Meet Jaya Armstead

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaya Armstead.

Hi Jaya, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
When I first saw reruns of the X-Men, I knew I wanted to be an X-Men. But I had to get with the reality that my mutant powers were not coming and decided to write about superheroes and fantasy instead. Before getting out here to California, I grew up a Southern Belle in Texas reading comics and playing sports. Growing up in Dallas, I was raised by my parents and older sister with a heavy influence from my grandmother as well. Reading was not my favorite thing to do and I would replace sentences in stories to make them sound more fun. My parents wanted to find a solution to this and my grandmother was right there to help. My grandmother introduced me to reading comics through the daily newspaper which pushed me to beg my parents to go comic book shopping. I started collecting comics and watching any film or show that I could be immersed in. My love for reading boosted immensely.

Before starting middle school, I moved to New Jersey when my father started a new business. Moving to New Jersey was a huge adjustment for my family and me. I missed my extended family in Texas, especially my grandmother, and feared starting as the new kid. I used my comic books as my comfort through this transition. In my new school, we were given a storytelling assignment that became my breakthrough. I wrote my first fantasy short story about a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood and turned it into an action-packed mystery. I loved the feeling I got writing and decided that I wanted to be a screenwriter so I can bring my stories to life. Throughout high school, I took many writing and film classes while balancing being a captain on the Varsity Track & Field team. Taking those courses made me a better writer and brought me another interest, directing. When it came to applying for college, I decided to go to the University of Arizona but it did not go as planned.

Starting at U of A, I fell into depression my first semester. I struggled to make it feel like my home. Being able to write brought me stability and allowed me to express the sadness I was feeling. After discussing with family, I started applying to other universities to transfer. By Christmas, I received an email that changed my life. I was accepted into Texas Christian University and was able to return home. During my time at TCU, I was able to build bonds with friends and professors and fully take on my dream of being a screenwriter and director. I joined the Student Film Association along with the Black Student Association and compete as a pageant contestant in the Miss Black & Gold Competition hosted by the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Weekly, I volunteered with the Student-Athlete Development Department to stay close to the sports world. TCU grew me as a leader, filmmaker, and person. My senior year, I was accepted by the New York Film Academy-Los Angeles and awarded their Talent Award Scholarship based off my portfolio.

Moving to Los Angeles had been a dream and now my opportunity was here. I feel heavily in love with Los Angeles and being able to experience early screenings, Oscar’s Week, and meeting other creatives. Attending NYFA-LA has strengthened my skills as a screenwriter and given me the opportunity to direct award-winning content. I have written feature films, hour-long dramas, specs, and half-hour comedies. Along with that, I have been able to direct my short film, “Fall for You” and my web series, “Circle of the Shadowmoon”. My projects have been part of various festivals, such as the Bill Johnson Black Film Festival, New York Movie Awards, Florence Film Awards, and more. During my time in school, I was also able to intern with FOX Sports as a production for NFL on FOX and NASCAR. As a production intern, I assisted on live production sets for their shows and helped on shoots. I am blessed that I was able to help with the following events, NFL Playoffs, NFC Championships, Super Bowl LVII, and NASACR’s The Clash at the LA Coliseum. Proud to have graduated Cum Laude this April and start full-time professional journey in Los Angeles.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Through this journey, I have battled with the pressures of having to be the best and not feeling like a disappointment. I have had peers and others laugh at my dreams and share their doubts about me. I used their doubts as fuel to work hard but it go to the point if I messed up just once it would hurt me. This left me anxious all the time and depressed not feeling inspired to write or be on set. My family would always build me back up whenever I appeared down. With their support behind me, I decided to take a bigger step and seek therapy. Therapy taught me that I could not carry entire loads on myself and that was causing me to hurt myself just like other people who hurt my feelings.

The major obstacle I face currently is being a Black woman breaking my way in an industry that does not look like me. Since I was a child, my parents told my sister and me that we would always have to work three times harder because we were Black and women. This has been true my entire life, that I have to prove that I deserve to be in the rooms I am in. Along with how to pronounce my name, I have to be adamant about the proper way to say it because I quickly label it’s too difficult. Even with my scripts, I have to be vocal about why my stories are important and why I have Black women centered in them. It’s important to me to have Black women and girls centered in my work to show we can be in fantasy worlds and be heroes too.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a screenwriter, producer, and director. Creating and diving into the unlimited world of fantasy is my playground. As a Black Woman in fantasy, I stand out at conventions but I am not afraid of the spotlight. I love writing fantasy stories with Black women as leads because this is a genre where we are rarely seen. I want other Black women who love fantasy to be seen and also give the younger generation of girls characters to look up to. I have written fantasy feature films, comics, and web series. My routine is I write and workshop scripts for months until they are ready for production. As a producer, I scout locations by calling owners and retailers, assemble crew members, and host casting calls with actors. On set as director, I try to lead by example and build a connection with everyone. I want everyone to be comfortable and safe on all of my sets.

This past year, I was able to finally shoot my first fantasy project, the pilot episode of my web series “Circle of the Shadowmoon”. This web series follows the story of Lydia Wyrm, a young, ambitious witch that wants to save her kingdom from an older tyrannical witch who has conquered the kingdom. Lydia is aided by the runaway Prince of the kingdom, Cyrus, and a vampire warrior princess, Maude who wants to keep her vampire kingdom from being conquered next. This pilot has been awarded Best Web Series and given Honorable Mentions for Best Fantasy by RED Awards, Florence Film Festival, New York Movie Awards, and more. I am most proud of this project because I was able to bring my young dream of bringing my written work to life. I plan on continuing the series and building out the entire franchise through comics, games, and films.

What sets me apart from others is my unfiltered ambition. I never try to doubt myself and what I am capable of. I truly believe if you keep doubting yourself and your dreams, then you have already failed.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I have to give credit to my family for my fighting spirit that has brought me to where I am today and the places I plan on going. Growing up in an athletic family and being an athlete myself, I have been coached into never giving up. Even after the bell dings at the end of a fight, stay up and pumped for the next round. I fight for the things that I want and I fight for the people I love and believe in. It’s the fire within us that keeps us going. So no matter if it is a 5:00a.m. call time, a difficult set, or any other challenge, I am gamed and ready.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jayaarmstead.com/
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/people/Jaya-Armstead/100014898796771/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaya-armstead-40251814b/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZnmsrWOeBuUfmKFNx3ilAg
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/Jaya-armstead 

Image Credits
Web Series Stills: Nethra Gururaj