Power in the room: Challedon Salter and Leslie Black build their own lane with Scene 29 Productions
There’s a certain kind of energy you notice the moment Challedon Saltor and Leslie Black enter a room. It’s not just star power — it’s authority, intention and earned confidence.
The kind that comes from years of grinding in an industry that gives nothing away for free. As actresses, writers, and now producers — who created the engrossing drama film Mamas, which is now streaming on Tubi — Salter and Black are stepping fully into their power with Scene 29 Productions, a company rooted in purpose-driven storytelling and creative ownership.
From one set to sisterhood
The two women first crossed paths nearly a decade ago on the set of Free, a short film centered on mental health and emotional liberation. What began as a professional collaboration quickly turned into a deep personal bond. “We naturally clicked,” Saltor explained. “That doesn’t happen often on a set.” Over the years, their friendship grew into a family — laying the groundwork for a creative partnership built on trust, shared values, and long-term vision.
Finding the calling’s
Saltor’s journey into the arts began in Baltimore at Arena Players, the oldest continuously running Black theater in the U.S. There, she learned every facet of production — from set construction to costume design — long before stepping into television and film. By her teens, she knew performance was her raison d’être, her reason for being. After graduating from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, she relocated to Atlanta, later earning credits on major projects including “BMF, Power Book IV: Force,” Genius: Aretha, and 61st Street.
Black’s origin story is equally layered. Born on a U.S. Air Force base in the Philippines and raised as a military brat, she found writing to be first love. Acting didn’t enter the picture until college at South Carolina State University, when a chance role in radio skits evolved into a local television drama. That’s when she had an epiphany.
“I realized I was still telling stories — just visually,” Black says. A move to Atlanta soon followed, launching a career that includes Chicago Med, Doom Patrol, and Fight Night.
Why Atlanta was the move
While industry tradition once dictated that aspiring actors traverse to New York or Los Angeles, both women saw Atlanta as an opportunity rather than an alternative. With the city burgeoning as an epicenter for movie and TV production, they chose proximity, community and access. “We could build relationships here before the boom,” they explain. That decision proved pivotal, positioning them to grow alongside the industry itself.
The birth of Scene 29 Productions
After collaborating on several shorts and completing a major project with Emmbre Perry, the brother of movie mogul Tyler Perry, the duo realized they were already functioning as producers — assembling resources, managing logistics, and shaping story. Scene 29 Productions was the natural and seamless career progression. Their mission: to tell stories that matter, especially those often left untold.
Mamas: A story from the other side of grief
Their inaugural project, Mamas, now streaming on Tubi, tackles police brutality through a rarely centered lens — the mothers left behind. Originally conceived as “MOMS” (Mothers of Murdered Sons), the title evolved to respect existing organizations while preserving the film’s emotional core. The ensemble drama explores grief, sisterhood, mental health, and resilience. “We wanted to show what happens after,” Black explains. “How these women survive.”
Lessons from iconic sets
Both women credit their time on major productions for shaping how they now operate behind the scenes. Observing directors, studying leadership styles, and understanding how tone and respect affect a set all inform their approach as producers. “We’re always students,” Saltor says. “Every set teaches you something — what to do and what not to do.”
The road ahead
With Mamas gaining traction and multiple features and a series in development, Scene 29 Productions is just getting started. Their stories will continue to center humanity, truth, and impact.
Their advice to aspiring creatives is simple but uncompromising: Do the work. “There are no shortcuts,” they say. “Train. Protect your spirit. Stay grounded. The visibility will come — but only after the work.”
With Scene 29, Challedon Saltor and Leslie Black aren’t just part of the industry — they’re shaping its future, one powerful story at a time.