Cinema Femme sat down with Kala Bradford—filmmaker, creative strategist, and founder of Media Maven Studio—to talk about her upcoming event, Behind the Chair: Cross-Industry Event will take place on Saturday, September 27, at Kinowerks in Chicago. Rooted in her documentary series The Executive Barber, the project celebrates the cultural power of barbershops and expands into a speaker series designed to spark new conversations on leadership and creativity.
As the founder of Media Maven Studio, Kala leads campaigns at the intersection of storytelling, strategy, and social impact. With a background in journalism and media production, she has collaborated with organizations and creatives across industries to amplify underrepresented voices and shape narratives that drive change. Known for her vision and collaborative spirit, she continues to position Media Maven Studio as a catalyst for inclusive, forward-thinking media.
Let’s start with what inspired you to create Behind the Chair and why you chose to center it around barbershop culture.
Barbershop culture itself was the inspiration behind Behind the Chair. I’ve been working on a documentary series called The Executive Barber, and the first installment focused on Steve Duraceau, a Haitian-born barber who operates a salon out of the South Loop—he’s based at Sola Salons.
The idea actually came to me in a really serendipitous way. I was sitting at an Italian bar in the North Shore during COVID—one of those surreal moments where we were just beginning to re-enter the world. And I started reflecting: What connects people? What brings people together? And for some reason, barbershops just popped into my mind.
I think it’s rooted in my own experience—watching my dad, my boy cousins, and the wider Black community. I’m originally from South Carolina, and in that culture, barbers are essential. You can’t remove the barber from the community equation. I mean, President Obama brought his barber with him to the White House—that alone speaks volumes. That barber actually came out of the Hyde Park Barber Shop, which ties into the next chapter of our series.
After The Executive Barber, we went on to film Chicago Lady Barber. I wanted to expand the story and highlight women thriving in male-dominated industries. That’s how I found Alexis (Lex) McCain—someone had sent me her Instagram a few years ago. I cold messaged her like I did with the other barbers, and she was immediately interested.
Lex is incredible. We filmed her in the summer of 2023 or 2024, and she works out of the Hyde Park Barber Shop—the same one that Obama and Kevin Hart have visited. There’s a deep legacy tied to that place. Obama’s barber even traveled with him during his presidency. There’s so much history, so many threads of cultural royalty that inspired me to keep digging deeper.
And as I started talking to people about the project, something beautiful kept happening. Whenever I’d explain the concept, people would immediately start sharing their own barbershop stories—personal anecdotes, childhood memories, little nuggets that felt so human. One person told me their mom used to cut their hair in the garage, and they learned to cut their own just to avoid the teasing at school. Others talked about how barbering became a path to financial stability, a trade passed down through generations. Some were artists who found their medium in hair.
It’s such a rich intersection of artistry, community, tradition, and culture. Behind the Chair was born from that collective energy and representation.
You’re also doing a speaker series alongside the film premiere. Can you talk a bit about the speakers and what kind of conversation you’re hoping to cultivate?
Absolutely. The speaker series is designed to spark meaningful conversations about leadership and creativity across industries—from television and film to advertising and entrepreneurship.
The idea is to drive connection and innovation, especially through the cultural lens we establish with the film premiere. The panelists will touch on their own experiences with barbershops, but the conversations will go far beyond that. We want to create space for deeper industry dialogue that’s relevant, forward-thinking, and actionable.
We’ve intentionally selected speakers who are leaders in their fields—people like Lewis Williams, Jonathan Desir, and Eli Clarke. Each of them brings over a decade of experience, and we’re bridging the gap between them and up-and-coming creatives, freelancers, and students. It’s about dissolving those walls and creating accessibility, so actual community-building can happen.
Our industries—especially the creative ones—are facing major shifts, with things like AI and tech. A lot of creatives feel like they’re in limbo. With these industry shifts we could really benefit from ongoing dialogue and transparency around these changes. So this space is about helping people re-anchor themselves, learn from those who’ve navigated big changes before, and leave with new tools and perspectives.
Can you tell us more about your production company, Media Maven Studio? How did it all start, and what kind of work do you do?
Media Maven Studio is a creative studio and media house where we specialize in crafting micro-cinematic content—stories that clarify brand messaging, elevate visual identity, and preserve legacy. It’s built on over a decade of experience across television, commercial production, and film, including time in the agency world.
People have called me a “Swiss Army Knife”—and I think that’s true for a lot of us creatives. We don’t fit neatly into one box. We’re multi-passionate, and we bring different versions of ourselves to each space we work in. I’ve poured all those experiences into Media Maven Studio—from being a camera tech, to working above-the-line as a director or EP. Every role gave me a deeper understanding of this industry and of myself as a creative leader.
One of my early credits was Undercover Boss, which is now on its fifth season. That show was fast-paced—multiple locations, hidden cameras, unpredictable setups. It was a crash course in on-the-ground learning. Later, I went through a phase where I was exploring the camera department—eventually realizing I didn’t want to be an AC long-term, but that experience gave me fluency in tech and helped me communicate better with technical crew. That matters on set.
Today, Media Maven Studio operates with a modular production system that’s both strategic and seamless. We service North Side Chicago and the northern suburbs, and we’ve tapped into the greater Chicago area for larger clients. What makes us unique is our backend strategy—it’s optimized for client satisfaction and freelancer autonomy. Everyone gets what they need. It’s smooth, it’s thoughtful, and it’s scalable.
What do you hope attendees will take away from the Behind the Chair event?
I want people to leave Behind the Chair knowing their next step. Whether it’s reaching out to a speaker, starting a new project, or even just rediscovering their passion—I want them to feel inspired, elevated, and seen.
There’s a kind of magic that happens in spaces like this—when minds, energies, and passions collide. It’s not just about listening to a panel or watching a film. It’s about creating moments that remind us why we do what we do.
We’re also intentionally inviting university students—people from DePaul, Columbia, and North Park—so they can be in the same room as people who’ve been in the industry for 20 or 30 years. There’s something really powerful about dissolving those generational and experiential divides. I want students to walk away thinking, I know who I want to reach out to. I know where to start.
But it’s not just about the attendees. I also want the speakers—many of whom are at the top of their game—to reconnect with the communities they came from. As you rise in your career, sometimes that grassroots connection starts to fade—not from neglect, but just from the pace and pressure of it all. Behind the Chair is a space to reintegrate that energy and pour it back in.
That’s so powerful. And I feel like it really aligns with what we’re trying to do at Cinema Femme, too—breaking down walls and redesigning the institutions.
Absolutely. That’s the spirit that fuels all of this—the pioneering spirit. We have to keep breaking down walls and barriers to preserve the richness of our creative culture. Things are evolving fast, and if we don’t build and maintain spaces like this, we risk losing the very soul of what makes our work meaningful.
Behind the Chair is a cross-industry event highlighting creativity, culture, and leadership through the lens of the barbering community. Bringing together the world of television, film, and advertising, while showcasing entrepreneurs, artists, and innovators.
The event creates space for dialogue, collaboration, and inspiration that reaches well beyond the chair.
Get your tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/behind-the-chair-a-cross-industry-event-tickets-1661429503369
Speaker Series
- Lewis Williams – Award-winning creative leader (Leo Burnett, Burrell, Weber Shandwick) with iconic campaigns for Toyota, McDonald’s, Google, Coca-Cola; advocate for diversity & mentorship.
- Jonathan Desir – Executive Producer at Whirlpool’s Wow Studios; 20+ years producing immersive content; collaborations with John Singleton, Shaq, Chance the Rapper, and more.
- Eli Clarke – Emmy-nominated camera operator, producer and director (Netflix, Showtime, HBO, Dave Chappelle specials, Kennedy Center, White House series).
- Kala Bradford — Founder of Media Maven Studio, filmmaker, and creative strategist amplifying underrepresented voices.
Partners & Collaborators
Kinowerks | Media Maven Studio | 2112 | WIFC | Exec Room | EveryDay is A Yay | Chicago Lady Barber
