Nicole Panashe shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Nicole, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
I recently got to screen my short film in my hometown (Harare) at the institution where I used to come to take french lessons as a kid. It was such a surreal experience coming back after so many years, and being able to connect my past and present in a such a unique and creative way. It was definitely a moment I am proud of and won’t forget!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Nicole! I am a writer-director and multi-media from Harare, Zimbabwe. Since starting my filmmaking career, I have written, directed and produced an array of projects such as short films, music videos, documentaries and commercials. As a filmmaker, I am passionate about telling stories that explore themes centering cultural exploration, mental health, youth, music and sports. When it comes to my creative vision, a theme that is at the core of my work and storytelling is ‘identity’. Through the idea of self, I navigate my curiosity and questions about the human condition and often reflect that experience in my work. I always looks to create projects that express my unique upbringing and background, and hope to become an established writer/director, with the future goal of creating projects that give a platform and visibility to underrepresented stories and minorities.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
I think I always had the creative skills in me as a child. I would often play make believe, try drawing, or even experiment with my own fashion and style by wearing outgoing colors and hairstyles. I really admire that free spirited and ambition I had as a child, because I felt like any dream I had was possible. As I got older, I started to lose that side of myself, and felt like acceptance was more important that ambition, so I no longer believed in standing out and often dimmed my light to fit in with others. But now, in the last year or so, I have learned to embrace that child-like side of myself again, and it has allowed me to reimagine myself, my dreams, and my creative voice. I now feel confident and see my differences as my strength and lean into what makes me unique in this world. I am excited to keep growing and discovering more unique ideas I have that I can apply to the next stories I want to tell.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
A lesson that I have learned through my faith is that suffering is used to strengthen and build you. All the trials and tribulations I have in life are all going to make me stronger. wiser and become better as a person, and that is a perspective that success doesn’t teach. Success can fade at any moment but what matters in the foundation behind it and the choices you make in your times of struggle. That is what I believe had gotten me through it all,
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
I think something that I noticed in my early days of joining the film industry was the idea that you need to know somebody for something to happen. Although that is the case for many instances of how people get their jobs, it is not the only way in. I was told by a school advisor in my first week of film school that there was “absolutely nothing” I could do on my own to get my foot in the door of Hollywood or gain access to it without having someone I know or being a known name in the industry. As soon I graduated, I just focused on applying to every assistant role I could find and investing into my own passion projects, and by doing that, within one year I got to work on-sets for Netflix and BET, with no connections. Through directing my own indie projects and cold-emailing artists to direct their music videos, I also got to network and meet so many artists and filmmakers, which allowed me to keep growing and opening new doors and opportunities because of the work I put in. I share this to say that it is possible to get into the industry without connections, and I am happy to took the chance on myself and had the belief to start somewhere, no matter how small.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What will you regret not doing?
As I get older, the more I realize how important it is to just try and get the answer rather than leaving stones unturned, I feel like I have some regrets in my life because I chose to rather not know, than fail. But now I know that if I’m curious about something or even have the smallest interest in something that is seemingly tough to achieve or out of my field, I just need to try and get the answer rather than letting it pass by and never knowing. I will regret not trying out of fear and know that trying and failing is a much better lesson and experience for my personal growth.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kontimedia/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-p-dzenga-aba391153/
