Renee Story and Chloe Ray Bring Their Real-Life Family Bond to Comedy Pilot Noble Homes

Filmmaker duo Renee Story and Chloe Ray are turning their real-life family dynamic into heartfelt comedy with their new pilot Noble Homes, which premiered at the 2025 Austin Film Festival. The mockumentary-style comedy, inspired by their own family experiences, has quickly become a standout for its mix of humor, heart, and personal storytelling.

Noble Homes follows the staff of a Michigan real estate agency as they try to balance profit and community spirit while riding the housing boom. The 26-minute pilot was shot on an Arri Alexa LF with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and a $20,000 budget, completed on June 16, 2025. The ensemble includes Derek Demko, Tabitha Brownstone, DeRon Cash, Robert Keith, Chloe Ray, Coby Larinde, Shannon Burke, and Kimberly Blair.

The project’s origins are deeply personal. Story revealed that the idea came while caring for her mother during cancer treatment. “We spent so much time laughing at comedies together,” she said. “After she passed, I wanted to honor her love for storytelling and laughter.” Using a small inheritance, Story decided to produce a project that captured that spirit — and there was no one better to partner with than her daughter, Chloe.

Ray, who also directed the pilot, said working with her mother was both natural and inspiring. “My mom’s strength and work ethic are the reason I became a director,” she explained. “This show is our way of celebrating family and the absurd moments that make life meaningful.”

To write the series, they brought in Bridget Bell McMahon, an award-winning screenwriter known for her sharp comedic voice. The team also relied heavily on improvisation, casting actors with strong improv backgrounds and experimenting with multiple versions of scenes. “We’d test different jokes with small audiences to see what landed,” Ray said. “It took several cuts to get to the version that premiered at Austin, but that process made the comedy stronger.”

One of the most impressive technical feats of the production was the first act, which features seven characters interacting in a fast-paced farce. The crew shot 15 pages in a day and a half, an ambitious schedule for a complex ensemble scene. “It was chaotic, but the energy on set was incredible,” Ray recalled. “When everyone’s laughing that much, you know you’re onto something.”

The pilot’s world premiere at the Austin Film Festival was a major milestone, with two sold-out screenings at the Galaxy Theatre on October 26 and 27, 2025. The project also earned an official selection at the Broad Humor Film Festival in Santa Monica, where it was recognized for Best Episodic Series.

For Story, success isn’t measured only in awards. “If everyone involved walks away with something valuable — footage, confidence, momentum — that’s success to me,” she said. Ray added that being accepted into Austin validated their work: “It’s vulnerable to put something personal out there. That recognition told us it was worth it.”

The filmmakers are already looking ahead, developing a new project titled CREEPY AF, while continuing to shop Noble Homes for series development. For updates and festival appearances, you can visit the project’s FilmFreeway page or follow the creators on social media.

Noble Homes stands as proof that when comedy is born from genuine connection, it doesn’t just make you laugh — it makes you feel like part of the family.