Kevin Brianton has a lifelong interest in cinema and history. He completed a Masters of Arts on communism in American cinema in the 1950s. His Ph.D. on the Screen Directors Guild Meeting of 1950, formed the basis for the book Hollywood Divided: The Screen Directors Guild Meeting and the Impact of the Blacklist published by the University of Kentucky Press in 2016 and named one of the best books on film in 2016. He was appointed reviews editor of Film & History in 2023.

Aside from history, he has more than 30 years of experience in market research, journalism, and public relations. He worked as both a consultant and as a manager in government and private industry. The majority of his career has focused on government and political issues. He has won national and state PRIA awards in community communications, issues and crisis management, events management, internal communications, and comprehensive communications.