Homebody Trailer Debut Highlights Indie Filmmakers’ DIY Aesthetic and Unconventional Release Strategy

Nick Toti and Rachel Kempf unveiled the “Homebody” trailer in Variety. The story follows Meg, a widow, who invites a street-dwelling woman claiming to channel her dead husband’s voice into her home. The film was shot on miniDV, transferred to VHS, and shown in black-and-white glitch footage to emphasize DIY aesthetic.

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Their 2023 feature “It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This” opened only in theaters, never on streaming, and later booked over 100 screenings while turning a profit without a distribution team. The short “Dead Grandma” won the Slamdance Jury Award and has amassed more than four million online views, highlighting their word-of-mouth strategy.

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Written, produced and directed by Toti and Kempf. Cast: Julie Linnard, Elizabeth Joanne, Eric Stevenson, Meredith Sladek, Shane Mullen, Avery G. Tillett and Bob Mielke. Matt Latham edited; Pocket Vinyl supplied music; Jeffrey Sisson handled makeup effects; poster by Evan Jordan, painting by Lindsey Dunnagan; management by Lauren Dinely and Matthew Dartnell (Writ Large).

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The original film was financed through day-job earnings and personal savings; no exact figure disclosed. Toti and Kempf propose a $3–5 million budget for a remake. Their prior feature generated over 100 theatrical screenings and turned a profit without distribution costs, while “Dead Grandma” has exceeded four million online views.

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The duo’s theater-only, word-of-mouth strategy demonstrates a profit path without streaming reliance, while their low-budget, analog aesthetic challenges conventional production norms and raises questions about scaling such intimacy with larger financing.

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Toti describes the film as “uncomfortably intimate and aesthetically raw,” likening the experience to reading a diary that provokes guilt. He notes a desire to explore a “studio version” and invites partners to discuss a remake or dual-format Blu-ray.

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• “Homebody” is a movie that I’m already super proud of. I absolutely love the movie we made, but I also know that it’s a weird movie that was made in a weird way. — Nick Toti, Writer-Director

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• “I think we accomplished what we set out to do, and the movie feels uncomfortably intimate and aesthetically raw.” — Nick Toti, Writer-Director

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• “My own dream is for there to eventually be a Blu-ray release with both versions of the movie, so that viewers could decide which version they like best.” — Nick Toti, Writer-Director

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• “Maybe we’ve just been lucky, or maybe us two dumb kids from the Midwest have figured something out.” — Nick Toti, Writer-Director

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The trailer and poster are public; Toti and Kempf are finalizing premiere logistics. They are seeking partners for a $3–5 million remake and a dual-format Blu-ray, with contact directed to Lauren Dinely or Matthew Dartnell at Writ Large.

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