The wait is over. We finally get to show off our new friend, Ayana! We met Ayana Barber, a Brooklyn-based director and producer, last year when she joined our Branded Content Mentorship Program. In September of 2021, Tongal and The Melacast Network invited Creators to take full advantage of the online workshops we produced with our mentor, award-winning director Ryan Larkin, for folks who wanted to learn to develop vertical video content. Then, we selected two mentees to collaborate with Ryan, who provided hands-on support as they created three vertical videos for brands of their choice.
We caught up with Ayana a few weeks after she graduated from the mentorship program to learn more about her and the content she made for her portfolio. Read on for more on the new skills that Ayana learned and the creative risks she took along the way.
In-Feed TikTok Ad for MESC Designs
How did you first get started as a Creator?
I will say that I first started creating content when I began modeling in my early 20's. I often didn't have a budget for pictures as a broke college student, so I would reach out to local photographers that I liked and asked if they needed new photos for their books. I would also do this with friends who were amateur photographers. If they said yes, I would produce the shoot myself (playing model, makeup artist, stylist, and art director) and get the raws from the photographer. I would edit the photos based upon what my agent said I needed, and that's how I built my book and first created content for myself.
Tell us about one of the strongest creative influences in your life that inspires you.
My family (who all have a background in content creation. Some have Emmys; others like myself don't) is a really big inspiration. Old movies—from the storylines to the post production work—inspire me as well.
How did you learn about Tongal?
I had been doing research about platforms with creative briefs after working at an advertising agency. I figured, why not try to become your own agency instead of working for agencies? Why not try to become a partner instead of always an employee? I wanted the freedom to have my own clients and projects.
Instagram Story for Stone Street Coffee
What got you excited about honing your vertical videos skills, and how do you see yourself using this skill set moving forward?
What really intrigued me about this mentorship opportunity is that, when the pandemic started and everyone was staying at home from their jobs, I thought, "I really need to learn how to create really sleek content by myself, since we're all quarantining." I had always worked with a small team, but participating in this mentorship program helped me to conquer my fear of working on smaller projects with a small team and post production. I edited and colored all three assets that I made while enrolled as a mentee (with the assistance of YouTube tutorials and our mentor). I really wanted to learn more about that process rather than subbing it out to another person.
Inclusion is a theme that runs through the work you’ve developed within the mentorship program. Tell us a little about the brands you’ve chosen to spotlight and why they’re important to you.
In light of our current political climate, for me it's important to be vocal regarding the things that I believe in—being inclusive and embracing of others is an important part of who I am. MESC Designs is a hand-made, sustainable jewelry brand that I believe in. Their sizing is for everyone.
What role do cityscapes play in communicating some of the themes important to the MESC Jewelry Designs brand?
MESC is a jewelry brand that is made in an urban setting but uses the shapes of the environment to inspire the designs.
"Blu's Party" TikTok
Can you talk about the very calculated nature of the tutorial style videos and how you learned to sustain viewers’ attention during a step-by-step video?
I like to create things that I would like to watch in an aesthetically pleasing way. I am constantly learning, so that's primarily why I created my coffee asset. I know I'm a chicken, but for the longest, making coffee from something that wasn't a machine was intimidating, so I thought that this could be a fun asset to use as a learning tool. Plus, I love Stone Street as a brand because their beans make a delicious cup of coffee!
In your first two assets, you uncover hidden gems within your community. However, your last video, which has more of a personal touch, features your lovely dog, Blu. Can you speak more about the importance of inserting a piece of you in your work?
I've always wanted to do a video in this particular quirky style and was finally given an opportunity to do so with this program. So why not insert one of my favorite things into this piece. Plus I just love Blu. He gets a credit in everything I do usually!
Interested in joining our Branded Content Mentorship program as a mentor or mentee? Stay tuned for Season 2, launching this year!
