Chicago filmmaker George Ellzey Jr. is bringing his deeply personal first feature one step closer to the big screen.
The Bronzeville writer-director will begin production on a proof of concept for Human Noise Aug. 11-14 at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios, marking the next chapter for a project fueled by hometown support from DePaul University, Chicago businesses and the city’s independent film community.
Human Noise is an ensemble drama about friendship, identity and the lives people construct to hide from themselves. The story follows a woman whose carefully curated life begins to unravel after her politician husband leaves just before a holiday party, forcing a long-overdue reckoning among a group of estranged friends.
The cast features Deveon Bromby, Ayanna Bria Bakari, Debo Balogun, Kenneth La’Ron Hamilton, Cage Sebastian Pierre, Ashlyn Lozano, Andrae Bicy, Dani Suarez Velez, Dyamone Hopkins and Raysam.
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According to Ellzey, the proof of concept draws inspiration from ensemble favorites including The Best Man, Soul Food, Rachel Getting Married and The Big Chill, with the filmmakers hoping to showcase the feature’s performances, emotional tone and visual style as they continue raising financing for the full-length film.
Ellzey first wrote the screenplay at 28. Now 34, he says returning to the script after navigating his own changes in friendship, ambition and identity has transformed it into something far more personal.
“We’re living in an age of constant performance,” Ellzey told Reel Chicago. “Human Noise is everything that pulls us away from who we really are: the expectations, the pressure, the fear, and even the versions of ourselves we’ve created just to belong. This film is about what happens when that noise finally fades.”
Since then, the filmmakers have secured more than $17,000 through grants, sponsorships and community contributions, with additional production support coming through an Amazon Wishlist rather than a traditional crowdfunding campaign.
The project gained momentum after Ellzey became the first recipient of the DePaul School of Cinematic Arts Alumni Grant, which provided $5,000 in funding along with access to university soundstages, cameras, lighting equipment and other production resources.
Production is also receiving support from a number of Chicago organizations and businesses, including the DePaul School of Cinematic Arts, Black Opal, Guild Mortgage & the Brian Sewell Team, O’Connor Casting, QuickSilver Color, the Orson Welles Initiative, Journeyworks Entertainment and other local partners.
A Regional Emmy nominee, Ellzey earned his MFA in directing from DePaul University in 2023. His work has won two Gold Telly Awards, screened at more than 50 film festivals and appeared on streaming platforms including AMC+ and Mansa.
For Ellzey, Human Noise represents more than his feature debut. It’s another example of Chicago filmmakers building ambitious projects through collaboration, local institutions and community support.
