Meet Kandace Banks | Stylist & Web Series Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kandace Banks and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kandace, putting aside the decision to work for yourself, what other decisions were critical to your success?
The single most important decision I’ve made that has contributed to my success is: turning my journal entries into a web series. It was a scary decision because my story involves a lot of drama with some well-known, high profile people, and I was afraid to talk about my negative experiences with them. Also, some of the mistakes I’ve made were a little embarrassing to talk about. But I pushed through my fears and convinced myself to be vulnerable, and it turns out that a lot of people are inspired by my story because it is extremely relatable.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My web series is a reenactment of my life as a fashion intern in NYC. I film it myself using my tripod, and I taught myself how to edit video using an app called InShot. In Season 1, I asked one of my friends to play one of the characters in Episode 3. She stood me up, so I was forced to play the character myself. I used an editing trick where I placed myself side by side on the screen in two different outfits. It ended up being a huge success, and it became the signature of my series. By Season 2, my finale reached 5.5 million views in a matter of days. I’m now in the process of filming Season 3.

Throughout the past year and a half of filming, I’ve spent thousands of dollars on renting sets, buying outfits for my characters, and splurging on film equipment. I’ve been crushed by self doubt and questioned if this will all be worth it someday. But I’ve also received an outpour of positive messages from people of all ages who absolutely love the series. I’ve read so many messages from people saying that they were thinking about quitting, but my story inspired them to not give up. I’ve also landed opportunities from my wildest dreams, like collaborating with Prime Video on the set of “Harlem” with Meagan Good, and speaking on a panel hosted by Issa Rae.

My ultimate goal is to turn my web series into an actual TV show one day. I feel like I’m on the right path!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend was visiting me for a week this summer, we’d have the best time! We’d kick things off on a Saturday with Black Market Flea before heading over to Everyday People. On Sunday, we’d go to the Black on the Block Festival. Then on Monday, we’d spend the day at the beach (and we’d definitely make a stop at Cookies beforehand). Tuesday we’d get up early for a hike in Runyon Canyon, come back home for food and a nap, and then we’d meet up with my friends to end the night with a show at The Comedy Store. Wednesday I’d show her all around the bougie parts of Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive, and we’d have ceviche for dinner at MÍRAME. Thursday would be dedicated to art at The Getty Museum and The Broad, and then we’d find beautiful places around the city to take pictures of each other, and then we’d end the night with live jazz. And lastly on Friday, we’d get up and go to Top Golf, have lunch at Javier’s, and then end the week with a party at Soho Warehouse.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shoutout to New York City for giving me the most colorful, cut throat experience as a young and hungry fashion intern. Shoutout to all of the celebrity stylists who hired me; without them, I wouldn’t have a story. Shoutout to my mom who raised me to be highly meticulous, detail oriented, and stylish. Shoutout to Jazmine who has believed in me since we were 12. Shoutout to Rashad who has stuck with me through the highs and lows of bringing my web series to life. And shoutout to ME for trusting my own creativity!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_kandace/

Image Credits
Kandace Banks