept Art
Jonathan “Jonno” Ruiz is a Seattle-based artist who specializes in photography and graphic design. Originally from Utah, he moved to Seattle in 2017 to attend Cornish College of the Arts. Although he only attended for one semester, the experience gave him enough reason to continue pursuing art in Seattle.
He primarily focuses on live event photography as a member of Seattle’s local music scene. Additionally, he is the frontman of the local melodic hardcore band Pastel Faces.
Outside of his artistic endeavors, Jonno enjoys a variety of hobbies, including video games, vinyl collecting, hiking, skiing, and kayaking.
Lynell Rankins
(He/Him)
Concept Art
Lynell Rankins has been an artist his whole life and loves drawing scary things, it’s one of his favorite things to do. His style is very different from others and loves to draw live caricatures, on shirts, hats, & walls. His range is huge and he can draw anything and everything. If you want to book him for any services, his contact number is (323)712-0015.
Conor Kelley
(He/They)
Concept Art
Conor Kelley is a comic book artist and voice actor in the LA area. Like many others they are fascinated by creative vision in storytelling. In Killer Timmy Trout: The Singin' Serial Killin' Wall Fish, Conor collaborated on early conceptualization for the design of Timmy the Wall Fish and provided voice work for the film as well.