Happy Halloween, everyone! It seems fitting for Halloween to talk about the most haunted house of all - the one that refuses to die. The name of the film is inspired by the real-life Nail Houses in China.
A “nail house” is a home whose owner refuses to vacate it for property development - leaving it standing alone like a stubborn nail no one can hammer down. The term comes from China, where it’s used to describe homeowners who hold out against developers or government projects, often out of pride, protest, or principle. In Chongqing, one couple refused to sell their property as a shopping mall was being built, and for weeks, their tiny brick house sat perched on a lone mound of dirt in the middle of a construction pit. In Zhejiang province, another family’s home stood isolated on a raised column of earth while an entire highway curved around it. These “nail houses” became powerful symbols of standing your ground.
That refusal to give in is what drives Dicky & Danny's story in Nail House.
Yesterday’s challenge was to write a fortune cookie message that would make Freddie immediately drop the cookie and stare into the distance.
We got some very hilarious answers - and we decided to let YOU vote for the winner!
🗳️ Vote in the poll at the bottom of this update. Poll closes at midnight tonight, and whoever wrote the winning fortune will get the prop cigarettes.
For full context on what’s at stake here, please enjoy this completely serious educational video from Freddie and Matt about the prop cigarettes.
🍽️ Today’s Prop Drop: The Placemat
A classic Mama Wong’s mainstay - exactly like the ones Freddie and crew grew up eating off of.
For a chance to win Mama Wong's Placemat - let us know the RocketJump one-liner you still quote to this day in the comments!
💬 About Our Funding Goal
A quick note before we close: Nail House has already hit its base goal - but that number only covers the groundwork. Every dollar we raise beyond that allows us to build the film the way it’s meant to be made, with more control in the hands of the creators and fewer compromises to outside investors or platforms.
