Who the hell is Claudia Kaleta?

We’re catching up with everyone in the studio about how they do what they do, and what makes them who they are. Introducing Claudia, a producer from South Africa with a background in film, media and psychology.

Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Claudia (cloud-ia) people call me Claud or Clauds, Claudia feels like I’m in trouble, and I’m a producer at DixonBaxi – hello!

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What’s your story?
Born and raised in South Africa, currently brewing in London. My ‘story’ so far has been a loopy one, my journey to how I ended up here is a long story, but I won’t get into that. In a sentence, I like to approach life with the good old saying – “you gotta risk it for the biscuit”.

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What are you working on right now?
As a producer I’m quite lucky in that I get to work on a couple of projects at the same time. Now I’m working on two vastly different briefs, one placed in the spacial/physical world and the other in broadcast and digital realm.

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“Good design is made for people and if it’s done right, you don’t notice it. It fits seamlessly in its environment and it in turn makes people feel good. When people feel good, they can change the world.”

Describe your working style in 3 words.
Step back, lean-in.

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Tell us about some of your interests. What are you into?
I’m very curious and interested in the human psyche. Having studied psychology alongside film and media in Cape Town, I’m fascinated by understanding the mind. I think that’s why I absolutely devour documentaries; I’m completely captivated by the (sometimes dangerous) potential of human beings. I also love unusual films, ones that experiment with the medium itself, or films with a subject matter that really challenge the status quo – give me something to chew on please!

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I could list a few more but these two are biggies: oil painting and graphite sketching, as well as being active outdoors–hiking, running, swimming, cycling or even lying in the grass. Connection with nature is vital.

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Do you think design can change the world? How?
I guess it depends on what you mean by ‘change the world’. Indirectly, yes. If world leaders really wanted to change the world, they would put people at the forefront of their agendas. They don’t. Design does. Good design is made for people and if it’s done right, you don’t notice it. It fits seamlessly in its environment and it in turn makes people feel good. When people feel good, they can change the world.

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If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
Sunshine all year round, 27 degrees with a gentle breeze.

What’s the last song you listened to?
I’m very old school when it comes to music, I’m all about the blues and jazz. I’ve got artists on repeat, right now it’s Koko Taylor.

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Why do you do what you do? What motivates you?
I love the idea of bringing a vision, not necessarily mine but one I can get behind, to life. That idea of being a driving force behind a shared ambition is pretty cool.

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What’s your definition of good design?
Effortless + good vibes.

My mom is an architect and an avid follower of the laws of feng shui, so I’ve grown up understanding the practice of ‘flow of energy’, which when done correctly creates harmony. It’s applied to physical arrangement, but I think it can be easily translated to design. Good design is indescribable, it feels right and often the consumer doesn’t know why. It’s like when you taste something good, eye-rolling good, and you try to guess the ingredients… the combination is spot-on.