Naz Pankey
Author/Screenwriter/Filmmaker
Workshops: 1. Vertical Screenwriting Essentials. 2. From Short Story to Screen.
Nadira “Naz” Pankey is a self-published author, produced screenwriter, filmmaker, and storyteller whose work centers on truth, resilience, transformation, and bringing untold stories to life. She is the author of the memoir Evergreen Uprooted: Memoirs of a Secret, available on Amazon and Kindle. Naz has written, produced, and self-produced multiple projects, including a feature film, several short films, short films produced by other independent producers, the short-form web series The Super, and her first vertical series, which was recently produced.
As a writer and filmmaker, Naz is passionate about helping other writers move their stories from idea to page, from page to screenplay, and from screenplay to production. Whether working with short stories, personal experiences, or screenplays, her goal is to help writers understand what it takes to see their words come alive on screen and to remind them that their stories are worthy of being produced.
Aside from writing, Naz loves to serve her community. She volunteers at homeless and domestic violence shelters and works hard to help feed people in need. It is her dream that one day everyone will have a safe place to call home and food to eat. Through her writing, filmmaking, teaching, and service, Naz hopes to inspire others to use their voices, tell their truth, and create work that makes a difference.
Learn more about Naz: https://www.nazpankey.com and her Substack at https://substack.com/@nazpankey
Workshops
“Vertical Screenwriting Essentials.” Vertical storytelling is changing the way audiences watch drama, romance, thrillers, and comedy on their phones. In this workshop, writers will learn the basics of writing for vertical series, including how to create a strong hook in the first few seconds, build emotional stakes fast, keep scenes visually simple, and end each short episode with a twist, reveal, or cliffhanger that makes viewers want to keep watching.
“From Short Story to Screen.” A powerful short story can become a powerful short film when the writer knows how to translate emotion, theme, and character into visual storytelling. In this workshop, participants will learn how to identify the cinematic heart of a short story, pull out the strongest scenes, simplify the plot for production, and begin shaping prose into a screenplay that can be filmed.