Meet N.A.Z. Pankey of Beastmode Entertainment

Today we’d like to introduce you to N.A.Z. Pankey.

N.A.Z., let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I grew up in the ghetto streets. My mother had seven kids and I am the oldest. Unfortunately, my mother fell victim to drug addiction, leaving me to raise my siblings. I’d miss ninety to one hundred days of school a year, so I was borderline illiterate. I had a stepfather, but he was abusive, physically, emotionally, verbally, and sexually. Struggling to survive and protect my siblings became my daily goals. Eventually, my siblings and I were split up and put in foster care. Five years later, my mother got clean and regained custody of my siblings and me. I was seventeen.

Before eighteen, I was put out on the streets and homeless. I walked through life with no purpose, searching for love in all the wrong places. It wasn’t long before I became a single mother of two sons working three jobs… until I broke my wrist. Unable to work, I turned to government assistance. They required me to go to school or take up a trade. I enrolled in college, took a placement test, and my reading was at a third-grade level.

Yes, I had a high school diploma and I was borderline illiterate. The college counselor understood why when he examined my transcripts and saw how many days of school I missed. I had to take a remedial reading class at the lowest level. It was in remedial reading where I discovered my love for writing. Once I started writing, I couldn’t stop. I took unnecessary writing classes like journalism, creative writing, and screenwriting. I even wrote and self-published a book titled, Evergreen Uprooted, Memoirs of Secret. It took me six years to graduate from a two-year college. My degree is in Television Productions and Media Studies.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My biggest challenge was finding self-love. I felt like I needed validation from people. I made a lot of bad choices like leaving, NBCUniversal, to move to another state and marry a man who didn’t love me, but thank God for second, third, and fourth chances. The love I was searching for is in me, gifted by God. It was during my marriage that I birthed Beastmode Entertainment. I started off working on 48 Hour film projects to writing and producing my own projects. I found my voice. I found my joy. I found purpose. Another challenge is staying faithful. Turning a deaf ear to naysayers. Following the signs that will lead me to my destiny without letting anything or anyone steal my focus or peace.

Beastmode Entertainment – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Beastmode Entertainment was founded in 2014. We specialize in creating original content from script to screen. I specialize in writing screenplays and producing, but I do it all from cinematography to casting to set design. I love giving opportunities to up and coming actors and filmmakers. I’m most proud when I see an actor on television that started with Beastmode Entertainment. Beastmode Entertainment has produced most of our films with no budget. That’s what sets us apart from others. We find a way to see our projects through from conception to completion.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I would stay focus, but honestly, my mistakes made me who I am today. No regrets, only life lessons.

Pricing:

• Evergreen Uprooted, Memoirs of Secret on Kindle for $2.99
• Evergreen Uprooted, Memoirs of Secret paperback for $14.99

Contact Info:

• Website: www.nazpankey.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: beastmode_storytime nazpankeywrites

Image Credit:
designed by: Geek Junky

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