Brianna Devons is a Los Angeles-based creative powerhouse who excels in visual storytelling. She’s a Director of Photography (DP) with an impressive portfolio, collaborating with major brands including Rolling Out, NBC, Disney, Springhill, and BET. Her work is celebrated for its warm, vibrant, and intimate visual style, capturing the essence of each story she tells.
Devons artistic journey goes beyond cinematography. She’s also an award-winning filmmaker, with her debut, “On the Line,” gracing the “Voices of Culture” program at the American Black Film Festival, alongside Hollywood’s best. She’s also the proud owner of Royale Coalition, specializing in branded content and narrative filmmaking.
Her passion for capturing the human experience started with her grandmother’s camera, eventually leading her to filmmaking. As a DP, she translates directors’ visions into captivating visuals, collaborating with a dedicated team. She considers her superpowers to be vision, passion, and zeal, which she uses to inspire and lead her teams.
Rolling out spoke with Devons more about what makes her unique as a young African American leader, why it’s important for more experienced Black women to reach back and help younger women of color and what she deems to be her greatest or proudest achievement?
Why did you select your career?
From an early age, I was fascinated with capturing the nuances of the human experience. I used to borrow my grandma’s camera and would spend hours upon hours documenting everything around me, finding new ways to capture a story. For a long time, I thought I wanted to be a photographer but once I took the leap and created a film, I saw how my work as a filmmaker had the power to evoke emotion on a variety of different levels. Once I realized I could take the same elements I loved from photography and apply them to the art of filmmaking, I never looked back.
Briefly describe your responsibilities.
As a Director of Photography, it’s my job to understand the director’s vision and then use tools such as lighting, camera movement, composition, and color tone to communicate that vision through a visual medium. Once I understand the overall need for the project, I work alongside a team of talented gaffers, grips, camera operators, production designers, and more to bring that vision to life.
What key skills or qualities make you unique as a Black female leader?
As a leader, I recognize that there is power in community and collaboration, so I make sure that everyone on my team knows they are appreciated, respected, and that their ideas matter. I truly believe that “teamwork makes the dreamwork” so I work hard to build a relationship with each and every person on set so we can empower each other to create the best art possible.
What thoughtful or encouraging piece of advice would you give to your younger self?
I would tell my younger self that you are ENOUGH. Everything that you need is already within you, all you have to do is dream and your opportunities are limitless!
Why is it important for women of color to work in leadership roles and decision-making capacities?
Women of color are compassionate, intelligent, authentic, and resilient, which are all characteristics of great leaders. We deeply care about the teams we lead, we let our intellect drive our decision making, and we don’t let hardships stand in the way of getting to the finish line.
If you could thank any Black woman for her contributions to history and society, who would it be and why?
Ava Duvernay, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Issa Rae, and Kira Kelly are some of the names that come to mind when I think about trailblazing women who paved the way for women like myself to have a seat at the table.
Why is it important for more experienced Black women to reach back and help younger women of color?
It’s important for experienced Black women to make themselves a resource for the younger generation so there’s no question whether or not they can accomplish their dreams. As each of us continue to grow within our careers, it’s important to pour back into our younger generation because that is how you create long-lasting change in the industry.
Share three career highlights.
My top three career highlights so far would be interviewing Viola Davis for the NAACP Image Awards, having my directorial debut, “On the Line”, featured at the American Black Film Festival alongside creatives I look up to like Issa Rae, and shooting my first car content with Chevy for rolling out.
As a successful woman in business, what is your proudest achievement?
I can’t really select just one achievement because I am grateful for the overall journey. Knowing where I came from and how hard I’ve worked, I’m proud of myself for never giving up on my dreams. My drive and determination have taken me places I could’ve never imagined. Even when I didn’t have all the answers, I had faith in my “superpowers” to pull me through. I’m proud of each and every opportunity that I get to do what I love!
