Making Films
with Purpose
Join us in creating the film Fermata, a powerful, character-driven narrative with a purpose. Produced by Houselight Films under a non-profit umbrella, our goal is to create a commercial film that gives back both creatively and financially.
Tender, grounded, and cinematic, Fermata is a portrait of grief and resilience. It’s a question without an answer...
How do we let go of the ones we love?
Slated to begin production March 2027 in and around Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The Story
One year after his brother Miguel’s suicide, Artie Rivera is white-knuckling it through life. He’s working a dead-end job as a parking lot attendant and spends his evenings caring for his volatile, grief-stricken father Chuckie.
But when he runs into Miguel’s widow Evie, who’s moved back in with her parents and is working at a local hardware store, the two begin to form a surprising, uplifting connection.
When life feels bleakest, where do we turn for hope? How do we summon courage?
We believe Fermata can offer a liberation from the sorrow each of us carries, and affirm that love persists in spite of, alongside of, and even because of the losses we experience.
Our Mission
To produce a film that resonates deeply with audiences, making an impact in the process. Film Wisconsin is dedicated to promoting and supporting the film and television industry, and a new tax incentive program makes Wisconsin a desirable place to film (in addition to its landscape, resources and community). Any money received back from Wisconsin through the state's film tax incentive program, in addition to any proceeds from distribution, will be donated to a charitable organization in line with the message of the film. Producer Jayne McLendon's family has roots in Mequon-Thiensville, and we are excited about filming in a vibrant place with so much to offer. A film shoot brings a spurt of economic profit to the area, and builds long-term investment in the local creative community.
Jayne and writer/director Louis Reyes McWilliams met as fellow students in Brown University/Trinity Rep's MFA in Acting Program. Our goal is to combine our theatre background, love of storytelling and grassroots drive with a vast & varied experience in the film & television industry.
"Fermata is rooted in the experiences I had when I lost a dear friend and
classmate to suicide in graduate school. The grief was acute in the moment, and in
many ways, brought my cohort closer together. But over time, that same grief lingered and erupted in surprising ways, fracturing our group with greater and greater force."
- Louis Reyes McWilliams (writer/director)
Use of Funds
Our goal is to raise $375,000 by February 2027
Production
Production costs include "Above the Line" (i.e., Cast) and "Below the Line" (crew, equipment, locations, craft services, permits, insurance). We will be shooting under the SAG-AFTRA Low Budget Agreement, adhering to all pay rates and safety regulations. Operating under a SAG agreement also gives us access to the highest caliber of actors.
Post-Production
Post-production costs include:
- editing
- color
- sound mixing
- original music
This is where the film truly comes together.
Wisconsin Film Tax Incentive
As of February 2026, Wisconsin has launched a new film production incentive program, offering a 30% transferable tax credit on qualified production expenditures for projects filming in the state. We will be donating money received back from the sate of Wisconsin to a charitable organization in line with the message of the film.
WHERE DOES YOUR MONEY GO?
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Who We Are
Kaitlyn Busbee
Louis is a Latino writer, actor, and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. His short film Little Footsteps has played at film festivals around the world, and he has developed features with Assemble Media and Foxtrot Pictures. His scripts have placed highly in the Academy Nicholl Fellowship, Script Pipeline, and Final Draft Big Break competitions, and he was a 2026 finalist for the Disney Writers’ Program. His extensive career in theater includes being a member of the 2026 Geffen Writers’ Room cohort, playwriting credits at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and Trinity Rep, and acting credits Off-Broadway and in Shakespeare in the Park with The Public Theater. He is a graduate of Stanford and Brown/Trinity Rep's MFA in Acting Program.
Jayne is a producer, actor, and founder of Houselight. Her directorial debut A Little Grace is currently playing in festivals across the country. She is developing Times Exiles: A Recovery Salon with Notch Theatre Company, an immersive, devised ensemble theatre piece slated for Notch’s 2027 season. As an actor, Jayne has worked at theaters including Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Northern Stage, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, and Trinity Rep. She can be seen recurring on Chicago Fire and in the upcoming The Boys spin-off Vought Rising. Additional credits include The Changeling, Transplant, and Don't Look Up. She received her BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and her MFA from Brown University/Trinity Rep.
Kaitlyn is an Iowa-bred, Chicago-based artist. She is a recent MFA graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. She received the Martin Scorsese Scholarship, Maurice Kanbar Scholarship, and the 2023 ARRI Volker Bahnemann Award for outstanding cinematography. She was awarded the Black Family Film Prize for her most recent short film Layaway (HollyShorts 2023, Chelsea Film Festival 2023). Busbee is the recipient of the 2024 Spike Lee/Sandra Ifraimova Production Fund grant for her upcoming graduate thesis film, Jarfly. Prior to NYU, Busbee was co-Director, DP, and editor for the indie feature These Hopeless Savages; after screening at over 30 festivals worldwide, the film is now available on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.
FAQs
Producer Jayne McLendon and writer/director
Louis Reyes McWilliams have collaborated throughout
and after graduate school, developing a creative
shorthand that brings trust and efficiency to their process.
Louis and Kaitlyn collaborated on his short film
Little Footsteps, further strengthening a team dynamic
rooted in an aligned creative vision. Fermata is both deeply
personal and universal, exploring grief in a way that feels
timeless yet urgently relevant to the present moment. We
believe we are uniquely positioned to tell this story with
great care, clarity and honesty.
Why Us?
How Do We Keep Costs Low & Quality High?
We are committed to keeping the budget and production
schedule as lean as possible. We will be working with
experienced in-state crew for all below-the-line positions.
We will also be working with the Wisconsin Film Office to
explore all possibilities and benefits from leveraging the
state film tax incentive. Our extensive network of filmmakers
and actors passionate about this story allows us to
assemble a highly-experienced team willing to work for
minimum rates.
Where Will The Film Be Seen?
After years of franchise dominance and now the
rapid rise of AI-generated media, audiences and
festivals have shown renewed interest in intimate,
character-driven films. You see this in the recent success
of films like Sorry, Baby and Celine Song's Past Lives.
We will be pursuing the festival circuit and ultimately
seeking distribution through festival exposure,
targeting the growing network of independent distributors
and streaming platforms. Proceeds from domestic sales,
including theatrical and VOD/digital releases, and
"open retailers" (such as Amazon, iTunes, YouTube
and Microsoft), will go to charitable organizations providing
mental health resources and fighting to prevent suicide.
How Does The Wisconsin Film Tax Incentive Work?
Wisconsin reinstated its film tax incentive in
February 2026, launching a new program through
Film Wisconsin. The incentive offers up to 30% transferable tax
credits on qualified in-state production spending, including
wages and production costs. Projects must meet minimum
spend thresholds and can receive up to about $1M
per project, with a statewide annual cap (~$5M).
The credits are retroactive to January 1, 2026, and
can be sold or transferred, making them usable even
if your production doesn’t owe Wisconsin taxes.
Fiscal sponsorship allows us to partner with a nonprofit
like Healing TREE so donations to our film become
tax-deductible. Donations first go to the nonprofit,
which then grants the funds to our project after
taking a small fee. Fiscal sponsorship allows us
access to grants and donors without creating
our own nonprofit. The project and fiscal sponsor
will always share an approved,
mission-aligned purpose.
How Does Fiscal Sponsorship Work?
Reach Out
To speak with our team or learn more about how you can help, please get in touch.
