ROPE
New Orleans, Louisiana | Film Feature
LGBTQ, Horror
ROPE is a supernatural drama about silence, identity, and the cost of shame. When a closeted middle-aged Asian man encounters the ghost of a murdered young man, one night unleashes buried desire and a reckoning decades in the making revealing the hidden lives society wants to erase.
ROPE
New Orleans, Louisiana | Film Feature
LGBTQ, Horror
1 Campaigns | Louisiana, United States
26 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$1,210
Goal: $7,500 for production
ROPE is a supernatural drama about silence, identity, and the cost of shame. When a closeted middle-aged Asian man encounters the ghost of a murdered young man, one night unleashes buried desire and a reckoning decades in the making revealing the hidden lives society wants to erase.
Participating In
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Some stories refuse to stay buried.
In the late 1970s, young men began disappearing in New Orleans. Their bodies were found miles from the city — bound with rope, discarded, and largely forgotten. They were young, moving through the edges of the city — and in the 1970s, lives like theirs were often overlooked. No one was ever held accountable.
Their lives quietly disappeared into history, leaving behind unanswered questions and a silence that has lasted for decades.
That silence is where this film begins.
Why I wrote this film
Why I wrote this film
I grew up in a strict, traditional Asian household where homosexuality was treated as both a sickness and a source of shame. From an early age, I learned to hide my desires and pretend to be someone I was not.
In Australia, I was invisible as an Asian. Inside myself, I was invisible as a gay man.
At seventeen, I became homeless because of who I was.
I carried these two silences for a very long time.
I was not one of the boys whose story inspired this film. But I could have been.
ROPE is the film I wrote from that place.
Two men. Different worlds. Different eras.
One motel room. One night. And a silence that can no longer hold.
What ROPE is really about
John Lee is a closeted, middle-aged Asian American man. Quiet, careful, and deeply alone. He calls for an escort to a New Orleans motel room. A mysterious stranger arrives — and something in John unleashes. Something buried deep, primal, and terrifyingly beautiful.
What unfolds between them over one night will force both men to confront something deeper — a soul's desire to connect and be seen. And a spirit waiting to be found and set free.
ROPE is more than a thriller. It is a memorial. For the many young lives lost to violence, shame, and a world that refuses to see them. For the people still living in that fear and silence today.
Because some stories deserve to be remembered. And some silences deserve to be broken.
This proof of concept is the first chapter. The feature will go deeper — into the other lives that were lost, the city that looked away, and the truth that has waited decades to surface.
Why your support matters
ROPE is a feature film in development. This campaign funds the proof-of-concept short — Phase One of bringing this story to life. With additional production funding already committed and post-production supported through industry finishing grants, every dollar raised here goes directly to getting this film on camera.
We will shoot in New Orleans in June 2026 with a professional crew. My debut short, On the Seventh Day, premiered at the Louisiana Film Prize, where I received the Founder's Circle award — support that is now helping make ROPE possible.
At a time when stories like this are being pushed to the margins, your support helps make sure this one is not.
This film is dedicated to LGBTQ+ homeless youth who are still vulnerable today — because I was one of them at seventeen.
If this story moves you, please support ROPE and help us bring it to life.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast & Performance
Costs $850
Name: Amount: $850 Lead actor, intimacy coordinator, scene coach & casting. The human heart of ROPE.
Crew
Costs $3,350
DP, 1st AD,1st AC, 2nd AC, gaffer, grip, sound, art, makeup, script supervisor, PAs & craft.
Camera & Equipment
Costs $1,500
Camera, lenses, lighting & sound package. The tools that create the world of Room 203
Room 203 — Location & Set
Costs $1,150
Motel location, 1970s set dressing, period props, gold cross, permits & supplies.
Production Insurance
Costs $650
General liability & equipment coverage. Keeping everyone safe so we can tell this story.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Exciting news coming soon. I’m currently meeting with potential team members for ROPE and building the dream team as we speak. Follow along as this project comes to life.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Some stories refuse to stay buried.
In the late 1970s, young men began disappearing in New Orleans. Their bodies were found miles from the city — bound with rope, discarded, and largely forgotten. They were young, moving through the edges of the city — and in the 1970s, lives like theirs were often overlooked. No one was ever held accountable.
Their lives quietly disappeared into history, leaving behind unanswered questions and a silence that has lasted for decades.
That silence is where this film begins.
Why I wrote this film
Why I wrote this film
I grew up in a strict, traditional Asian household where homosexuality was treated as both a sickness and a source of shame. From an early age, I learned to hide my desires and pretend to be someone I was not.
In Australia, I was invisible as an Asian. Inside myself, I was invisible as a gay man.
At seventeen, I became homeless because of who I was.
I carried these two silences for a very long time.
I was not one of the boys whose story inspired this film. But I could have been.
ROPE is the film I wrote from that place.
Two men. Different worlds. Different eras.
One motel room. One night. And a silence that can no longer hold.
What ROPE is really about
John Lee is a closeted, middle-aged Asian American man. Quiet, careful, and deeply alone. He calls for an escort to a New Orleans motel room. A mysterious stranger arrives — and something in John unleashes. Something buried deep, primal, and terrifyingly beautiful.
What unfolds between them over one night will force both men to confront something deeper — a soul's desire to connect and be seen. And a spirit waiting to be found and set free.
ROPE is more than a thriller. It is a memorial. For the many young lives lost to violence, shame, and a world that refuses to see them. For the people still living in that fear and silence today.
Because some stories deserve to be remembered. And some silences deserve to be broken.
This proof of concept is the first chapter. The feature will go deeper — into the other lives that were lost, the city that looked away, and the truth that has waited decades to surface.
Why your support matters
ROPE is a feature film in development. This campaign funds the proof-of-concept short — Phase One of bringing this story to life. With additional production funding already committed and post-production supported through industry finishing grants, every dollar raised here goes directly to getting this film on camera.
We will shoot in New Orleans in June 2026 with a professional crew. My debut short, On the Seventh Day, premiered at the Louisiana Film Prize, where I received the Founder's Circle award — support that is now helping make ROPE possible.
At a time when stories like this are being pushed to the margins, your support helps make sure this one is not.
This film is dedicated to LGBTQ+ homeless youth who are still vulnerable today — because I was one of them at seventeen.
If this story moves you, please support ROPE and help us bring it to life.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast & Performance
Costs $850
Name: Amount: $850 Lead actor, intimacy coordinator, scene coach & casting. The human heart of ROPE.
Crew
Costs $3,350
DP, 1st AD,1st AC, 2nd AC, gaffer, grip, sound, art, makeup, script supervisor, PAs & craft.
Camera & Equipment
Costs $1,500
Camera, lenses, lighting & sound package. The tools that create the world of Room 203
Room 203 — Location & Set
Costs $1,150
Motel location, 1970s set dressing, period props, gold cross, permits & supplies.
Production Insurance
Costs $650
General liability & equipment coverage. Keeping everyone safe so we can tell this story.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Exciting news coming soon. I’m currently meeting with potential team members for ROPE and building the dream team as we speak. Follow along as this project comes to life.