Yao Haus Media focuses on turning written stories into captivating visual experiences.
Bringing Stories to Life
lETS TAKE A LOOK INTO OUR FIRST FILM PROJECT : thE ROAD TRIP FROM HELL
The Road Trip From Hell is an epic short film project that was birthed as an extension of the upcoming novel " Pieris & The Underworld that will be released November 27, 2026. When the ruler of Hell makes a high-stakes wager with the Grim Reaper to prove a ruthless New Jersey corporate fixer has the cold-blooded efficiency to manage the Underworld, she recruits a team of local folklore monsters for a chaotic, midnight road trip across the Garden State to prove her point.
The premise of the story
Faced with an overwhelming bureaucratic backlog, the ruler of Hell wagers her throne on a high-stakes bet with a skeptical Grim Reaper, claiming that a ruthless corporate fixer from New Jersey has the ice-cold efficiency to manage the Underworld. If the mortal crumbles, the Reaper wins complete control of Hell; if she succeeds, the ruler wins a permanent retirement to Ibiza, leaving a defeated Reaper bound to three thousand years of administrative assistant duties.
To prove the unmatched grit of the Garden State, a chaotic midnight road trip ignites across New Jersey's most infamous haunts, drafting a team of legendary local monsters for a relentless operational test. After terrifying a ghost tour trolley, dominating a surreal deadpan Wawa run, and taming massive hellhounds on a pitch-black mountain road, the definitive proof of local resilience reveals itself at dawn when a tired highway diner waitress takes orders from a table of literal nightmares without blinking. With the undeniable evidence secured, the magical runes of the wager lock into place, forcing a defeated Reaper to accept his new corporate fate while the cosmos braces for an organized Underworld.
Why did I write it
uNDERWORLD/ GARDEN STATE LANDSCAPES
Connect With Us
Stay Informed
This project is born from over a decade on the front lines of the customer service industry—specifically working the high-stakes floors of a casino—where I watched everyday workers navigate chaos with unmatched, unshakeable grit. As a born-and-raised New Jerseyan, I share that classic, complicated love-hate relationship with my home state, and this story is my ultimate love letter to the Garden State and the unsung heroes who keep the world spinning while upper management panics. Strategically blending sharp corporate satire with local folklore, I wanted to create a narrative where even the literal forces of Hell are no match for the deadpan resilience of a 24-hour retail worker or a dawn-shift diner waitress. Driven by deep passion and professional insight, this film and book are built to be profoundly relatable; it is a comedic yet heartfelt tribute designed to make frontline workers feel seen, heard, and celebrated for the absolute monsters they successfully handle every single day before sunrise.
This film campaign is the critical first step in a strategic two-step process to elevate this short story into a major feature film. By securing funding to bring this short film to life, we can generate the industry traction, proof of concept, and critical exposure at major film festivals necessary to get the book optioned and produced for the big screen. To ensure every dollar raised directly impacts the screen, we have partnered with From the Heart Productions, a top-rated 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, meaning all financial contributions to this campaign are fully tax-deductible.
Why we are raising money
Giving voice to characters that have no other voice—that's the great worth of what we do."-MERYL STREEP.
Budget bREAKDOWN
CAMPAIGN REWARDS
ENTRY LEVEL
$10–$15 -Jersey Wall Shoutout on Website
$25- Onboarding Packet: early film access + PDF script
$50- Director’s Ledger: Special Thanks + IMDb credit
MID-TIER: EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCES
$100 Jersey Grit Signed Poster
$250 Crossroad Diner VIP Screening
$500 Corporate Takeover Character Name — Limited availability
Tax-deductible through From the Heart Productions.
PREMIUM TIER: INVESTOR & PRODUCER STATUS
$1,000 Associate Producer — Limited
$2,500 Co-Producer + feature development access — Limited
$5,000+ Executive Producer & Feature Film Board Member
Tax-deductible through From the Heart Productions.