"mazuma" - [ muh-zoo-muh ] noun, informal  money; cash."the society does its best on limited mazuma"

"MAZUMA!" is a musical short about indulgence. The story is inseparable from its setting of the American 1920's. The 20s was the era of Prohibition, otherwise known as the nationwide constitutional ban of alcohol in the United States, which caused a drastic uptick of alcoholism, organized crime, and violence; on the other side of the same coin, the era was also known as the Roaring Twenties, a time characterized by the celebration of modernity and personal gratification in the wake of the first World War and the advancement of technology.  This was the era obsessed with indulgence, abandoning the practical, altruistic ways of old for the new vice of living to the fullest. 

Indulgence in sexuality, in dance, in culture, and in wealth. Indulgence in what was previously not had, and what you're not supposed to have, but have anyway. Indulgence in substance, metaphorically, and in substances, literally. Indulgence in the idea that you might live forever, and get away with it too. Indulgence in the idea of choice. Indulgence in the idea that you have a choice, finally, in your life. 

"MAZUMA!" is a story about a gangster, a flapper, and that choice. The choice to indulge in the possibility that there is a better life for them out there, and they're gonna do what they've got to do to get it. 

"MAZUMA!" is a project written and directed by Annie Michaela Westmoreland as her senior film thesis at the Savannah College of Art & Design. With a team of the most creative and hardworking minds that Savannah, Georgia has to offer, "MAZUMA!" has gone from being a difficult conceptual undertaking to a full fledged reality in less than a year. 

An enormous amount of collaboration has been needed to get "MAZUMA!" this far. As the film is a period piece, our art department has already started the laborious process of making sure that historical accuracy is maintained, while also creating plans to create a Speakeasy setting that's not only exact, but eccentric. Our composer has taken inspiration from Jazz and Broadway classics of the 1920s in order to create our dynamic soundtrack, and our choreographer knows the difference between a Foxtrot and a Charleston! Add in a diverse team of four producers, an incredible G&E team, and department heads across the board that are experts at what they do, and you can see how "MAZUMA!" has gotten where it is now! But we still need your help!

All of the songs in "MAZUMA!" are entirely original, and written through a collaboration of our director, Annie Michaela Westmoreland, and our composer, Jomar Marrero Centeno. Alongside our original music will be our originally choreography, far surpassing the typical needs and difficulties of other short films. With choreography comes blocking, and camera movement; the stellar camera team behind "MAZUMA!" has a lot of movement to keep up with, but they're preparing more and more everyday for the aesthetic and technical challenge under cinematographer, Erin Zellers. They've got a great gaffer, Taylor Gordon, to back them up! 

Our production designer, Jenna Tooley, and our costume designer, Amanda Lininger, are an incredibly talented duo who combine accuracy to the era with an understanding of the needs of the story. Our Speakeasy needs to not only look correct; it needs to be a character in itself. The costumes to be created are not only era defining, but character defining. We strive for historical accuracy in not only understanding the visual aesthetics that define the 20s, but the important values to the people of the 20s held. Ruth and Edward feel as though they were lifted out of the 20s instead of just being characters on the page, and we're so happy that they're about to be characters on the screen.

How You Can Help

MAZUMA could not be made without the help of friends and patrons! If you cannot assist us monetarily, we would appreciate your help in spreading the word about the film, and supporting us on social media!

SOCIAL MEDIA

FACEBOOK: @mazumamusical

INSTAGRAM: @mazumamusical

RISKS & CHALLENGES

With a project as ambitious as this one, it is obvious that there are risks & challenges that can come up during the process of our production. This project requires the efforts and collaboration of a massive team that are working for many countless hours to achieve the many objectives that we've set out to accomplish.

A big film like this can run into many different obstacles, especially with the sophistication of the equipment and coordination that we intend on using. Luckily, we are working with a dream team of professional individuals that we can trust with these many risks and responsibilities.