Devron Callender
Dev made his first ‘Record, Edit, Inspire’ film called Young Black Barrister after taking his toddler son to the park, and being aware that a woman nearby appeared to feel threatened by him.
‘This sort of thing happens to me every day. What I don’t want is for my son to go through the same thing with his son in years to come. I want kids to be able to watch these documentaries and feel inspired and understand that regardless of where you’re from, you can achieve’.
Dev’s own story is inspiring in itself. Growing up, he worked in a hairdresser frequented by a local pop star and he got the chance to go to a recording of Top of The Pops. ‘That was when I first saw cameras and experienced the atmosphere of TV and decided it was what I wanted to do, I had no idea how I was going to do it.’
By the age of 18, Dev was living in a hostel, where he was offered the chance to join a charity scheme called ‘Youth Culture TV’ (YCTV). To get involved, he was taught how to use a camera and had to make a video – and after making one film – he was asked if wanted to go to university to study in that field. The charity supported him in doing a one year access course so he could get the qualifications he needed to go to uni – diagnosed with Dyslexia, this was a huge struggle.
Dev got to uni and studied broadcast operations. Upon graduation, an uncle supported him so he was able to buy some kit to start work. He worked in music videos, then football, and then went to Calais for a news shift, filming overnight with migrants living in the woods and trying to get to Britain.
Dev says that was the moment he ‘fell in love’ with news and he’s been working for all the national broadcasters ever since – which is how his first two films have ended up on Channel 4.