Meet Cephra Stuart

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cephra Stuart. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Cephra, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
By living life, connecting with others and consuming art as much I can. I draw most of my inspiration from my everyday life experiences, nature, conversations, concerts, arguments, dating, people watching, enjoying my hobbies…

Sometimes I hear a song and get inspired with a character. Sometimes I look at a painting and I see a whole story. One of my friends will ask me a hilarious question that dovetails into an entire series plot. Creative inspiration can really come from everywhere when you love telling stories.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m a writer, director, producer and actress – or what I’ve recently learned is called a “multi-hyphenate”. I was told to not have more than three of these, but I’m stepping into my power these days so… four it is! I’m in the middle of a massive career transition. I spent nearly a decade in the human resources and analytics space, helping companies improve inclusion, belonging and employee engagement. The last few years, I’ve pivoted into entertainment, beginning my journey at the Walt Disney Studios where I worked with leadership on strategies and initiatives to improve representation in front of and behind the camera.

Most recently, I’ve been a part of the founding team at Mansa – a new streaming platform focused on elevating and celebrating the best of black culture related content. Even though it’s been a short period of time, I feel like I’ve already made an impact on the industry and I can’t wait to dive deeper.

Now, my goal is to become a full-time screenwriter and director. As a storyteller, I want to bring the voices and narratives of underserved communities to the forefront. I want to shed light on the challenges that marginalized groups face in STEM, tech, dating and academia. My scripts are multidimensional and carry a message of unity and empowerment. My hope is to write stories that entertain audiences, while also challenging, inspiring, and advocating for a more inclusive and equitable world.

I was blessed to find an amazing writing & producing partner since moving to LA and together we’re writing several scripts, running a podcast and reviewing films to share our love and knowledge of filmmaking with the world. You can follow us at @sayartfilms to learn more!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Service Orientation
Humility, and
Passion for performing

I’ve always been a “yes” person and volunteer to do everything. This has allowed me to work on amazing projects, get more exposure and learn from great leaders. It also showed my commitment and dedication to the success of the team, which established trust. I believe by doing this at school, clubs, work, etc. I set myself apart early, so when people are building teams or starting projects, they want me to be a part of it. This has opened several doors for me in my career and personal life.

Humility is important because it empowers me to ask good questions, be an avid learner, take feedback extremely well and to strive for continuous improvement. It has also made it so that I’m super easy to work with. People enjoy partnering with me on projects because I like to share the spotlight and don’t pretend to know everything.

Lastly, my passion for performing has made it so that I have a natural love of my audience and know how to tell a good story. This has served me as a data scientist, as a writer and as an entrepreneur. I strive to entertain and inspire so, which has allowed me to make a lasting impression / impact.

So in summary, I definitely encourage folks early in their careers to be of service to others, support your teams earnestly, keep learning, and love your audience.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I’m always looking to collaborate with other filmmakers! It truly takes a village to bring a project to life, so I am always happy to help other filmmakers accomplish that goal. I also LOVE writing and acting so if any directors are in need of support in those spaces, I would love to partner and collaborate. I also help out a lot of new filmmakers with production needs such as location scouting, budgeting, casting, hiring crew, etc.

But my first love is writing, so if there are any producers out there in need of new writers, I’m your girl!

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Jade Durant Jeramy Moore

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