From projecting on my bedroom wall, short Super 8mm colour cartoons, silent black & white film classics (Buster Keaton, Laurel & Hardy and Harold Lloyd etc), I knew from the age of 15, working in the film industry was what I wanted to do.

Looking back now, how single-minded I was, stubborn and naïve in equal measures, just to do the next thing, to get to the next level. To keep moving forward.

No one I knew then had gone before me.

I worked at Samuelson’s Film Services ‘Rentcamera’ for almost four years, working my union ticket, in those days. I was very proud that Harvey Harrison BSC was one of my application signatories). It was a small camera department; three technicians, handling some Arriflex 35mm (BL, 2C) and Arriflex SR-I and II, Aaton and Éclair 16mm film cameras, film lenses, filters and grip gear. In the same building upstairs was AKA films and also Document Films with a young camera assistant, Barry Ackroyd BSC and cameraman Mike Fox BSC, both of whom I would work with later as a freelance clapper loader and camera assistant when I left ‘Sammys’.

As a freelancer, I worked as a camera assistant, clapper loader and 1st AC for years working on documentaries, feature films and many music videos, working mainly with Jeff Baynes, Chris Cox and Simon Archer BSC, through Nic Knowland BSC’s company Tattooist International. Plus working with Philip Chavannes, Roy Cornwall, Witold Stok BSC, Mike Southon BSC (Paper House, dir. Bernard Rose), Elphida, Gothic (dir. Ken Russell), and Captive, also a documentary in Nigeria with Walter Lassally BSC, and some dailies with David Watkins BSC, John Mathieson BSC and David Tattersall BSC on music videos and commercials.

Over the years as a cameraman I have shot many productions. Amongst my favourites are: Walter’s War (dir. Alrick Riley), In The Long Run series 2 and 3 (dir. Sandy Johnson/Ian Aryeh), McDonald and Dodds (dir. Ian Aryeh, drama), The Stephen Lawrence Story (documentary, also as the director – RTS Award), Heart of Harlesden (dir. Jackie Osei Tu-Tu, documentary series), a feature film in Nigeria Beyond Blood, my work on Bridgerton series 2 and the Live from Abbey Road music series 1 and 2 (dir. Annabel Jankle).

Kelvin is a full member of the BSC, BAFTA member and a member of BECTU.