While on a summer internship in Chicago in 2022, Calvin Callins Jr. ’23, Film, began building a professional connection with Taylor Bennett, a musician and the younger brother of Chance the Rapper. In his spare time, Callins volunteered to help with street marketing for Bennett, and the two quickly formed a working relationship built on creativity and drive.
After the internship, Bennett granted Callins permission to use his music in his Ringling Thesis Film, Contagious Swagger. That collaboration would become a pivotal moment for Callins, leading to a full-time position on Bennett’s team after graduation. As a content creator, he began developing new concepts for music videos, skits, and promotional materials. Efforts that not only elevated Bennett’s projects but also deepened Callins’s ties with the Bennett family.
The Ringling grad took his work with Chance the Rapper a few steps further, joining his creative team as a content creator. Callins now travels across the country capturing behind-the-scenes footage, music videos, and tour content at major venues and events—including Chicago’s music festival Lollapalooza.
“Every day there’s something new to work on when you’re working with a celebrity like Chance,” Callins said.
As Callins explained, both Taylor and Chance are independent artists, which allows their team the freedom to stay authentic and innovative without the pressures or constraints of a major record label.
Callins’s first official assignment for Chance was filming his July 2025 performance at a Chicago Fire soccer game, followed by the rapper’s surprise set at Lollapalooza.
Since joining the team, Callins continues to push himself creatively. “Honestly, I was comfortable just being a behind-the-scenes videographer and editor,” he admitted. “When the RIDE music video was being created, they asked if I could operate a camera, which I had little to no experience with. I wanted to say no. I didn’t think I was ready. But I trusted myself and the team, strapped myself in the seat, and made the magic work.”
Chance plans to release several new music videos this year, including one filmed by Callins during the And We Back Tour this fall. For that project, Callins will be credited as camera operator, editor, and producer—a full-circle achievement for the Ringling Film graduate.
“It’s not always about the equipment you’re shooting with,” he said. “It’s about the story you tell.”
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