From Intern to Filmmaker: O’Connor Casting and George Ellzey Jr. Build Chicago’s Creative Community Through ‘Human Noise’

What makes people care about your film? 

For George Ellzey (pictured left), it’s giving them something to talk about. His films start conversations and provoke an examination of the human condition, and he’s made it a point to invest in Midwest talent and our local communities through his filmmaking. 

Collaborating with O’Connor Casting Company, Ellzey’s newest film Human Noise is in post-production. He met CSA casting directors Virginia Anello and Jessica Lyons first as an intern in 2019, and he has since partnered on three films with them as a writer, director, and producer. 

For Ellzey, partnering with O’Connor Casting on Human Noise marks a full circle moment. The company where he first learned to recognize the humanity behind every audition is now helping bring his first feature to life. That experience continues to shape Ellzey’s approach to filmmaking, one rooted in seeing people beyond the roles they perform and telling stories that invite audiences to do the same. 

“Working with O’Connor Casting on Human Noise feels like a coming home because they taught me to look beyond what people present and recognize the humanity underneath. That lesson has shaped the way I direct. I’m drawn to stories that reveal the cost of self-denial. From Bosom to Cottage Grove, and now Human Noise, my work asks what happens when people stop performing the version of themselves they think the world expects. Human Noise follows a group of lifelong friends over one holiday weekend as they quietly question their friendships, relationships, careers and the lives they’ve built. I hope audiences see themselves in those relationships, because the film isn’t just about one group of friends. It’s about the courage to let yourself be fully seen. And Chicago is filled with artists telling those deeply human stories, and I’m honored that Human Noise is one of them.”

In the seven years since his internship, that early professional connection has grown into an ongoing creative partnership. With O’Connor Casting, Anello and Lyons have collaborated with Ellzey on three of his most recent films (Bosom, Cottage Grove and now; Human Noise), helping him assemble accomplished Midwest talent and build the ensembles at the center of his work. In that short time, that MFA student who interned at a casting company is now a Regional Emmy-nominated writer, director, and producer. 

O’Connor Casting’s commitment to identifying and nurturing Midwest performers has also become a through line in Ellzey’s work and the company he later founded, Cottage Grove Productions. Their mission is to produce high-quality work in Chicago by beginning with investment in the creative community already here. That philosophy shaped his first feature Human Noise, an ensemble drama co-written by Ellzey and his longtime writing partner Cara Winters. After receiving an alumni grant from DePaul School of Cinematic Arts, production has just wrapped on the proof of concept at Cinespace. 

“Collaborating with George is nothing short of a dream. He’s what we would call a ‘casting director’s director.’  Having known him since he was an intern for us, it’s no surprise when he comes to us with a fantastic script and a clear vision for the cast. It makes our job incredibly smooth and fulfilling.  We don’t even have to read the script to know it’s going to be good and that actors will want to work on it, but it’s a treat to read anything he writes. All the pieces fit together and he does everything the right way.  Chicago actors can tell immediately when it’s a worthwhile project.  Seeing his company gain traction and recognition is such a joy.”

It’s All About Community

That community-centered approach expanded when Ellzey became the inaugural recipient of the DePaul School of Cinematic Arts Alumni Grant. The award provided $5,000 in cash funding as well as access to university soundstages, camera and lighting equipment, and other production resources used to bring the proof of concept to the screen.

With the grant as its foundation, the Human Noise team raised more than $17,000 in cash support through grants, direct community contributions, and sponsorships. More than 40 Black and Brown artists, DePaul alumni, Chicago businesses, institutional partners, and other local creatives ultimately contributed to the production.

Rather than treating community support as separate from the creative process, the filmmakers made it part of how the film was built. That network allowed Human Noise to approach its ensemble performances, production design, and visual language with the care and scale the team believes the larger feature deserves.

Drawing inspiration from the cultural intimacy of The Best Man and Soul Food and the performance-driven realism of Rachel Getting Married and The Big Chill, Human Noise examines the moment carefully curated versions of adulthood begin to fracture and long-silenced truths emerge.

Building a Superb Chicago Ensemble and Creative Team

The cast includes Deveon Bromby, Ayanna Bria Bakari, Debo Balogun, Kenneth La’Ron Hamilton, Cage Sebastian Pierre, Ashlyn Lozano, and Andrae Bicy.

Human Noise is produced by George Ellzey Jr., TJ Harris, Keiph Oliver, and Jordan Rivers. Jaden Dueñas, Van Wilson, Cara Winters, and Kat Owens serve as Associate Producers.

Let’s take a look at some photos from set, courtesy of Mike McKenzie Photography…

Partners Support and Invest in Human Noise

The production was supported by the DePaul School of Cinematic Arts; Black Opal, LLC; Jamaican Mango & Lime; the Orson Welles Initiative; Guild Mortgage & the Brian Sewell Team; O’Connor Casting; QuickSilver Color; Journeyworks Entertainment; and additional Chicago-area businesses and community supporters.

Black Opal provided product support for the film’s makeup department and planned production content and in-film placement. Jamaican Mango & Lime donated hair products for use during the production. Guild Mortgage contributed $1,000 toward food services. O’Connor Casting assembled the film’s Chicago ensemble, continuing its longstanding creative relationship with Ellzey, while QuickSilver Color will provide post-production color grading.

With principal photography complete, the film has entered post-production. The proof of concept is intended to demonstrate the feature’s ensemble performances, emotional tone, and visual language as Cottage Grove Productions and InstinctiVision Films continue developing and raising capital for the full-length production.

Want to learn more about Human Noise and Cottage Grove Productions? Follow them @cottagegroveproductions and see what else they’re working on at cottagegroveproductions.com

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