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Real, Raw, and Relatable with Adeola Adeniyi
Building My Own Table
melanin muse® & Kiana Smith
May 08, 2024
In partnership with
Our Cover Muse™: Adeola Adeniyi, Creative Marketing Strategist
Adeola Adeniyi, Creative Marketing Strategist
Adeola Adeniyi is a true trailblazer! Her journey from Harrisburg, PA to Los Angeles, CA, and her alma mater, Howard University, all indicate a dedicated pursuit of her creative passions. Landing a role at Amazon Studios as a Creative Marketing Strategist was undoubtedly a significant step, opening doors to work on noteworthy productions like Harlem and Untrapped: The Story of Lil Baby. Adeola is carving her own path in the entertainment industry, even establishing her own production company, Awkward Productions, dedicated to authentic storytelling about the evolution of music, fashion, and culture through life's awkward moments. Inspired by family, friends, and icons like Issa Rae and Solange, Adeola continues to innovate and prove her passion for real, raw, and relatable content.
#BTS Gain insight into the industry from production assistant Shonda White!
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Continue reading our Cover Muse’s story below and learn about our exclusive perks for melanin muses!
Let’s Get It Started
Talk about getting started in the entertainment industry.
Adeola:
When I was younger, I used to create skits and record them with friends. That would next turn into me developing mock campaigns and music videos visualizing what something would look like if I was the director behind it. I eventually went to college at Howard University for Marketing and minored in Film and with the experience and opportunities I was afforded there I landed a job at Amazon Studios as a Creative Marketing Strategist which led me to work on those amazing titles and help with building those campaigns! This is something I have always envisioned for myself, however this is just the start. There are so many other things that I have on my list of things I want to do like continuing my talk show and doing more things in the visual arts space, but in due time all those things will fall into place!
There are so many individuals who exude what it means to be their authentic selves and create space for others to do so and I hope to be that person for someone else.
Building My Own Table
Talk about your motivation for establishing your own production company.
Adeola:
What motivated me to start Awkward Productions is what I believe also sets it apart. It was created from a place of discouragement and not really seeing people who look like me or exude the kind of personality or energy I feel I portray in places where I consume media. Whether that be in music videos, brand campaigns and ads, short films, the list goes on; I felt like if no one was going to do it the best way for me to see it was to create it myself. Everyone is so uniquely created and our experiences are so perfectly crafted to us as individuals, so it only made sense for me to use my passion and love for creating to do just that for myself and people who have also been looking to see themselves and their stories shared.
melanin muse® exclusive perks
Ashley S. Green, Sports Entertainment and Lifestyle Marketing Consultant, talks about how her unwavering belief in herself and her vision propelled her forward from Mississippi to global educator to entrepreneurship. Today, she empowers athletes to build brands beyond sports and leave a lasting legacy. In this candid conversation with host Natina Marie, Ashley reflects on✨ The profound impact of mentorship and loss, and how it propelled her to redefine her career path ✨ The pivotal moments and financial strategies that empowered her to transition from education to entrepreneurship ✨ and MORE!
Check out Adeola’s mock campaign for Pinterest below along with some of her Awkward Productions.
the muse’s corner:
Shonda White
Shonda White, a seasoned production assistant, has gained extensive experience in various departments, both behind and in front of the camera. From humble beginnings as a background actor, her enthusiasm and work ethic while on set of Queen of the South marked a pivotal moment that led her to transition into the production crew. Shonda’s credits include notable projects like Queen Sugar, Girls Trip, and NCIS: New Orleans to name a few. As she progresses in her film career with aspirations to produce her own projects, Shonda shares her industry insights and tips for success below.
I believe in the power of storytelling to inspire and provoke change, and I want to be able to share stories that resonate with an audience on a deeper level.
Persevere: the competition is fierce, and rejection is inevitable, so bring your A-game every single time Resilience: working in film can be physically and emotionally demanding, from long hours to tight deadlines, do not let criticism or setbacks discourage you It’s a marathon, not a sprint: breaking into the film industry takes time and dedication, making it important to stay focused and maximize your skills to build a fulfilling career |  Shonda White, Production Assistant |
