Today we’d like to introduce you to Zana Sanders.
Zana, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have always had a love for all things artistic ranging from music, to fashion, to architectural design. Thus, I would say that I’ve always been drawn to the convergence of form and function. After a stint in corporate America, I grew disenchanted with the obsession of making money just for the sake of propagating a capitalist system. In assessing the dissonance between form and function in my own life, I realized that I needed to create, to produce in more meaningful and sustainable ways. As a scholar, I began studying the interdisciplinary convergence of culture, media and society and those interests led me to developing ZANDERLAND Productions, in form, as a platform to create multimedia content that is relevant, engaging and socially conscious. My intention is to develop ZANDERLAND, in function, as a premiere resource of cultural relevance, which promotes the development of artistry, activism and community throughout the African diaspora.
I’m motivated by real people doing extraordinary work to impact and improve their communities. If content is king, as a creator, it is my mission to develop meaningful content that is in service of building and sustaining community. I’m driven to develop and utilize a culturally rich and diverse ecosystem or artists, community advocates and social organizations to enrich our communities on both a micro and macro scale. As a creator, my responsibility is to create impact that resonates, which is a challenge in a media landscape dominated by notions of fake news, underrepresentation and hypervisibility, false-reality TV, viral imagery and the proliferation of celebrity as culture. Yet, it is a challenge that I wholeheartedly accept.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Life is not linear. In my experience, I’ve had more obstacle and detours than I care to plot. I’ve had to return to the drawing board more times than I care to admit. I’ve had so-called creators siphon off my work. I’ve faced disappointment. I’ve lacked support in many of my endeavors. I have had to learn to identify my realm of influence and cultivate my resources. We all struggle. Nothing about life is fair. Working hard does not always produce the results you desire. Often, doing the right thing goes unnoticed and unrewarded. We like to believe that if you work hard enough everything will come to you in accordance with your desires. This is a myth. While the Universe does work in alignment with us, it does so in accordance with higher laws and on its own terms. We have to learn how to channel our energy as everything we desire may not be what we need in a particular space and time. The truth is that we are often discouraged. The truth is there are always obstacles. The truth is that external forces may interfere and the odds may not be in our favor. Despite all of that, our greatest obstacle will always be self. How do we endeavor onward in the face of great resistance? How do we overcome these obstacles? We are all navigating this terrain throughout our lives. Some days, I do not succeed. Yet, the work still has to be done and if I do not do it, who will? Facing the fears, the disappointments, the insecurities become the greatest challenge of all. As individuals, we have to access our power in order to endure, to keep doing, to keep working, to keep climbing, and to keep building and that is how we conquer; through the development of higher consciousness.
ZANDERLAND Productions – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
ZANDERLAND Productions operates as a digital media and production company. We work with independent artists, brands and organizations to develop marketing and promotional material. We produce original content including film, podcast, web series, video and documentary. As an artist and filmmaker, ZANDERLAND is more than my production company, it is also the platform I utilize to engage with my audience.
I’m proud of all of the work that I’ve been able to do. If, I had to pick one thing, I would say that I was most proud of my latest creative endeavor, “The Monopolized Project,” a multimedia immersive art installation featuring the socially conscious feature-length documentary, “Monopolized.” I wrote, directed and scored the film here in Atlanta. “The Monopolized Project” provided a glimpse inside of black life in America via a communal perspective. Master oil painter, Khaldun Oluwa constructed the phenomenal set design and the installation debuted in the West End community.
Vision, content and artistic innovation are the elements that separate ZANDERLAND from other media companies. These are also the elements that distinguish my signature avant-garde style from other filmmakers and digital artists.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is based on intention. If I am able to fulfill my intentions and manifest in accordance with my goals then, I am successful. Sometimes, the markers of success are small and in sequential. Yet, even small accomplishments are of great importance as they help one develop a successful mindset and practice. Inspiration. Intention. Manifestation. Creation. These are my markers of success that basically a produce a process of step and repeat fueled by evolution and innovation.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.zanderlandproductions.com
- Email: zanderchronicleslife@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zanderchronicles/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zanderchronicles/
- Twitter: https://www.instagram.com/zanderchronicle/
- Other: www.themonopolizedproject.com
Image Credit:
Zana Sanders
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