Meet Emmy-Winning Cinematographer & Director Keyan Safyari
The Moving Images Entertainment founder’s elite credits include concert specials for Elton John, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift and Lionel Richie; feature films, and even the Emmy Awards themselves.
Keyan Safyari is an enlightening example of how far a dogged work ethic can take a talented individual, even in a ruthlessly competitive environment like Hollywood. As a seasoned director of photography and founder of elite production-services company Moving Images Entertainment, his dizzying list of outstanding professional credits spans all forms of filmed media, including concert specials for Elton John (for which he won an Emmy), Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift and Lionel Richie; feature films, prime-time TV shows, news network documentaries, and even the Emmy Awards themselves. Read our interview with Safyari below to learn more about this extraordinary man’s humble beginnings, favorite projects and Tinseltown ascension.
Tell us about the founding of Moving Images Entertainment in 2004.
Prior to starting Moving Images Entertainment, I was working in the visual effects field as a 3D modeler and animator, learning the entire post-production workflow. I was on the ground floor when revolutionary technologies, such as 3D animation software Maya, were first released. I was fascinated by the power it held in creating visually stunning and realistic objects that I could blend with the real world. I wouldn’t sleep for days trying to learn the software, techniques and proper workflow to make my designs and projects come to life.
At the time, I was also going to film school, learning art, animation, directing, cinematography and 35-mm filmmaking. I soon started making my own films and took on some projects for several new clients. I found that I could put together projects from start to finish within a wide range of budgets, yet achieve a high-production-value look. This continued process led me to found my company with the goal of telling stories in a visually mesmerizing way that would invoke an emotional response but do so in a way that’s on-budget and without drama or stress for my crew, the client or producing partners. I did whatever it took to get the job done.
Were there any major early challenges that you had to overcome?
Funds and clients were the main challenge. Equipment costs are very high and the entry point is steep in this industry, and for a college kid with zero money or help financially, it can be a daunting task. This barrier forced me to work two jobs while running my business. I was fortunate enough to work as a loan processor with a real estate broker who knew my situation and was willing to allow me to take time off when needed for shoots as long as I got my tasks done. Additionally, I was also working part-time for a loan consolidation company that helped me pay my bills and save enough money to buy the camera and equipment I needed for my business. I worked 14 hours a day for five days and stacked my classes across two days so I would limit the amount of time I was at school, allowing me to focus on building my business.
I would pretty much say yes to anything, from documentaries, super low-budget indie films, obscure commercial shoots, training videos, multi-camera music shoots, and news stories. I would work on anything that came my way just to get the experience and because I really enjoyed telling a story through a visual medium. I made it a personal goal of mine to make anything I shot look interesting and beautiful.
How has the company evolved over the past two decades?
When we started, we did anything and everything just for the privilege of learning new skills and adding experience to our tool belt. That curiosity allowed us to mature quickly. Now, our range is uniquely broad for a company our size. We’re able to direct massive big-budget productions for feature films, live televised events, TV series, commercials and documentaries, but we remain nimble enough to serve smaller-budgeted, 1-2 camera shoots that are more editorial in nature. Because we own the majority of our equipment, we can really customize our services to any project need. We love seeing a project through from its conception in someone’s imagination to post-production and, finally, seeing the images through the audience’s eyes. It’s pretty cool to hear our clients say they prefer working with us because they enjoy sharing that journey from start to finish in a “monogamous relationship” with one firm.
How does your company help clients and networks achieve their goals?
We help our clients achieve their goals in a multitude of ways but mainly by providing them what they need before they even realize they will need it. We anticipate the needs of a production before we even get started and try to make sure we budget and plan for everything in advance. We get the correct personnel, equipment and organize logistics so our clients are never stuck and have what they need for the creative vision to be achieved. This allows us to focus more on the creative itself and provide a product that surpasses the clients expectations.
Today, your company’s services are divided among three categories: pre-production, production, and post-production. Do you specialize in one of these areas?
Our niche is that we specialize in treating those three focus areas as one cohesive process: Every single detail and aspect of production informs the final product. Similar to how the human body requires a harmonious interplay between its various components to achieve an ideal state of wellness, all aspects of production need to complement and inform each other to achieve a fully-realized final product that surpasses what you’d get from each individual component; they can’t be mutually exclusive. In my experience, a good producer has to specialize in each phase of the process but also has to go a step beyond to cultivate a vision for the final product right at the beginning of the process. Only by having a cohesive vision can you elevate the entire project, as well as anticipate potential problem areas and bottlenecks to preemptively troubleshoot.
What have been some of your favorite projects?
I have a lot of favorites, but one that has stuck with me through the years is one of my first projects: a documentary about the Marvel legend Stan Lee. He was such a humble, generous sweetheart of a man, and he had such a wonderful relationship with his wife, Joan. The way he treated her—and the way they loved each other—was such a special thing to witness. It really made me appreciate the privileged lens through which I get to enjoy learning and telling peoples’ stories.
With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story was a great project to be a part of because it covered the man behind the very comics that I grew up reading. So to spend five years with him, learning all the history and the stories of his tribulations, was extraordinary. We traveled all over, shooting all interviews on-location at each celebrity’s home and accompanying Stan to Comic-Con.
Since then, I have had the privilege to be a part of so many other amazing projects like the Super Bowl halftime shows, Grammys, Oscars, Emmys, films, TV shows, hundreds of concerts and musical performances, and world-changing events through my news clients. It’s been a fun road.
You just finished wrapping The Real Full Monty, which features celebrities stripping to raise money benefitting cancer charities. Any crazy stories?
What a wild ride and production that was. The show was done previously in the UK, but they wanted to bring it to North America. I was contacted three weeks before start of production, so it was a balls-to-the-walls sprint. We still hadn’t locked down talent until hours leading up to physical production.
Several male celebrities who have been touched by cancer came on the show, learned The Full Monty dance, and performed it in front of a live audience to raise awareness and money for cancer research. It ended up becoming a cathartic experience everyone. I lost my aunt to stomach cancer when I was 15, and to see her go through what she did and to see the effect it had on my entire family was very hard. Part of the reason I did this project was for my aunt and the countless others who have had to deal with cancer in one way or another.
We didn’t have a large budget, but I wanted to make sure the show looked and felt special, so I brought on a lot more equipment and pushed to shoot it cinema-style in 4K—I even called in some favors to make sure we captured it properly. We had a lot of laughs and goofs—all the celebrities in it were wonderful and had a good time with it. Lots of teenage humor and dick jokes were had, as you’d expect when you get a bunch of dudes together to do a striptease, but it went off without a hitch.
Tell us what it was like shooting Lionel Richie Live at the Forum.
Producing, directing and shooting Lionel Richie Live at the Forum was a great experience, albeit one of my more challenging ones, since we had such a short amount of time to put it together and execute. The call came down from Lionel to shoot his concert with two weeks’ notice; typically, we have a one-month lead time, as we have to lock down crew and permits, prep, scout and get insurance. But we were able to put the pedal down and get it done quickly.
Lionel and his team wanted Taylor Swift: Eras Tour quality, which I had worked on. We crewed up with the best in the business, and we had one day to load in, set up, shoot and load out, which is insane. I had scripted out the show and prepped the 16 cameras to ensure everything was ready to go right before the opening act came on. Lionel brought the magic and we filmed an amazing show in LA. He’s not only a legend and a genius, but he’s simply a wonderful human; how do you not go above and beyond for the guy? Plus, my mom and dad love his music, so I couldn’t disappoint them.
How does working on TV specials like NBC’s Christmas at Graceland or The Full Monty differ from working on a live concert?
When it comes to a special like Christmas at Graceland, there are elements of a live concert, but it’s more intimately layered—you’re telling a story about arguably the most legendary music icon ever, Elvis, in the very place that he lived this mythic life. It’s a tribute to his music via the talented musicians he influenced, like Lana Del Rey, Post Malone and Lainey Wilson. Each of those layers becomes a component of the story being told.
The Real Full Monty confronts a very unfunny issue using humor and requires a delicate balance. The cast needs to be allowed to express their vulnerability and honor the gravity of their relative experiences with cancer, but the humor of a choreographed striptease in front of a live audience also need to be captured.
Each one takes a different approach. For Christmas at Graceland, I brought some vintage lenses and pushed to shoot it cinematically in a very close and intimate way. Each performance was unique, but they all had the same intimate scope and feel while still being a grand honor to Elvis. For The Real Full Monty, it was more of a documentary style of shooting. You don’t know what’s gonna happen, so you anticipate and try to capture vulnerable moments that are true to life and can’t be staged. It needed to feel big, rich and polished to do the guys bearing it all justice; they deserved it after what they had just been through. For a concert like Lionel’s, I wanted to connect him to his old fans and bring in new young ones who maybe aren’t as familiar with his music. To do this, we had to shoot it in a way that speaks to everyone and do so with a very high-quality level of production.
You’re also are a painter and a hockey player. Do either or both of those activities complement filmmaking ability?
Absolutely. They serve as both creative influences and outlets. Painting feeds my artistic brain. Sometimes, with the majority of stuff I do, your creativity is reigned in because of the client you work with or the audience you’re speaking to; they need it to be a certain way, so you can’t be as wild and crazy as you want. Painting is a way to get that creativity out of the system, but it also helps me explore color theory, composition and lighting. Hockey is something that’s a passion of mine. I’ve been playing since I was five years old, and anyone who plays it knows once you start, there is no stopping. Plus, some of my best friends also play, so it’s a good place to go and just hang with the boys, shoot the shit, drink a beer after the game, and hang out. Everyone needs an outlet and some exercise, so for me, it checks those boxes.
What does the future hold for you and your company?
We have several projects that we are developing—a couple TV shows and films that are going to be real crowd pleasers—so we are going to produce and distribute those. Plus, we are in the process of building out a stage where we can shoot a variety of projects for ourselves and our clients. We have some big things coming and are excited for the future.
This article originally appeared in the May/June 2024 issue of Maxim magazine.
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