I'm gonna tell you a secret... this whole story was inspired by real events. Yep, I actually went to a real portraiture studio with a voucher in hand and Gia as my emotional support partner. I thought I was getting a free headshot (starving artist life) but instead, I got a hilarious story, met a cast of characters, and (3 months later) unwrapped the most camp portrait ever seen (it looked AI-generated). The script practically wrote itself...except it didn't...it actually took a lot of hard work and time to get into good shape! Anyways, after that 3-hour-long visit that felt like a 6-hour timeshare sale, we knew we’d struck gold.

I always joke that Gia is my "life wife"—we do almost everything together. We worked together (until recently), traveled together, and confided in each other—you get the picture. So naturally, we had to take on this project together. I’ve always dreamed of creating something with my insanely talented friends, and with a 9-person cast, this project was the perfect way to showcase the comedic brilliance and raw talent of my improv and acting community (and real-life friends). Turning the fantasy of screening at SXSW in my hometown of Austin into reality would mean the world, especially as this project marks our debut in writing, directing, and editing.

The universe seemed to validate this project from day one. Every complication or challenge we faced was met with a better solution, almost as if it was meant to be. For instance, with a limited time frame, a skeleton crew, and no budget, I was worried about scheduling, but magically, everyone’s calendars aligned perfectly for the exact pairings we needed for each day of shooting. Something was conspiring to make it happen!

This project uniquely blends comedy, art, and character-driven storytelling within our niche portraiture experience. Your support will help bring this vision to life and empower a passionate, diverse team of creators. In this pilot episode, "The Worst of Both Worlds," new client Riley visits Haus of Portraitures & Philanthropy for a portrait to appease her grandmother. The studio swarms with grandiose characters, revealing the chaotic origins of HOPP. While the wheels come off, Riley navigates power struggles and awkward moments. Through behind-the-scenes interviews, we get a humorous and satirical look at the lives of the staff and clients.

But here's where we need your help—festival deadlines are coming up fast, and we need to raise funds quickly to hit them! Not only that, but if we want to finalize editing and polish this thing up, we’ve got to act now. Your support would mean the world to us. And honestly, after staring at this project for a month straight in editing... I could use an (eye) break.

How you will help:

We’re currently in post-production, having wrapped on the pilot episode. This project was built with love, grit, oh, and (don't forget) no-budget. A true DIY effort. Now we need your help to take it to the next level.

Our plan:

• Finalize post-production by finding an editor (besides me) to add all the bells and whistles.
• Submit to major festivals like SXSW, Tribeca, SeriesFest, and Sundance (yep, we’re aiming high).
• Pay our cast and crew on the backend once funds are secured.
• If we exceed our funding goal, we hope to extend HOPP into a full-fledged series!

You’ll be able to view the pilot at festivals, and eventually, on streaming platforms. We also have stretch goals to create more behind-the-scenes content, bloopers, and mini-episodes for fans to enjoy!

Social Media: Follow us to stay updated on all things Portrait Haus! Working with friends made this the best, most fun set and we have so much BTS to share! Pledge now and support indie comedy! @alex.paisley.stedman on socials.