Melissa Joyner is a director, writer, actor, vocalist, and professor with an authentic approach. She honed her craft under esteemed mentors, including the iconic Dr. Maya Angelou. Melissa’s dedication led her to earn an MFA from The Actors Studio, solidifying a foundation for her multifaceted career.
Her writing and directorial debut, Reimagined Volume iII: Young Thang, also known as The Young Thang with 2 Skins; or, she was not really ugly, but beautiful, as she was born with two skins fable is keen storytelling that blends thoughtful narrative, emotional depth, and strong visual prowess.
Raised in N.C. based in N.Y.C., her screen credits include FX mini-series “Mrs. America”, Spectrum Original’s “The Bite”, CBS Networks’ Blue Bloods, FBI, Madame Secretary and Evil. You may learn more about her work in the Los Angeles Times, Black Film, Slate Magazine, AYO Magazine, AV Club, The Today Show, The Morning Show, New Normal Rep: Play Date and TEDx Vancouver.
Director Statement
Reimagined Volume III: Young Thang is about belonging. In today’s world, it’s all too common to feel the pressure to conform, to put on a metaphorical second skin cloaking your full identity. In Young Thang’s world, a distinct two- and three-dimensional visual style not only immerses the audience in unconventional beauty but also symbolizes the challenges we encounter when our uniqueness is obscured and the transformation the world may reap from embracing our multidimensionality.
The VR animated film is ablaze with the use of color, animation, and dynamic soundscapes, the film immerses the audience in a world that is both real and magical. This project is also a tribute. From the elegiac Dunbar to emboldened Bearden, it draws inspiration from artists who inspire and is an ode to embracing what makes us unique and celebrating all of it!
The third volume of the Reimagined series, also titled The Young Thang with 2 Skins; or, she was not really ugly, but beautiful, as she was born with two skins fable is a call I hope people answer, with an awareness of their own hidden talents, a curiosity to find beauty in all things, especially themselves, and shed their metaphorical second skins, answering, “Yes. This is who I am”.
