Behind ‘A Moving Picture’ is a Tale of Love, learning, and 1920s Magic

In the enchanting world of independent cinema, Alyssa Namazi brings to life the delightful black and white silent film ‘A Moving Picture.’ This 1920s-style cinematic creation is a journey that started with a deep-rooted passion for the magic of the silver screen.

The origin of ‘A Moving Picture’ can be traced back to Alyssa’s experience as a background actor in the 1920s-themed scenes of Damien Chazelle’s film, ‘Babylon’. Captivated by the era’s charm, she delved into the world of silent films, culminating in a Halloween costume that mirrored the grace of a 1920s flapper. This fascination evolved into a script for her directing class, intertwining elements she loves about movies – period settings, romance, filmmaking, and beautiful costumes.

“My directing class started the following January, and I needed to write a script for a short film” said Namazi. “Looking back, I just put all of the things that I love about movies into one short film. There’s also a bit of the movie that is inspired by a true story.  When my husband and I first started dating, I had told him that I wanted to be an actress.  One day, he happened to be on set, and he started talking to the director about me.  He was telling the director that he had just started dating a girl who wanted to be an actress.  They looked up my picture on the director’s computer, and the director said, “She’s very beautiful.  Tell her to keep auditioning because we can definitely use someone like her.”  I knew my husband was a good guy the day I met him, but this was the moment that I really started thinking he was a pretty great guy.”

Namazi commented that her favorite part of making the movie was witnessing the transformation of a mere idea into a tangible, everlasting film. Despite a relatively small crew, the collaborative spirit fueled the project’s success, leaving both actors and crew in awe of the talent involved.

“Most days there were only five crew members, including myself.  It was fun watching the other crew members work with each other and problem solve.  They are so good at what they do!  It was just fascinating to listen to them talking about how they were going to get a specific shot, and they would just bounce ideas and work together so well.  Even the actors were impressed at how quick, smart, and talented the crew was!”

Yet, filmmaking is not without its challenges. As the driving force behind the project, Alyssa wore multiple hats – director, writer, producer, actress, and more. The self-funded nature of the film meant juggling numerous responsibilities. The most difficult part? The sheer exhaustion and lack of sleep during production, with Alyssa and her DP reaching a point where their brains could no longer function.

Reflecting on the experience, Alyssa contemplates what she would do differently, emphasizing the importance of thorough pre-production. The time crunch during shooting led to sleepless nights and missed opportunities, a lesson learned for future projects.

“Every day after we wrapped, I would go home and start preparing for the next day.  I ended up staying up until 2:00-4:00AM every night, and then had to be back on set at 7:30AM the next morning.  I was not getting any sleep, I wasn’t eating.  It was really exhausting.  By the end of the shoot, the DP and I were joking about how our brains could no longer function and we couldn’t think.  We were exhausted.”

Time was constantly an obstacle in the production and sometimes that lead to compromises in the process. 

“Another thing I would do differently is watch playback on every single take.  I didn’t do this because we were pressed for time in the theater.  We had to be out by 5:00 each day, so I felt like we had to get as many shots as we could and I couldn’t “waste time” by watching playback.  I would just trust that we got what we needed.  In hindsight, it is much more difficult to make up for missed shots, and we would have been much better off had I taken the time to watch playback in the moment.”

For aspiring filmmakers, Alyssa offers valuable advice. She advocates for self-awareness in choosing between film school and hands-on experience, emphasizing the importance of enjoying the filmmaking process.

“For me, I know that I needed film school.  I don’t have the personality to go out and do something before I know how to do it.  I definitely benefited from film school.   I loved the film program at SLCC.”

Alyssa also recommended to make the movie you would want to watch.

“One of the students in my class told me that when we read my script in class, he didn’t think that it was the type of movie that he would like.  After we watched my movie, however, he told me that he loved it and he said that it was magical.  So, you never know what other people will like, but if you like your own movie, chances are other people will like it too.”

As a final bit of advice Alyssa wants to emphasis the importance of a good story.

“I feel like a lot of new filmmakers focus on, “Which camera should I get?” or “Which lights should I get?” or other equipment-related things.  While it’s nice to have the best equipment, the story is really the most important aspect of filmmaking.  When you have a compelling story, the audience is willing to forgive so much.”

As for what lies ahead, Alyssa shares her future projects on her YouTube channel and IMDb. With plans for another short film and aspirations for a feature, she invites audiences to join her on a cinematic journey that promises to be as magical as ‘A Moving Picture.’

‘A Moving Picture’ is an official selection of the Utah International Film Festival taking place February 12-17. The movie will screen at Maven Cinema’s in American Fork, UT. 

The cast of ‘A Moving Picture incudes Spencer Jarman as Edmond, Alyssa Namazi as Adeline, Jared Palmer as Benedict, and Roxie Hawk as Constance. The crew includes Alyssa Namazi as Writer/Director, Will Stamp as DP, Dennis Dolan as 1st AD, Phil Wirkus as Gaffer, Zach Robertson as 1st AC, Chris Beltran as Script Supervisor, Music by Regan Batten, Choreography by Jen Rhodes, and Grips:  Cade Ziolkowski, Gabriel Gertino, Cameron Cloward, Emma Hall, and Scotlynn Duke.