Logline: When an all-female TTRPG group uncovers a sinister demonic presence hidden within one of their game’s miniatures, their fantasy adventure spirals into a terrifying battle for survival—where the stakes are all too real.

TOTAL PARTY KILL is a fast-paced supernatural horror comedy short film set around an all-female TTRPG group whose final game night takes a terrifying turn. When their DM unveils a sinister miniature—the Red Nun—reality begins to unravel. As the game’s stakes turn deadly, the players must fight for survival in a nightmare where every dice roll could mean life or death.

The film blends the supernatural dread of The Evil Dead, the intense, modern horror of Talk to Me, and the genre-savvy thrills of Ready or Not. Our goal is to deliver an unforgettable roller-coaster of horror, packed with practical effects, brutal kills, and enough blood to satisfy any gorehound.

With festival aspirations and feature-length potential, TOTAL PARTY KILL is a love letter to horror and tabletop gaming fans alike—where the only way to win is to survive the night.

ALAN "POE" SANCHEZ 
Co-WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER

Alan Sanchez is a writer, director, and producer from San Bernardino, CA. A graduate of California State University Northridge with a BA in TV Production, he has worked with companies such as Captivate Entertainment, Angels & Airwaves, This is Just A Test Media, and Bunim-Murray Productions. His previous short film, Watcher, a supernatural horror thriller, premiered at multiple festivals, gaining recognition for its intense atmosphere and practical effects. It currently sits at over 90K views on Youtube through independent release. His earlier film Banshee Avalon won Best Sci-Fi Film at the Oregon Short Film Festival and Honorable Mention Drama at the Short.Sweet. Film Festival in Cleveland, OH. Alan continues to push genre storytelling, blending horror, suspense, and practical effects-driven spectacle.

KENNETH CALHOUN
SPECIAL EFFECTS

Kenneth Calhoun is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist whose work has been featured in major Hollywood blockbusters, including The Shape of Water, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Infinity War/Endgame, Jurassic World, Captain Marvel, and The Revenant. His television credits include Grey’s Anatomy, The Rookie, Cold Case, Silicon Valley, The Mandalorian and, most recently, Winning Time: The Rise of The Lakers Dynasty.

DALLAS RAE CALKINS
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Dallas is an up and coming LA based freelance Cinematographer from RIT’s school of Film and Animation. She’s been in the industry for 6 years working on projects anywhere from narrative to commercial filmmaking. With traditional practices at her core Dallas adopts new technologies with ease, she concentrates on Virtual Production cinematic storytelling, while maintaining a background in shooting on 16mm film.

MICHAEL SMALLWOOD
CO-WRITER

Michael Smallwood is an actor, writer, director, and educator. He is a member of the acting ensemble at PURE Theatre in Charleston, SC.  Some of his theatre credits include The Royale, Marie Antoinette, Macbeth, The Lehman Trilogy, and The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity. He is an award-winning playwright and filmmaker. His film credits include indie-horror Livescreamers, the Emmy-winning CBS series The Inspectors, the Netflix original movie Naked, and Blumhouse’s Halloween Kills. Michael is also an adjunct professor of playwriting and acting at the College of Charleston.

Total Party Kill boasts a powerhouse cast including Gracie Lacey, Elyse Willems, Sarah Nicklin, Fayna Sanchez, Christine Celozzi, and Soren McVay. With this cast, game night will be horrifyingly unforgettable!

GRACIE LACEY - "FLYNN"

Gracie Lacey is an American actress and singer known for their dynamic performances across theater, film, and television. Raised in Santa Ana, California, Gracie developed a passion for acting from a young age, attending live theater performances with their mother. Gracie has portrayed a diverse range of characters in productions such as The Diary of Anne Frank (Anne Frank), Rent (Mimi), and Les Misérables (Madame Thénardier). Their film credits include roles in Watcher (2022), Banshee Avalon (2019) and Alienated (2021),

Gracie's versatility and commitment to their craft make them an excellent fit for the role of Flynn the newbie player who has to rise to the occasion against all odds in Total Party Kill. 

ELYSE WILLEMS - "DEANNA"

Elyse Willems is a writer, producer, and performer based in Los Angeles. She gained prominence as a cast member and producer at Funhaus, a division of Rooster Teeth Productions, where she contributed to numerous productions from 2015 to 2024. Elyse co-wrote the video games Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed (2022) and Arcadegeddon (2021). In 2019, she served as showrunner, writer, and cast member of Arizona Circle, a sketch comedy series. The following year, she published her first children's novel, A Night in Halloween House, which became a bestseller on Amazon.

Beyond writing, Elyse has hosted PBS SoCal’s Won’t You Be My Gamer, an online series exploring video games with experts. She also created, co-hosted, and wrote the podcast 30 Morbid Minutes, delving into macabre topics. Her collaborations span platforms like Smosh, Dropout, and RocketJump. Elyse’s ability to balance humor with suspense make her a perfect fit for Deanna, the wise DM of the group in Total Party Kill.

CHRISTINE CELOZZI - "CHLOE"/Producer

Christine Celozzi is a Los Angeles-based actress, writer, and director celebrated for her unique brand of absurd comedies. In 2020, she received the Women in Film Fellowship award through the Shawna Foundation, leading to the creation of her debut short film, My Friends The Plants. This mockumentary horror-comedy was showcased at over 50 film festivals, earning more than 35 awards and nominations, including Best Director and Best Film at WhoHaHalloween, an event by Elizabeth Banks' co-founded platform, WhoHaHa.

Following this success, Christine wrote, directed, and starred in A Little Help?, which garnered a nomination for The Minerva Award at FilmQuest. In 2024, Christine founded Gremlin Express, a production company focusing on genre films, with multiple projects in various stages of production. Christine brings wit and emotional weight to the role of Chloe.

FAYNA SANCHEZ - "LAURA"/Producer

Fayna Sanchez (pronounced “fine-ah”) is a Los Angeles-based actor, writer, and filmmaker working across TV, film, voiceover, and theater. She has appeared in Hulu’s Dollface, TBS’s Angie Tribeca, and as a recurring guest star on AMC Shudder’s Creepshow. On stage, she has performed with Center Theater Group, The Theater at Boston Court, and in productions at Manhattan Repertory and The Soho Playhouse. Her recent film credits include starring as Mia in House of Ashes, directed by Izzy Lee, and appearing in Tenants, a new horror anthology now available on VOD.

As a filmmaker, Fayna wrote and produced the award-winning short A Good Scream and is now in pre-production for You Won’t Kill Me, a feature film she wrote and will direct, adapted from her acclaimed short of the same name. The screenplay has already won two Best Screenplay awards. While she has always been passionate about storytelling, Fayna is now fully embracing the creative process on both sides of the camera, bringing fresh, compelling narratives to life. Fayna delivers a fierce, commanding presence in Total Party Kill as Laura, the group’s tough-as-nails wildcard.

SARAH NICKLIN - "TRACY"

Sarah Nicklin is an award-winning actor with an extensive resume in genre films. She has starred in numerous horror, thriller, and sci-fi projects, including Popeye The Slayer Man, The Retaliators, and Nun of That. With a background in both indie and studio productions, she brings intensity and emotional depth to her performances.

Sarah's dedication to her craft is evident in her ability to bring depth and authenticity to every role. Her portrayal of real-life figures, such as in The Black Mass, showcases her ability to handle complex characters with emotional intensity. In Total Party Kill, she portrays Tracy, a skilled but skeptical player who quickly realizes the game is deadlier than they ever imagined.

SOREN MCVAY - "THE RED NUN"

Soren McVay is an American actress and writer known for her role in Watcher (2022) directed by Alan Poe Sanchez. Originally from Santa Cruz, California, she  earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

In Total Party Kill, the Red Nun is a formidable antagonist, shrouded in mystery and known for her lethal prowess, and Soren's extensive theater background and experience in portraying complex characters make her an ideal choice to embody this enigmatic and menacing presence.

We’re deep in pre-production for Total Party Kill, and the chaos is already unfolding! From gruesome makeup tests to table reads packed with killer one-liners, we’re crafting a horror comedy that’s as brutal as it is hilarious. With your support, we’ll bring this twisted vision to life. Check out the sneak peeks below and see what’s lurking in the initiative order!!

We’re ready to bring Total Party Kill to life—but there’s one thing standing in our way: financing. That’s where you come in.

We want to make this film the right way, which means securing insurance, locking in stunning locations, renting high-quality equipment, and—most importantly—paying our cast and crew. 

Our minimum goal to make Total Party Kill happen is $10K which will get the us through filming.

Once funded, we’ll have the time and resources to finalize our crew, begin pre-production (including rehearsals and blocking), and roll cameras with a fully prepared team.

If we surpass our original 10K goal, we can take the film to the next level with stretch goals for us to get:
✅ More equipment/crew (12K)
✅ Renting a dedicated filming location (14K)
✅ Hiring a composer for an original score and colorist (16K)
✅ Additional post-production resources such as sound mixing and vfx (18K)
✅ Full production is covered from filming to post production and make the best version of the film we can! (20K)

To make this happen, we’re offering exclusive perks for contributors, including:
*A special thanks in the credits
*Digital copies of the film
*Signed scripts
*Access to a private cast screening in Southern California with a post-screening Q&A
*The opportunity to be credited as an associate producer or producer on the project

Check out the available perks and help us bring Total Party Kill to life! Let’s make this happen together!

Risks & Challenges

While we are a very determined passionate group of people, we are not without any challenges. Producing a short of this nature will require us utilizing every single resource we have, but we aim to make the final product as professional looking as possible as we intend to enter film festivals and use the short as a Proof of Concept to make Total Party Kill into a feature length film.

Every single dollar raised will be utilized in best way possible to insure we make it to the finish line. Thank you!

Other Ways You Can Help

If you can't help us fund the project there are many ways to help us make this project happen! 

SPREAD THE WORD!: Share the trailer and the indiegogo page on your social media accounts!  Every view will help us get the word out more eyes towards this project. A SHARE is as good as any contribution so please help us spread the word!