Texas Cult House Director Julia Barnett Discusses How a Christmas Movie Inspired the Horror Hit

      Julia Barnett is an actress, writer, director, and producer who, along with co-founder Mindy Raymond, operates Rolling Reels Productions. Their company has recently completed the holiday film Christmas in New Hope and the horror film Texas Cult House. In the following piece, Barnett shares how one project transitioned into the other.—M.M.

      I never planned for my debut film as a writer-director to be a Christmas movie. My objective was to sell the script and earn some money for the next project.

      However, after the production company that expressed interest in purchasing it suddenly went silent, I felt frustrated and resolved to find a way to bring the film to life myself.

      At this point, my current producing partner, Mindy Raymond, came on board. Mindy is a strong supporter of Texas production through her work with the Texas Media Production Alliance. Together, we produced A Christmas In New Hope for under $500,000, featuring stars like Katrina Bowden, Ryan Cooper, and child actor Mia Armstrong, who has Down syndrome. My good friend Adrianne Palicki (Friday Night Lights) also made a cameo in a supporting role.

      We enjoyed the experience, but we were determined not to be confined to the Christmas genre. So, during our final week of principal photography, I proposed an idea to Mindy: a micro-budget horror film that we could shoot entirely on my six-acre property.

      I had been working on a horror script with my cousin and co-writer Zachary Raber, inspired by real events from our childhood. The result was Texas Cult House, a chilling tale about a group of teenagers whose rebellious night in an abandoned home of a former cult leader devolves into a desperate fight for survival. This film was our opportunity to demonstrate that we could create something beyond holiday-themed content.

      We completed A Christmas In New Hope in March 2023 and filmed Texas Cult House four months later with a $50,000 budget. Our aim was to showcase what we could accomplish with a micro-budget, focusing on maximizing the potential for a high return on investment. With Mindy producing, I felt confident about our chances of success.

      A Christmas Crew for a Horror Film

      Adrianne Palicki in Texas Cult House. Rolling Reels

      A key part of our strategy was to reassemble the crew from our Christmas film, which allowed us to build our "village." We shared great working chemistry, making that our most significant asset. As we couldn't afford full-day pay, we offered reduced rates with backend points to attract production leaders to the project. Everyone was on board, and the strong rapport we developed during the Christmas film gave us a substantial advantage, as we were all already aligned.

      With a small crew and a limited budget, we had to be resourceful. My husband, Van Tracy, managed practical effects from our home. As an acting teacher, I had access to teen actors and cast several of my former students. This project also permitted us to reconnect with essential talent.

      Adrianne Palicki was enthusiastic about joining the grassroots project, so I crafted a part for her. We also brought back Ryan Cooper, who had portrayed the attractive neighbor in our Christmas film. This time, he completely transformed into the menacing cult leader and served as a producer on the film. Like our crew, we had to be innovative in every production aspect. Curtis Heath (Peter Pan & Wendy) had composed the lively score for our Christmas movie, and I wanted to work with him again, but our budget limited our ability to hire him at the same level.

      He generously offered to provide unlicensed stems from his previous work, which I combined to create the haunting score for Texas Cult House, along with some of his original melodies for key scenes in the film.

      Texas Cult House and a Truck Full of Meat

      We significantly relied on our local Austin community for support. Nearby restaurants and coffee shops donated meals and leftover pastries to keep our cast and crew energized.

      Then, we encountered one of those unexpected, serendipitous moments. While Mindy was on her way to a meeting, a large cooler filled with frozen meats, including ribs and sausages, fell off a truck right in front of her colleagues. When asked if anyone needed 60 pounds of meat, Mindy eagerly raised her hand. The meat was brought to the set, and a local restaurant volunteered to cook it for our crew. It perfectly exemplified how our entire community came together to help make this film a reality.

      What began as an experiment to prevent our careers from becoming stagnant turned into surprising success. “Texas Cult House” premiered on opening night at the Austin Film Festival, where it attracted attention from The Coven Sales Agency, known for hits like Terrifier 2 and 3.

      This success is validating for us, but our main focus is on the business model. Some may look down on lower-budget projects, but we prioritize achieving the highest possible return on investment. A Christmas In New Hope