Celebrity Interview | Entertainment & Film Industry - From Grief To Laughs: Building “Noble Homes” With Mother–Daughter Team Renee Story & Chloe Ray - Meet Renee And Chloe

Greg Staffa 0:00

You're listening to the Staffa Corner Podcast, a Staffatarian look at entertainment and life with your host, Greg Staffa. My guest this episode is a mother-daughter combo, Renee Story and Chloe Ray. They are part of a project that grew out of a life experience. They're here today to talk about it. Thank you, ladies, for joining us.

Chloe Ray 0:41

Thanks for having us. Yeah, we're so excited to be here.

Greg Staffa 0:44

So tell us a little bit about yourselves growing up. I mean, you are my first mother-daughter. So, Renee, you're the mother, and Chloe is the daughter.

unknown 0:55

Correct.

Greg Staffa 0:56

Tell us a little bit about what life was growing up.

Chloe Ray 0:59

We had a lot of like entertainment and art in our house. My parents took us to a lot of concerts and we always had family movie nights. I was watching a ton of comedy television, probably way before I was supposed to be watching a ton of comedy television. But it definitely a house full of humor and a house full of art, which was such a unique and fabulous way to grow up and definitely informed everything I'm doing today.

Renee Story 1:22

And I grew up without a lot of that. So I really um found a love of the arts when I was in college and living in the city. I lived in Chicago and just really sought out all the little off, kind of it would be off Broadway, but off of Chicago's main theater scene, and loved to go see like the very unique plays and uh the art house films when we were living in the city. And I found a great love for that. And then my kids were just so artsy, I got sucked all into it.

Chloe Ray 1:51

She would sneak into second city shows in Chicago when she was younger, and it prompted me and my brothers to do that too. So lots of comedy growing up, which which led to just like great family dinners and just a house full of vibrance. It was really beautiful.

Greg Staffa 2:07

So now, Chloe, you have the

An Upbringing In Art And Comedy

Greg Staffa 2:10

acting experience, you're the actor in the family. What was that like growing up? You said your mom, you know, snuck into Second City stuff, but you really got the acting bug. What didn't you know that that was something that you could make a living out of?

Chloe Ray 2:24

Totally. I'm lucky to be like the years that I can make a living out of it, it's like the greatest blessing of all time. It was never something that I thought I could make a living out of until it kind of started happening. But I grew up doing a lot of theater and I'd make short films with my brothers and and all that type of thing. So when I moved out to Los Angeles and started auditioning, it was just really for like education and fun and a good learning experience. And it kind of spiraled from there. And I was able to do some really cool projects and meet some cool people. And I kind of, as you said, caught the acting bug.

Renee Story 2:58

Yeah. She says that, but she was literally on her second audition out in LA, she booked a national daddies commercial, very just the second audition. So she really took to it right away and quickly.

Greg Staffa 3:09

And you've done things like Fuller House, Speechless, Trevor the Virgin. You've done a couple of episodes. So you've really started making a name for yourself. What are the goals for you? Is it to do more TV? Are you looking at getting into more film? What is the barometer for success for you?

Chloe Ray 3:26

Well, I I mean, I love it all. I just want to tell stories I'm super passionate about and be part of projects that have quality and artistic integrity. And I've been so fortunate enough to work on a lot of those um TV comedies, as you've mentioned. So I didn't realize that that was like such a natural pathway to me. But it just makes so much sense. And it's been really awesome to be able to discover that and discover kind of my comedic voice as an adult and how I can also intertwine my love of film into these comedies. And I'm inspired by shows like Gilmore Girls that like take a longer steady cam approach and less of the mockumentary style as well. So, how can I fuse these TV and film worlds together and kind of create shows and movies that that go beyond genre or go beyond format a little bit in this changing world?

Greg Staffa 4:12

And are you at a point? I mean, you're still new to the industry. How are you approaching the roles that you're offered? Or is it just basically I take what I am offered because I'm a young, struggling actress. I need to take what I'm at after.

Chloe Ray 4:28

Well, I mean, it's

Chloe’s Early Breaks And Goals

Chloe Ray 4:30

a little bit of both. I'm fortunate enough. I've been doing this acting-wise, I've been doing it for about eight years now. Um, with some slight breaks for oh, 10. Wow, 14. So with some slight breaks for filmmaking and just focusing on um college and my directing degree in general. But for the most part, I when it's a show I'm passionate about, I I go full force with these auditions. And and if it's not, I'm lucky enough to have my mom on my uh side and my agents on my side submitting me for things that they think I would be a good fit for or that the quality is right and kind of shaping and guiding my career with me. It's definitely not me alone.

Renee Story 5:05

Yeah, we definitely don't have her go out for things that aren't gonna do anything for her, really. I mean, we're not at the point where we need footage or we need more credits just to uh acquire credits. She's way beyond that.

Chloe Ray 5:15

And and there's like uh I want to do everything and I want to, there's not time in the day for for everything. So I as much as I would love to do every audition I can do, I have to focus a lot of time onto filmmaking as that's kind of bursting off. And that's really the love that kind of informs my love of acting as well. So it's been a blessing to be able to do both and also to have a team that lets me do both.

Greg Staffa 5:38

Now, Renee, you are relatively new to the industry, you've done some producing and stuff like that. At what point did you realize that this was a path that you also wanted to take in some form?

Renee Story 5:52

Sure. So I moved out here with Chloe when she was a freshman in high school, or about to be a freshman. She was actually in eighth grade, and she went to high school all out here. So I really, as a young uh actress who really wanted to do this and take this path, I had to really inform myself and learn and keep her safe and uh just really learn how to go about breaking in. And um, so I did. I just really dove in and tried to learn everything, but it was a very informal uh way that I did it and hopefully it was a good protector for her. So I became an a manager at established artists through a friend of mine, Heather Bragg at Established Artist, who's like, you know more about the industry than I do. Because as a family, I had a son who's a writer. We made a feature film in like 2018, I think.

Chloe Ray 6:34

Yeah, 2018, 2019.

Renee Story 6:35

Yeah. So we um, you know, so we've been slowly trying to like help the kids learn the industry from a very uh entry-level point, like how do you do it point A to point B and actually hands-on learning? So we did a lot of that, and once I knew the industry, I and I helped a lot of people. I get a lot of people asking me, I was helping a ton of people to figure out how to actually break into the industry. And I then was invited into the world of established artists where I'm a manager and literary agent.

Greg Staffa 7:05

Now, most young women, Chloe, at your age are looking to kind of separate themselves from your parents as you get older and you start making a name for yourself. But you seem to really not hang on to your mother, but really rely on your mother as far as guidance and even the way you two talk to each other, kind of mentorship. What has that been like to find your own identity, but also value your mother as a point of impact?

Chloe Ray 7:33

Yeah, uh, we have very complementary skill sets. I think that certainly rings true when I went to college initially and broke off from acting initially. It was definitely me wanting to like assert my own career, assert my own control. But as things do, you kind of find your way back to each other in certain ways. And my mom began managing during that time, but that I was like building my filmmaking career, um, making my first feature, doing a ton of short films and music videos and whatnot. And during that time, she was working with amazing clients. And so I'd have a film and she would throw me an actor. And it kind of just naturally built from there. And for this one, she had um an idea and and characters she wanted and the concept and where she wanted to put it. And she she just came to us and our little production company and she knew we could pull it off for less and we could pull it off for higher quality for less. So it was really a natural collaboration on this one. And every time she brings a script, I'm just thrilled that that

Choosing Roles And Building Taste

Chloe Ray 8:30

she gets to be a part of the process as well.

Greg Staffa 8:32

And Renee, what is it like to be a mother watching your daughter and wanting to be, you know, an investigation, but also be the business person and know that you know this is something my daughter is treating as a business. There has to be some not hands off, but some, you know, you have to let your daughter succeed and fail. How has that been for you to kind of watch your daughter to be able to mentor your daughter, but also kind of give her that room to grow?

Renee Story 9:01

Absolutely. What a great question. So she, you know, early on, I think, you know, I had to really be there when she was a child actor, and there's always ups and downs. She came, we had so many close calls from series regular roles. So you have that like, oh my gosh, you know, you're so close, and then you don't get it. It's just very um up and down. And to watch her grow into this fantastic woman who has a work ethic like no other. So she definitely matches and exceeds my energy. So I know that when I have a great project in mind, or I have a literary client that I've read a great screenplay and I know this needs to get made, I'd love to share it with her because I know no one is going to be able to do this better and with more heart than our team. We have another um person, Graham Grassi, on our team, who is our director of photography and does a lot of the editing as well. So together he's part of our two other trees productions. So we together as a team really just I think mesh really well. But I as far as a parent, just watching her grow into this woman and being able to sometimes have to be told to step away and let her do that because it is hard. You forget that you are a mom first, and sometimes you have to take a deep breath and say, you know, I'm trust her and she's the right person for this no matter what. So I really do believe that her work ethic, her skill sketch set, and her talent just shine through, and I'm just lucky to be a part of it.

Greg Staffa 10:20

Let's talk about Noble Homes. Unfortunately, that grew out of some not so great times for you or Nay. Tell us a little bit about what started all of that process.

Renee Story 10:33

Well, I moved back to move my mom when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. And when we did, as you're sure you're when you're sick, like most people do, we just needed to find joy and escapism. So we watched a lot of comedies, we watched a lot of HGTV, which we just found joy in. We tried to find joy in every place we could. And I really grew with my mom. She really got excited about, she was always excited about Chloe and her um other two grandchildren that I are my other two kids, anything they did within the industry, especially. And she, while I was working from home, she really got to know all of my actors and what did they book? What did they not book? What did what how did that audition go? And she was very invested. It kind of gave her a great joy to see me working within the industry. And I could do that all from her house, which was beautiful. And when she passed, it just felt like it was a natural, natural thing to do. I got a little money and an inheritance, and I decided I wanted her to have some sort of a legacy out there. And it was what I did, you know. I just kind of came up with the concept of I'm gonna do a comedy, it's gonna be a workplace comedy, it's gonna have these actors in it, it's gonna have my writer, Bridget Bell McMahon, who I rap. And it's definitely gonna have this team of uh Chloe and Gray as our core production team. And then we brought in wonderful people, had a very small crew, and it came out of just a place of love and wanting to find joy in a very dark time.

Greg Staffa 11:55

Now, the search for director for this had to be very grueling, had to be very tough for you, a rigorous process of searching for the right director. How did you eventually come to your daughter to realize that that was the right person?

Renee Story 12:12

Uh yeah, that was the whole reason I could do it, is because she is a great director. I've watched her on every set she's done, and

Renee’s Path Into Management

Renee Story 12:20

I knew she was the right person before I I wouldn't have been able to do this without her. Let's just say I went to her first and said, if I do this, will you join me? And she said yes. And so I'm just blessed that she did that. And um, when she said yes, then we went to town and everything else.

Greg Staffa 12:37

Now, the the story itself isn't about your mother, really. It's it's more a tribute to your mother, but yet there's a lot of emotional connection to it because it is a tribute to your mother. Chloe, did you feel that kind of added burden versus anything else that you might have directed or acted in, knowing that even though it wasn't like a direct connection to your grandmother, but it was in honor of your grandmother, was that an added burden or is it an added blessing?

Chloe Ray 13:08

A little bit of both, but definitely, definitely. It was a huge added weight. I think that I typically it was just a different nature, it was the a different nature of a project. I had to approach it differently. I had to care about it differently. I had to also approach it differently as a director because I'm preserving her legacy, my grandmother, and trying to intertwine your vision and Bridget's vision and all these people. So there was definitely an added pressure to it, but I think that there was also an added care and attention to detail because I was dealing with my grandmother's inheritance, and it was very small. She worked her whole, whole, whole life to build even just a little bit for us. So the fact that she wanted to support our careers throughout our lives and the fact that that was something that was right had to be handled with a lot of care. And I was lucky enough to have a very small, passionate team of people who donated a lot of their time because it was a very small sum, as I said, to doing this almost as a as a labor of love. So it was very different from any other project I've been on, but it was such a blessing and such a unique experience that I'll I'll remember forever, as well as just working so intimately with my mom is something I'll remember forever.

Greg Staffa 14:21

Now, Renee, I assume that you maybe you were probably not on set every day. When you saw it kind of come together, what was that like? Because you envisioned the story, but you didn't necessarily write this story. It was written by someone else, but I'm sure you had a lot of input on it. Was the idea of the tribute to your mother exactly how it turned out? How did that seeing it come together make you feel?

Renee Story 14:47

Just even watching the dailies at the end of the day. I was on set every day and watching the dailies at night, you just knew you had something joyful and special. The post-production process was probably more grueling, and especially for Chloe and Gray, who did the all the a lot of the editing. And um we had a lot of improv in it, so it was a little bit harder to probably edit together. And our location for our offices were a little crazy because we were given um offices at a real real estate company that is called Kid and Levy, by the way. And uh we were using like uh instead of like an open bullpen, we had a whole you know, office to office to office. So those cuts had to were pretty difficult, and the filming was probably pretty more difficult than other locations would be, but it came together, it it exceeded my wildest dreams. And my parents redid all their own homes as well. So um growing up in a very blue-colored family, when we would move into a house and redo a kitchen, it was all my mom and dad doing the work. So it's really beautiful to have something to do with housing and affordable housing. And it was a beautiful tribute to my whole family.

Chloe Ray 15:54

If I could add a little bit, I I think we also found my grandmother along the way a lot of the time. And and that surprised us. Like, yes, we very much led from a place of her favorite shows were like New Girl and Parks and Wreck. And so we were really trying to encapsulate that in the show from the get-go, as well as just characters that she would find funny and her sense of humor. But through the edit, especially, we found all these moments of ways that kind of she would either come to us to help us fix or figure out a moment, especially incorporating a lot of HGTV stuff. She was obsessed with HGTV. Her main topic of conversation at every Thanksgiving was Joanna Gain recipes. Like she loved the combo of both comedy, mockumentary, and reality TV. And the fact that that just was so present made

Navigating Family And Career Boundaries

Chloe Ray 16:40

her feel so present throughout the process.

Greg Staffa 16:43

Now, being the mother-daughter combo, and I don't want to get too personal if it is, but was there anything in the the mockumentary that maybe was your grandma's that you know her favorite chair to kind of insert, not only make it a tribute, but insert something that forever on film, grandma's chair is in you know, the the film, or her favorite lamp or a paint. Is there anything that you kind of incorporated real life into it that is a tribute to both you and your mom that only you and your mom might know about?

Chloe Ray 17:16

I it might be that only us know about it. Same with our maybe our production designer Maddie, but we had a whole box of things that we brought up. And so there's a coat Ellis is wearing in the second act, um, a blue coat that's hers, and uh the rosary that someone has is hers, and the little prayer card, which I thought was really special as my grandma was a devout Catholic, and I thought that was a fun way to throw her in. She popped up in all these weird ways, and she and it's so lovely to watch it back and see all the little things.

Renee Story 17:42

The vase on um on Aiden's uh desk with full of the flowers of peanies, which she loved, but the vase was from my mom.

Chloe Ray 17:50

Oh, totally, and I think I wore one of like her skirts or her garters because when she was she gave me all of her clothes from when she was my age, and it so I've been having fun kind of incorporating them into certain costume pieces.

Greg Staffa 18:02

What's old is now vintage and new again, so yeah, I were great and all that stuff. Renee, what has it been like? This was a tribute to your mother, but it also was working a lot with your daughter, both professionally and personally. Uh, did it uh bring you two even closer than before? I mean, you you clearly have a close relationship even before this, but what was it like having this tribute and having your daughter be such a part of that tribute? Did it make it even more special? Was it stressful because you had your vision and she had hers? How did that all connect?

Renee Story 18:37

My life we didn't have different visions at certain times, but we always kind of came together and fought for our vision and did what was best for the film, always. And I think that was really important to respect both persons' ideas and in the end find the right solution for the film, which really took on a life of its own. It definitely brought us closer in the end, for sure. When we saw everything come together and the work that went into it, the respect I had for her as an adult filmmaker, I was probably, you know, being the first project out of college for her, it was just such a joy to watch me, to watch her direct everybody and have this vision come to life. And she would say to me on set, you know, right away, like, is that how you thought saw it? She always was like, wanting to know my input, like if I got the take, I want it, if not. So it was really very collaborative. And I loved that she made sure I got what I want as well. And in the edit room, it was always whatever was best for the project. And I just had great joy. And I at the end of it, like going through not only the whole filming and production process, but going to this festival is such a bonding experience. And being at Austin right now, I just feel like this has been just icing on the cake.

Greg Staffa 19:46

Now, critics are one breed of people, audiences are another beat of people, but this was a tribute to your grandmother. Have family members seen it and do they see because it's not like a direct, you know, this is a retelling of my grandma's story. This is a tribute to her. Were other family members able to view it and say, Yep, I see grandma in this, or I see mom in this, or I see, you know, who she was, I see her spirit in it. How have family reacted to this?

Renee Story 20:16

We want to think everyone's loved it. Everyone really felt that you could see and feel her in this.

Chloe Ray 20:23

But beyond watching it, they've all they've all been there to help support. They've been setting up with us at the festival. And I've been calling my uh my cousins who always give me the best advice, but they were there for so many of the the crazy farcical moments in life. So I think they first off see it in it, but also just see how much that my grandma would love that her legacy is living on through something, and and they've been such a support.

Renee Story 20:50

And my mom, there's a lot of characters in this, and they very much have a personality.

Chloe Ray 20:55

And my mom was very much a character too, so it's kind of fun to like just know that she would really love the characters in this, and she was always somebody we could laugh with and laugh together with, you know, at the three laugh with it, laugh at it's hard to maybe a little bit, but then you have to accept that we laugh at you, and then everyone's gonna laugh at me. That's okay. It's all she was funny.

Greg Staffa 21:20

So you've entered these now in the film festival circuits, you might be doing that for a while. I think South by Southwest is a ways away, so I don't know if you're doing that. What are some of the film festivals that you're signed up for?

Renee Story 21:32

Well, we haven't heard back from, you know, it's this was the first one that we've uh heard back from. We have several in the works, but we've not that's not true.

Chloe Ray 21:39

Oh, we're online. One the Broad Humor Episodic, best episodic series at the Broad Humor Film Festival in Santa Monica. That was our our first submission, first acceptance. This was our second submission, second acceptance. Um, right now we have a couple pending submissions, but we're not really allowed to talk on like which festivals exactly. But there will be a lot more Noble Homes to watch.

Greg Staffa 22:00

So stay tuned for updates. Now you're doing a lot of press with mother and daughter. What has that been like for you to continue working together? Are you guys sick of each other yet? What's what's that been like?

Chloe Ray 22:14

No, we're not sick of each other. It's it's more fun because it's less stressful. Sets a ticking time bomb clock, and we get to hang out and get nice dinners sometimes and and see new places. So it's been a lot more fun and relaxing than than most typical set experiences, and it's a nice part of the process.

Renee Story 22:33

Yeah, this is the part where people are telling us that they love it, and your people are coming up to you after the screening and just talking to you, and just that joy.

Chloe Ray 22:41

Being able to being able to chat with people about your project and and share your full scope of the idea and where the season's going and get feedback and really have an audience respond to you is like such a special thing, and it's been beautiful to experience that with my mom. Um, because I believe this is your first time getting to experience that, especially with something so personal. For sure. So it's been really, really fun to see to talk to different people and and get responses.

Renee Story 23:06

And yeah, we had two uh completely sold-out screenings, and they were beautiful, and I loved our I loved our audiences, they were very receptive to noble homes, and I've had a lot of great feedback.

Greg Staffa 23:18

And Renee, this was a very

The Spark For Noble Homes

Greg Staffa 23:20

personal story to you and and Chloe too. But now that the it's it's done, it's in the can, it's being shown now to others. Is there an emotional release or emotional weight lifted off of you now that the labor part is done and now it's just a tribute? Or is it a feeling of almost emptiness that now you've completed this and now there's kind of a part missing that you've let this this thing that you've created and let it go?

Renee Story 23:51

I feel like we're just at the beginning, to be honest. We just started uh with our festivals, and people are just now seeing what we did, and I feel like we have so much work to do. So there's not a labor is far from over.

Chloe Ray 24:04

Yeah, we have a whole first season coming. This this is just the almost the trailer of the concept. This is our pilot presentation for this huge world that we want to expand upon seasons of, and and we want to bring so many more characters into the mix. So exactly.

Renee Story 24:18

There's no emptiness at all, it's just more joy in getting to the next step.

Greg Staffa 24:23

Yeah. Do you have at least the outline of further seasons laid out? How far do you see it going? Is there like a generalized plan or just see where it takes you?

Chloe Ray 24:35

Totally. So we have the whole first season mapped out because that's what we're planning to start with. We've got it outlined, we've got the season, uh, the episodes titled, um, and and a really strong plan. So we're flexible, we've got backup plans, we've got alternate ideas for episodes and tons of guest star ideas. But we're trying to pitch for for at least a 10-episode first season and from there. And to me, the story for the first season is pretty clear because there was so much thematically that we wanted to explore in the pilot, but you just don't have the time to explore. So being able to have the time to watch Graham Noble over the course of a season and see how a community is impacted by realtors over the course of a busy tourist summer, and then what happens in the winter, and and how do these realtors re uh reunite with their community? And how do they both build up their community while still making a name for themselves at Noble Homes? A lot to one.

Renee Story 25:28

Well, and then all the characters have such great uh chemistry and relationships. So there's uh you know a relationship between Ellis and Graham and Logan, and that's kind of a little triangle going on there. And and where is me and Wheels gonna go?

Chloe Ray 25:41

So many fun ideas for the future of our little noble homes gang, and I'm excited to share them with more people, hopefully.

Renee Story 25:49

Yes, everybody has such a great story ahead of them and so much adventure each character does, and it's just gonna be we just hope everyone is so invested and wants to see what is next for everybody.

Greg Staffa 25:59

Is there a risk or a concern, especially for you, Renee, that this is such a personal story that is a tribute to your grandma or your mother? Is there a concern that as more seasons go on and the story and the the world that you've created grows that you might lose sight of that? Or is that just part of part of storytelling that it it grows to be bigger than a tribute to your mother? It becomes, you know, a business aspect of telling a bigger, bigger story.

Chloe Ray 26:30

I mean, I think that that is a concern. Like we've talked about that, like it would be a dream come true, and it it's not in the cards yet to have seasons and seasons, but the the core of our show is that we uh made it with no money. We're filmmakers who who can't afford homes. So this theme really, really relates to us. So you were talking about a good way to stay humble throughout all the seasons, is if if we do get to the point where we're able to bring in a significant profit, using that money to to help other people find homes to propel communities and help communities and trying to get our casting crew on the ground floor using the show to not only propel change through themes, but also propel change um through our physical actions in the world.

Renee Story 27:12

Right. I already have a spin off, total spinoff idea in place and kind of worked on a little, where we are actually able to keep giving back to um those who need and finding affordable housing or helping to create affordable housing for them. So we do have a bigger, broader uh vision if we were ever so lucky to get there. But right now we just would love it. My mom would never get lost in 10 episodes, 10 seasons of this. We could go through 10 seasons, and trust me, I would know that we will always see my mom and true through it all because her humor was hysterical. She was silly and funny, and we will

Directing As A Tribute

Renee Story 27:50

always be able to bring that back.

Chloe Ray 27:51

And she's the reason any of us are here doing any of this. Like this project is solely because of her, and if she was only here to witness it, it would have made it all the more special. But she feels very present in every moment, and I don't think that will go away.

Greg Staffa 28:05

It almost sounds, and feel free to give me full credit if I plant this seed, but it almost sounds like if you are successful, there's other avenues that you would like to attribute to your mom, as far as maybe uh a grant, a housing grant, or a program for housing that you could use your mom as name as for this. Is there other avenues other than filmmaking that you're looking to tribute to your mother in like housing or stuff like that?

Chloe Ray 28:35

You're exactly right. Yeah, I think it long term the goal would be to hopefully use the show to to make a deal with a company that wants to propel social change alongside the show and and ideally be able to foster some change within my grandma's name and continue her legacy through little acts of kindness.

Renee Story 28:54

Yeah, and I think overall, I think filmmaking and watching something changes people. I know that when we watch films, we can learn to accept people better, we can love our neighbor more, um, just and we can find a lot of humor in each other and our differences. And we all realize we're more the same than we are different. So I really think that film is a great avenue for it. And some of our ideas are still industry related, to be honest. But we, you know, we're definitely we'll look at all options and do everything we can to work toward the causes we're passionate about, and um and anything we can do to help people with affordable housing. I mean, these are kids. I grew up and I knew I was gonna get a house before I was 30. I had a house before I was 30. My three sisters had a house before I was 30, and we all came from a blue color background. I was the first one in my c my um family to go to college. But here, these guys went to the best schools and are none of my actors that I rap, all I don't think I have, but maybe a couple that actually own a home. And so it's great to bring awareness that even education and none of that is. Making it easier, you know, we just cannot afford homes right now, even the educated or more privileged people in the world, it's just too much.

Greg Staffa 30:08

You've kind of hinted a little bit about this earlier, but as success comes and you get more money and more financing and and more episodes and stuff like that, comes investors, comes studios and stuff like that. How do you maintain the humbleness that you've created around this story that tribute to your mother without losing control over things as you grow and become more successful and have more people giving you money but also demanding influence in that giving them money?

Chloe Ray 30:45

Totally. I mean, community is at the core of our show, and we want to show people that nothing radical. We we really just want to bring everyone to the same playing field and and bring everyone together, like you said, that on one point, which is just that everyone, even your worst enemy, even someone you don't get along with, deserves a place that they can rest their head at night um and a roof over their head. So I think that keeping

Easter Eggs From Grandma

Chloe Ray 31:10

community at the center of the project has been our largest goal from the beginning of this. And as long as we can find the right people to be working with who also want to drive the community aspect forward and keep that at the center of every episode, every project, everything should really lead to that central theme. And by watching and listening to so many great writers, um, that really leads a comedy and keeps it from going off the rails. Just having a central question or a central statement and working with the people who will support and back up that central statement no matter what.

Renee Story 31:45

While keeping a lot of laughter in there. I mean, there's so many stories to be told with real estate and uh so many funny. Every realtor that has talked to me is like, oh my gosh, can we talk? I have 12 stories that you would not believe. You can't write this stuff. So people are wanting to share all of their funny real estate stories. And my mom really loved real estate. I don't think we will ever lose the humbleness of this. It came from a place of love, and I think that we will just always keep it in our hearts.

Greg Staffa 32:13

Is this, I know you produced some stuff, and Chloe, you've acted in some stuff, but is this your first real film festival circuit?

Renee Story 32:22

Chloe, as an actress, has been in a lot of film festivals for sure.

Chloe Ray 32:26

Well, we did a we had a feature that did a film festival circuit, but then we went to distribution first. We're we're not new to the film festival circuit. We've been going to film festivals for years and collaborating and meeting with some really lovely people. But this is definitely a different experience, being that this is our first um television pilot, and we're really trying to pick it up as like this broader, larger concept than just like a film that's being submitted and judged. So we're getting to work with our cast and we're getting to meet a lot more people and discuss all sorts of formats that Noble Homes could take place in. So it's certainly been a unique festival run.

Greg Staffa 33:00

I can't imagine having something as personal to me being able to sit in front of an audience and just let it be judged like that. It has to be a little bit nerve-wracking.

Chloe Ray 33:11

Definitely.

Renee Story 33:12

Yeah, we were really lucky. I was surprised. I mean, the first day, Sunday, we had sold out and we were doing a repeat uh showing on Monday, and I thought no one is gonna be there. I really had such low expectations for the Monday showing, and we sold that one out too, but we were a block with uh six films, but it was just such an invigorating experience to be in a studio or in a theater with a full, full group, but I've walked by several films or different things where there are smaller amounts, but these are fantastic films, and we can't always judge them by that.

Chloe Ray 33:45

So it's interesting to see uh yeah, the word of mouth thing is is huge. I think both the reason that both of our screenings sold out was was a lot of word of mouth, a lot of talking to people, marketing. We were lucky enough to have our whole cast come out, um, aside from two of them, um, just because of conflicting issues and bookings, which is so exciting. Best reason not to be here. So everyone was on the floor talking to everyone and getting people to come out to our screening, which really paid off. Word of mouth is huge, and just just realizing that everyone around you at a festival is an aspiring creative who who wants to see each other succeed.

Renee Story 34:20

Yes, we had a small cast and crew, but almost everybody came. And we were out there in full force. We had sweatshirts, as you can see, and like all kinds of fun stuff, and we were giving

Collaboration And Creative Tension

Renee Story 34:30

out little squeezy bananas, and it was just fun to be here and feel everybody's energy and passion about their project as well as our own.

Greg Staffa 34:38

You directed this, but you're also an actress. Are you is there any other things that you have going on that you can talk about besides this that we can see you in?

Chloe Ray 34:48

Yeah, I mean, it's been a busy few weeks. So uh the movie Swiped, starring Lily James, just came out on Hulu. Uh, it premiered at TIFF this year. And I I have a very small role uh alongside Lily James in that movie. So I got to go to the premiere of that last week. And then I just wrapped on a proof of concept for a Nashville winning pitch uh or a Nashville Pitch Fest winning feature film titled Creepy AF with Mal Flat or Matt Miley Flanagan, who plays Naruto and Charlie's True and Seth Lee from The Accountant. So lots of exciting things coming in post-production on that, and post-production on a feature and pre-production on a couple music videos and commercials. So much is happening.

Renee Story 35:26

A lot on the directing side for sure.

Chloe Ray 35:28

But a lot on the filmmaking side. But I'm still thrilled to be able to slide in acting jobs here and there. I just did a commercial for um board and just all sorts of things, getting to work that muscle and work with actors as much as possible.

Greg Staffa 35:42

And what is the is there a genre that you're especially drawn to, or is it just acting roles that come up or directing roles that come up you you'll take because you're the you know a young actress looking for work?

Chloe Ray 35:56

No, um with with directing and producing, I I've always been taught that that's how you assert your taste is by picking projects that you believe in and you're passionate about. I don't try to conform myself to genre. Um typically I was more interested in more like slowing, slow-moving, more independent, um like slice of lifestyle stuff. And recently I've been obsessed with suspense um and I just did a horror short. So I'm all over the place. As long as the story like resonates in my heart, I want to be a part of it. And I think that rings pretty true for acting as well. Although there's a lot of people I want to work with as a filmmaker that acting's a really nice door to be introduced to. So I would I love to audition for a show sometimes just for the sake of, oh my gosh, I'm obsessed with this, this crew, this director, this writer, this, this actor I'd get to work with. Um, and that's just a huge pleasure to be able to oh yeah, expanding your community and meet more people and get on more sets. I will I'll be on set any way I can. I do a lot of editing and post-production, but I also love to assist and direct. And I and anything I can do to get on set or just keep to do doing what I love every day and make a living out of what I love, I will do. I'll get her.

Renee Story 37:05

She's she's a great actress, she's a great director.

Chloe Ray 37:07

Unless it compromises my morality, in which case, um there, yeah, there's some passes. I I just try to stay true to myself as much as possible.

Greg Staffa 37:16

And can you expand on that a little bit without going into too much? What do you mean the compromise? Like what do you see as a compromise of morality?

Chloe Ray 37:25

Oh, just like if I I don't necessarily agree with the themes and the script, or I don't feel like the role necessarily depicts me as someone I would want to be depicted as, or if it doesn't represent women the way I want women to be represented in film and media, I don't want to compromise the things I'm doing on the filmmaking side through my acting career because I feel like that's hypocritical. And obviously it's not always avoidable, but for

Festivals, Feedback, And Momentum

Chloe Ray 37:50

the most part, I really try to stay true to the things that I want to see in media because I believe media is super important and it has a huge impact. Um, and I try to try to not do anything that would get in the way of that.

Greg Staffa 38:02

So let's say Steven Spielberg went and saw uh your film and he says, you know, Chloe, I really enjoyed what you did. I'm gonna give you money to set aside to do noble homes. So I'm kind of taking that off the list. I'm also gonna give you Steven Spielberg money to do something that's now your pet project because you you've done your mom's pet project. I'm giving you Steven Spielberg money now to do your pet project. So Noble Homes is you can't say I'm gonna expand Noble Homes. What would your pet project be?

Chloe Ray 38:37

I have a lot in the works at the moment. But if Steven Spielberg gave me the money, I assume he could also maybe get me the IP. And I've been wanting to make a Madeline movie forever. That's like the one big box officer franchise that I I've just have always wanted to make. And if I had Steven Spielberg's support, I feel like I could finally get that Madeline, those Madeline books and that IP and do something really, really cool with it, which hasn't been done in a long time.

Greg Staffa 39:02

And Renee, same thing with you. You're you're producing things, you're doing things outside of uh Noble Homes. If Steven Spielberg came to you and said, I want you to produce something, uh, but you can't hire your daughter, what would you what would you choose to do?

Renee Story 39:20

Well, I also am a lit manager, so I read scripts all the time. And I have two that come to mind right away. I have one called Shelby Kane, which could be a whole universe. It's a very um superwoman, or not super woman, but a uh female action hero. It could be its own universe, but it's also uh addresses uh some environmental issues and the Thai slave stripping industry, which is all very based on true stories, but a very, very topical story that needs to be told that people probably don't know about, but in a um fictional way with a uh woman, very strong woman who is a you know just a force to be reckoned with, and she has great stories. And then I have another um script called Guilt, which I think is written by Sal Luisi, and the other one was written by Bridget Mel Bald McMahon, who wrote Noble Homes. So Shelby Kane was written by her, and then I have a uh script called Guilt, which is amazing, and I was on the edge of my seat my entire time reading that. So I would love to get both of those made.

Greg Staffa 40:25

And then wrapping things up, and I appreciate you both coming on. Uh you've clearly worked together for a while now. Not only in this, but you you clearly have a great relationship. But is there something special about Noble Homes that you each discovered about the other person during that time or during this press tour? Or is there something new that you discovered about one another?

Chloe Ray 40:51

I think you were a lot more. I mean, uh filmmaking is especially with the amount of pages and the amount of money and time and crew members we had, it's it's a stressful, really hard, gruesome process. We stay up 16-hour days, um, no sleeper on our feet for most of those 16 hours, a lot of times not eating. Not I personally am doing that. I try to treat my crew with the utmost safety and try to feed and keep everyone hydrated. But I didn't think she would be able to hang the entire time. I thought she'd need to tap out understandably at times, and and that's totally fine for the the position that she had, but she was there

Season Vision And Story Arcs

Chloe Ray 41:30

every step of the way and she wanted to stay up just as late as everyone else. And she was up before everyone else as well. So that was really impressive and shocking to me. Um, I just didn't know that with age it it didn't go away, and I'm gonna be doing that for years, I guess.

Renee Story 41:44

You are uh and for me, for Chloe, it was just her ability to really connect with all the actors and gain the respect of everybody around her to really work with everybody and really guide them in their performances to really get truth and a lot of fun out of them. So I was really impressed with her directing more than anything, and just working with her as an adult, it's just a different way to see her and find so much joy in her. And yeah, it's been great.

Greg Staffa 42:12

And final question, and we'll wrap things up. I ask everyone this, and so I'll ask both of you. It applies a little bit more to Chloe than Renee. But Chloe, when we look at you, we say, you know, Chloe Reyes, she's a director, she's been in, you know, speechless, she's been in Fuller House, Trevor and the Virgin. We kind of tie you to the things that you've done, the the things that you've directed, the things that you've acted with. But when you get up in the morning and go into the bathroom, look in the mirror, splash a little water in your face, what do you see when you look?

Chloe Ray 42:45

I try to tell myself I am that girl. I think you wake up every morning and it's so easy to dissociate from those accomplishments and from that hard work and not enjoy what you've worked so hard for. So I try to look up at myself in the morning every day and tell myself that I deserve to be where I am and and try to hype myself up to continue working at the pace I'm working at because and telling myself it's all gonna be worth it one day. And it's starting to be worth it, which is a really beautiful thing.

Greg Staffa 43:15

And Renee, same for you. You know, you're a mother, you're a producer, you're a daughter. When you get up, splash the light in your face. Who do you see?

Renee Story 43:25

Uh I see someone who has always thought I can do anything as long as I'm giving the opportunity. So I'm really focused on creating opportunities for others as well as myself. Um, because I know my work ethics there, I know that my skill levels there. It's just getting that opportunity. So I just always say, you know, there's nothing I can't really do. When we got into Austin, I was like, well, we can do this, we can keep moving forward too. So I just look at each step and want to move it forward and know that I'm not limited.

Greg Staffa 43:56

Well, ladies, I appreciate you coming on. Uh, Noble Homes is now making the festival circuit. Uh, I like I said, I've seen half of it, I enjoyed it. It's kind of a very office-esque type of comedy, and I believe there's a trailer, so I'll attach that to the to the episode as well. But I thank you for coming on. I look forward to seeing where your future takes both of you, and maybe we'll see each other one day at South by Southwest or talking about your next project or reviewing a Madeline series on Disney Plus or something.

Chloe Ray 44:27

So definitely, definitely. Thanks for having us, Greg.

Greg Staffa 44:31

Thank you.

Chloe Ray 44:32

Thank you so much. Have a good one.