Make Yourself at Home
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Comedy, LGBTQ
Have you ever been stuck in a dead-end job? Felt alone in a new city? Found an irresistible bargain at TJ Maxx? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you're sure to love "Make Yourself at Home," a story of unexpected friendships, the City of Angels, and adorable succulents.
Make Yourself at Home
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Comedy, LGBTQ
2 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $2,130 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
32 supporters | followers
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Have you ever been stuck in a dead-end job? Felt alone in a new city? Found an irresistible bargain at TJ Maxx? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you're sure to love "Make Yourself at Home," a story of unexpected friendships, the City of Angels, and adorable succulents.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Background:
Writer Taylor Gates has many irrational fears. Touching raw meat. Cartoons made for adults. (Rick and Morty creeps her out. And don't even get her started on South Park.) Being alone in the house, hearing someone say, "Bless you," and then getting murdered.
Touching raw meat could give you a disease, but somebody already made Contagion, and salmonella kind of pales in comparison to the virus in that. Taylor doesn't think she does enough drugs to write an evil cartoon wreaking havoc on the human world. But her third irrational fear? The tale of the most polite intruder the world has ever seen? Well, that's certainly unexplored territory.
Taylor joked about making a short film about it while chatting with her friend Dakota (whose irrational fear is ballons) at the local El Pollo Loco, but it wasn't until around a year later she actually followed through. She wrote the first draft in her head while taking a shower and then frantically jotted it down in the notes app on her phone on the side of the bathtub, her process simultaneously paying homage to both a disgraced YouTuber releasing a half-hearted damage-control apology and Dalton Trumbo.
Inspiration:
As a writer, Taylor found inspiration in many places. The witty dialogue of Amy Sherman-Palladino always influences her work. The fearless LGBTQ+ representation of Bradley Bredeweg and all of The Fosters writers certainly gave her the courage to take the leap, step outside her comfort zone, and put this thing on paper. The mentor/mentee relationship between Quinn King and Rachel Goldberg from UnREAL will forever go down as one of the most epic, complicated female relationships of all time.
Director Lesley Powers and cinematographer Amanda Copeland worked together to develop a cult horror vibe. The inspiration for the lighting and color scheme came from films such as Cabin in the Woods, The Strangers, and Happy Death Day as well as Game Night.
Mood Board:
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
On-Set Audio Equipment/Crew
Costs $400
We need microphones and an on-set audio specialist in order to make the sound crisp and clear.
Colorist, Editor, and Misc. Post-Production Team
Costs $700
From a colorist to an editor, we need a solid post-production team to make everything look perfect.
Film Festival Entry
Costs $300
We want people to see the movie after it's made. The best way to do that is the festival circuit.
Craft Services
Costs $300
People get cranky when they're hungry. We certainly don't want that on a movie set...
Location
Costs $300
For this script, we need to rent a two-story home in Los Angeles.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Screenwriter/Producer: Taylor Gates graduated with a BFA in Creative Writing from the University of Evansville in 2017. Her dramedy pilot Higher Grounds, which she co-wrote with Rachel Moore, was featured on The Popcorn Talk's podcast The Unproduced Table Read in February 2018. Her work has also appeared in publications like Memoir Mixtapes and Dear Movies Zine and placed second in the Virginia Grabill Awards for Nonfiction. She is currently a contributor for Starry Constellation Magazine, BuzzFeed, and Fanversation. She hosts discussions for shows like The Good Place, Law and Order: SVU, UnREAL, and House of Cards for Maria Menounos' AfterBuzz TV. Taylor currently does publicity for Tosca Musk's romance-on-demand platform Passionflix and judges short story and screenwriting competitions for NYC Midnight.
Director/Producer: Lesley Powers is a powerhouse on and off set. She fell in love with film and television at an early age and growing up in the Midwest she dreamed of the bright lights of Hollywood. She realized how much she loved the teamwork of filmmaking while studying TV/Film Production at Indiana University, Bloomington. After graduation, Powers moved to Los Angeles where she spent seven years auditioning as an actor and entertainment reporter. Missing her filmmaking roots, she made a change and landed in Nashville, TN in 2012. She wanted to re-learn the ropes of production in a smaller market before trying her luck again in California. In five short years, she has racked up quite the resume in the entertainment world. Her passion is to tell stories that inspire and make people laugh all while mentoring other women coming up in the industry. Aside from directing and producing, Powers also coaches talent for auditions/upcoming projects at her home office. She and her husband along with their dog, Daisy, reside in Sherman Oaks. Watch her reel.
Cinematographer: Amanda Copeland is a film student at Kent State. She currently serves as the Executive Producer for the award-winning series The Agenda on TV2. Copeland has directed and DPed short films Federal Bureau of Infatuation and Refresh as well as the three-part series The Agenda Files. Watch her reel.
Actress (Christine): Briana Phipps is an actress and host known for AfterBuzz TV's after show podcasts for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Teen Mom. Briana also serves as the scheduling coordinator for AfterBuzz TV.
Actress (Jenna): Amy Cassandra Martinez is an actress known for miniseries The Widow and the Viper. Amy is also a host, appearing on platforms such as AfterBuzz TV, Clevver TV, GeekBomb, Fanversation, Black Hollywood Live, and more.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Background:
Writer Taylor Gates has many irrational fears. Touching raw meat. Cartoons made for adults. (Rick and Morty creeps her out. And don't even get her started on South Park.) Being alone in the house, hearing someone say, "Bless you," and then getting murdered.
Touching raw meat could give you a disease, but somebody already made Contagion, and salmonella kind of pales in comparison to the virus in that. Taylor doesn't think she does enough drugs to write an evil cartoon wreaking havoc on the human world. But her third irrational fear? The tale of the most polite intruder the world has ever seen? Well, that's certainly unexplored territory.
Taylor joked about making a short film about it while chatting with her friend Dakota (whose irrational fear is ballons) at the local El Pollo Loco, but it wasn't until around a year later she actually followed through. She wrote the first draft in her head while taking a shower and then frantically jotted it down in the notes app on her phone on the side of the bathtub, her process simultaneously paying homage to both a disgraced YouTuber releasing a half-hearted damage-control apology and Dalton Trumbo.
Inspiration:
As a writer, Taylor found inspiration in many places. The witty dialogue of Amy Sherman-Palladino always influences her work. The fearless LGBTQ+ representation of Bradley Bredeweg and all of The Fosters writers certainly gave her the courage to take the leap, step outside her comfort zone, and put this thing on paper. The mentor/mentee relationship between Quinn King and Rachel Goldberg from UnREAL will forever go down as one of the most epic, complicated female relationships of all time.
Director Lesley Powers and cinematographer Amanda Copeland worked together to develop a cult horror vibe. The inspiration for the lighting and color scheme came from films such as Cabin in the Woods, The Strangers, and Happy Death Day as well as Game Night.
Mood Board:
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
On-Set Audio Equipment/Crew
Costs $400
We need microphones and an on-set audio specialist in order to make the sound crisp and clear.
Colorist, Editor, and Misc. Post-Production Team
Costs $700
From a colorist to an editor, we need a solid post-production team to make everything look perfect.
Film Festival Entry
Costs $300
We want people to see the movie after it's made. The best way to do that is the festival circuit.
Craft Services
Costs $300
People get cranky when they're hungry. We certainly don't want that on a movie set...
Location
Costs $300
For this script, we need to rent a two-story home in Los Angeles.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Screenwriter/Producer: Taylor Gates graduated with a BFA in Creative Writing from the University of Evansville in 2017. Her dramedy pilot Higher Grounds, which she co-wrote with Rachel Moore, was featured on The Popcorn Talk's podcast The Unproduced Table Read in February 2018. Her work has also appeared in publications like Memoir Mixtapes and Dear Movies Zine and placed second in the Virginia Grabill Awards for Nonfiction. She is currently a contributor for Starry Constellation Magazine, BuzzFeed, and Fanversation. She hosts discussions for shows like The Good Place, Law and Order: SVU, UnREAL, and House of Cards for Maria Menounos' AfterBuzz TV. Taylor currently does publicity for Tosca Musk's romance-on-demand platform Passionflix and judges short story and screenwriting competitions for NYC Midnight.
Director/Producer: Lesley Powers is a powerhouse on and off set. She fell in love with film and television at an early age and growing up in the Midwest she dreamed of the bright lights of Hollywood. She realized how much she loved the teamwork of filmmaking while studying TV/Film Production at Indiana University, Bloomington. After graduation, Powers moved to Los Angeles where she spent seven years auditioning as an actor and entertainment reporter. Missing her filmmaking roots, she made a change and landed in Nashville, TN in 2012. She wanted to re-learn the ropes of production in a smaller market before trying her luck again in California. In five short years, she has racked up quite the resume in the entertainment world. Her passion is to tell stories that inspire and make people laugh all while mentoring other women coming up in the industry. Aside from directing and producing, Powers also coaches talent for auditions/upcoming projects at her home office. She and her husband along with their dog, Daisy, reside in Sherman Oaks. Watch her reel.
Cinematographer: Amanda Copeland is a film student at Kent State. She currently serves as the Executive Producer for the award-winning series The Agenda on TV2. Copeland has directed and DPed short films Federal Bureau of Infatuation and Refresh as well as the three-part series The Agenda Files. Watch her reel.
Actress (Christine): Briana Phipps is an actress and host known for AfterBuzz TV's after show podcasts for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Teen Mom. Briana also serves as the scheduling coordinator for AfterBuzz TV.
Actress (Jenna): Amy Cassandra Martinez is an actress known for miniseries The Widow and the Viper. Amy is also a host, appearing on platforms such as AfterBuzz TV, Clevver TV, GeekBomb, Fanversation, Black Hollywood Live, and more.