David Barker is a television producer and camera operator whose long and hugely impressive career is the topic of this instalment in the After Image project. Originally from Manchester, Barker relocated to Northern Ireland in the mid-1970s to take up a full-time position with BBC Northern Ireland. A period of political and societal turmoil in Northern Ireland, Barker worked with and documented many of key figures and events through his time in the BBC Newsroom and subsequently as a freelance camera operator. He also founded David Barker Associates (DBA), one of Northern Ireland’s first independent production companies which produced pioneering documentaries such as Steel Chest, Nail in the Boot and the Barking Dog and the highly controversial At the Edge of the Union. Barker speaks candidly about his career, sharing stories about working with journalists such as Peter Taylor and Jeremy Paxman, meeting figures such as Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams, and collaborating with writer and documentarian, Jon Ronson. He also shares memories of working with DoubleBand Films and his memories of the Siege of Sarajevo in the early to mid 1990s. 

After Image is a project launched as a collaboration between Docs Ireland and Northern Ireland Screen’s Digital Film Archive to capture and preserve the memories of individuals who have made an enduring impact on the region’s screen presence and representation. Barker’s interview provides a fascinating look into documenting difficult circumstances and capturing life in Northern Ireland and around the world.