The Multimedia
Storyteller
Visionary. Filmmaker. Amplifier.
From the Front Lines
to Silver Screens
Directing numerous short films across non-fiction and fiction forms, Anya primarily centers themes of kinship, triple consciousness, patriotism, and black femininity, in her work. Her films strive to take subversive or poetic approaches to stories whose socio-political themes may otherwise be diluted by traditional narrative conventions.
Anya has worked under filmmakers like Maxi Cohen – as a post-production and administrative intern, Jordan Peele – as an impact intern at Monkeypaw Productions, and Roger Williams – as a production & archival intern at One Story Up Productions. She is also a recent graduate from The Academy of Motion Pictures Gold Rising Fellowship and has worked as an assistant director, public relations coordinator, cinematographer, and screenwriter for several student films, including A Letter to God by Zayla Bryant, Crossroads by Darion Cotton, and GO by Dusan Brown (currently in post-production).
Throughout her career, Anya has specialized in utilizing media as a tool to mobile, educate, and empower communities worldwide. She said “I have always been fascinated by the ways media has been used to oppress and empower marginalized people throughout history. I want to grow into a change agent who utilizes media as a conduit for their liberation.” Anya plans on focusing her academic research on the ways immersive media technologies could be used as tools for implicit bias eradication and aspires to pursue a master’s in Production.
Film Projects
Her House & Her Vision
Jenevesque Media LLC is a multimedia production house — founded by Anya Dillard in 2020 — that strives to disrupt narratives, amplify the global black and brown voices, and utilize immersive media technologies to eradicate implicit bias and expand access to cultural immersion.
Most Recent Short Films
“That’s the beauty of short films; their strength lies in delivering a message creatively and simply.”
- Sanam Saeed
Nothing Neutral About It
While hanging out with her closest guy friend -- Monaco, Melissa struggles to open up about the physical altercation she's had with her boyfriend.
This project was filmed for an Intermediate Video Production final. Students were given 15 lines of dialogue between Characters A and B and tasked with creating the context, story, and cinematic pacing connecting the characters to their dialogue. (The course required that this final be 3-4 minutes long. The dialogue supplied, if performed on its own, would amount to less than 1 minute). Anya’s attempt at said assignment resulted in a cautionary tale about domestic violence and the importance of seeking help when experiencing forms of relationship abuse.
LOCK STOMP PROLOGUE (Proof of Concept)
Lock Stomp is a documentary short film commemorating the diversity, talent, and cultural impact of the Ab-Salute Step Team, Nu Theta Omega Girls Step Team, and Jubilee Choir of West Orange High School.
When she was in high school, Anya set out to capture the essence of these organizations on film in hopes of preserving the memory of their immense impact on the students of West Orange. However, in light of the massive impact that anti-DEI legislation is having on D9 organizations, culturally specific student organizations, affirmative action, and the dissemination of culturally diverse histories, Anya has since begun development on a feature-length documentary highlighting the importance of organizations like these (from middle and high school through to college and the corporate world) to the development and success of BIPOC youth in America.
Photo. Editorial. Reportive.
Journalism
Writing & Journalism
Upon beginning her college career, Anya became known for her earlier proficiency as a writer and has gained mentorship from journalists like Gaiutra Bahadur, Larry Jaffee, Brit Haley, and Tennyson Donyea. She has also worked with each of them on numerous media projects of varying scales. As a journalist, Anya primarily covers artistic, cultural, and socio-political beats. She enjoys utilizing documentary and photojournalism to amplify the ways that black communities and women are impacted by systemic inequities.
In 2023, under the guidance of Gaiutra Bahadur and Larry Jaffee, Anya worked in partnership with Rutgers Newark’s Journalism department to revive Scarlet Magazine — Rutgers Newark’s art and social justice publication. The magazine had not published an issue since 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Authoring the revival issue’s cover issue — a feature on Newark Mayor Ras Baraka — Anya contributed to Scarlet’s highly anticipated release and distribution efforts throughout campus and the city of Newark. Anya went on to work as a student contributor to The Daily Targum — the official Rutgers University newspaper and the second oldest college-led publication in the nation — and has since continued writing journalistic articles on her Medium.
Content Creation
Anya has partnered with numerous global brands and non-profit organizations on promotional and digital impact campaigns across numerous social media platforms.
-
Thinking Huts X Have A Nice Day — Thinking Huts is an American nonprofit organization founded in 2015 that leverages innovative, humanitarian-driven technology to increase global access to education. Have A nice Day — an app that revolutionizing crowdfunding for social good — joined forced with them to raise money for the construction of Madagascar’s first 3D printed educational campus.
MGM Studios X The Till Movie — Till is an Orian Pictures biopic depicting the story of Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of Emmett till, and her fight to obtain justice for her son after he was lynched in 1955.
-
Savage X Fenty — Savage X Fenty is brand founded by Barbadian singer Rihanna. They are best known for selling lingerie, sleepwear, and loungewear.
Garage Clothing — Garage is a Canada-based clothing company that encourages women and gender-nonconforming people to empower each other to be confident, authentic, and unapologetic in their own style.
Vega — Vega is a nutritional brand that features a full range of plant-based products for all activity levels and goals – from sunset-catching speed walkers to HIIT heavy-hitters – seeking innovative new ways to pack more plants into your diet.
-
Thread Beauty — A beauty brand for humans of color who are expressive and unapologetic in their being.
Ulta Beauty (MUSE 100) — Ulta Beauty’s MUSE 100 is a beauty grant campaign by Ulta Beauty honoring 100 Black makeup artists, activists, authors, and more.
dpHue — dpHue is a hair care brand that’s been changing the way people take care of their hair color between salon visits.
Fairweather Faces Traveling Beauty Services — Fairweather Faces The first company within the beauty industry designed to bring complete beauty services to you and gained a reputation for providing prompt and reliable recreations of Hollywood trends to women everywhere.
