DAILY DAWN

            Writer, poet, and filmmaker Nonnie Egbuna credits a local organization “Authoring Action”, to her found love for poetry and writing screenplays. Nonnie was 15 years old when she wrote her first screenplay, “Daydreams and Weird Facts”.

            After spending some time in the organization, Nonnie decided she was ready to discuss creating her own film.

 “I realized the wealth of worth within that organization, not even monetary, but in terms of knowledge, experience, and connections, I had everything I needed to do a film,” said Nonnie.

           Mr. Nathan Ross Freeman, director of Authoring Action helped Nonnie to take her screenplay and bring it to life in a film. She learned that film would serve her a plethora of obstacles to face before obtaining the final product.

        “In film we have a saying that anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and that happened with my film,” says Nonnie.

Taking much longer than expected, Nonnie finally released her film “Daydreams and Weird Facts” in October 2015, her senior year of High School.

         Nonnie notes how her film demonstrates how she has transformed as a person. Though being a fiction film, it was about teen pregnancy and hovers the controversial topic of prolife/prochoice debate.

         Following the concept of film with a purpose, Nonnie plans to continue writing screenplays that tackle modern day social issues. She relates this concept to the direction Jordan Peele is going with his films.

         Perfect example, “Get Out”, being a fiction film, challenges the life choice of interracial relationships. The way he was able to address a concept and bring it forth for a variety of people is the direction Nonnie appreciates and can see herself tapping into in the near future.

         She is happy to see that in the film world, Black people are now gaining control in how they are portrayed. Nonnie plans to serve her people justly, in producing film with people of color, by a woman of color.

         Nonnie quotes Shonda Rhimes in saying “I am going to make things up for a living”. Something young creatives should take into account, is that it is possible for your career to be a product of your imagination.

            “Knowing that I am not doing the same thing as everyone else. I know my path is going to be different than my friends. Knowing that I am passion driven is what motivates me,” says Nonnie.

As Nonnie grows in writing and creating films, she has come to understand that life itself will bring you the inspiration you need to continue working as a young creative.

“Living life and taking in experiences and allowing myself to be inspired by these experiences, that’s what keeps me creative,” says Nonnie.

As a young creative, it is your duty to highlight your talents implement them in the work you choose to do. This is what makes young creatives more interesting and nifty in their craft.

Nonnie says, “I am a filmmaker who writes poetry, who produces video, who does service work. I am a filmmaker who does more than one thing.”

What makes sets you apart from other creatives is being a “multihyphenated person” says Nonnie.

Rising sophomore at Duke University, studying Visual and Media Studies with a certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Nonnie plans to write narratives and feature length films, without being limited by facts.

“I need to be able to make things up,” says Nonnie.

Nonnie also is awaiting the day she is in the position to put young talent on and support them in what they need. This is her way of showing that you are never too high and mighty to lend a helping hand for those that need it, especially when you were once in that position.

By 2020 Nonnie hopes to have her second film created and produced for the viewing of others. Stay tuned, as Daily Dawn will keep you updated.