Creative Director, Brand & Content Strategy Lead

DAVID BRADBURN

Creative Director Brand & Content Strategy Video Production

Crystal Lake, IL • 312-***-**** • ********.*****@*****.*** • linkedin.com/in/dlbradburn • forktheman.com SUMMARY

Creative director and producer with 10+ years building brand identity, leading creative teams, and making content that actually performs. At MiaPlaza, took production from 50 videos a year to 100+ a month and directed every frame. At L37 Creative, ran national campaigns for Stryker and Reyes Holdings on budgets up to $200K. Owner of Fork the Man Productions since 2011, with work screened at 80+ international festivals and distributed on Amazon and ShortsTV. Former Chicago Public Schools teacher with an MED in Curriculum & Instruction. FAA Part 107 licensed.

CORE SKILLS

Creative Direction • Brand & Content Strategy • Video Production & Direction • Team Leadership • Campaign Development • Script Development • Budget Ownership • Post-Production Oversight • Remote Team Operations • Stakeholder Management • Drone Cinematography (FAA Part 107) PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Director of Production (Video) MiaPlaza Remote Oct 2020 – Jul 2025

Led end-to-end creative and production operations for a fast-growing online education platform. Owned the brand voice, the team, and all output.

• Scaled monthly production from roughly 4 videos to 100+, delivering 1,000+ minutes of branded educational content per month.

• Built and led a distributed team of 10 full-time creatives and 6 contractors across editing, design, and performance.

• Directed, scripted, and approved all content, writing to camera, overseeing production, and maintaining brand standards across every video.

• Led brand repositioning and visual refresh for multiple school brands, improving audience clarity and trust.

• Designed production workflows and QA systems that cut bottlenecks and kept fully remote operations running smoothly.

• Established partnerships with 12 external studios to expand capacity without losing consistency.

• Set up green screen home studios for remote talent across the country. Director & Senior Producer L37 Creative Chicago, IL (National & International Travel) Oct 2018 – Mar 2020

Directed and produced national and international brand campaigns across video, digital, and experiential.

• Managed budgets up to $200K across all phases: pre-production, on-set direction, and post-production oversight.

• Clients included Stryker, Parker University, Brown & Brown, and Reyes Holdings, each requiring emotionally driven, business-focused storytelling.

• Delivered campaigns on time and on brand across formats ranging from broadcast to digital and live events. Owner Director Producer Writer Fork the Man Productions, LLC Crystal Lake, IL Aug 2011 – Present

Boutique creative studio handling brand, commercial, and narrative work for agencies, brands, and public-sector clients.

• Work screened at 80+ international film festivals. Awards include Best Chicago Film at Supercut 100 (2024) and Best Short Fiction at Imagine Film Festival Barcelona (2025).

• Films distributed on Amazon, Sofy.TV, and ShortsTV.

• Clients include FOX, McHenry County Planning & Development, Section 4, and Gilmore Marketing.

• Handled everything: client intake, creative briefs, budgeting, scripting, production, and delivery.

• Sustained the business through COVID without outside funding. Director Producer Camera Operator Production Freelancer Crystal Lake, IL (National Travel) Jun 2012 – Present

• Contract work for agencies and production companies including JR2 Films, Lakeview Productions, Dreams on Screen, M&P Presentations, and SSB Research Group.

• Roles have spanned creative direction, producing, DP, and coordination depending on project needs. EDUCATION

Master of Education (MED), Curriculum & Instruction – University of Illinois at Chicago Bachelor of Arts (BA), Education; Minor: Political Science – Wheaton College CERTIFICATIONS & ADDITIONAL

FAA Part 107 Drone License • Former CPS Teacher (English & Film Production) • Crystal Lake Public Art Commissioner • Leadership Greater McHenry County Alumni

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