Robert Elswit

Robert Elswit
Born Robert Christopher Elswit
(1950-04-22) April 22, 1950[1]
California, USA
Nationality American
Occupation Cinematographer
Known for Good Night, and Good Luck
There Will Be Blood
Title ASC
Awards Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography
CBS Schoolbreak Special: The War Between The Classes 1986
Academy Award for Best Cinematography
There Will Be Blood 2008
ASC Award
There Will Be Blood 2007
Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography
Good Night, and Good Luck 2005

Robert Christopher Elswit, ASC (born April 22, 1950) is an American cinematographer. He has had multiple Oscar, BAFTA, and Independent Spirit nominations for several films, including winning for There Will Be Blood (2007). Elswit frequently works with director Paul Thomas Anderson.[2]

Life and career

Elswit was born in California. An early short film he worked on, was a 1982 TV adaptation of the Ray Bradbury short story 'All Summer in a Day'.

Elswit is a fierce defender of shooting with film, and whenever possible refuses to use digital cameras. Images shot digitally, he says, have "no texture, no grain."[3]

Elswit has also worked with director George Clooney several times. He shot Clooney's black and white, multiple-Oscar nominated film Good Night, and Good Luck. Notably, Elswit shot the film in color, then converted the film into black and white in post production. According to Elswit, this technique preserved the subtlety of the colors (as complex shades of blacks and greys) and made the overall look much richer in the final film.[4]

Elswit received his first Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography in 2006 for his work on the movie Good Night, and Good Luck. He lost that Oscar to Dion Beebe for Memoirs of a Geisha. Two years later, Elswit would again be nominated and this time win the Oscar for Best Cinematography, for his work on There Will Be Blood.[5]

Elswit has cited early independent filmmaker John Cassavetes as a major influence. Elswit is a graduate of the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts and worked there as a teaching assistant in the 1970s.

Filmography

Year Film Director Notes
1985 The Sure Thing Rob Reiner
Moving Violations Neal Israel
Desert Hearts Donna Deitch
1986 Trick or Treat Charles Martin Smith
1987 Amazing Grace and Chuck Mike Newell
1988 Return of the Living Dead Part II Ken Wiederhorn
1989 How I Got Into College Savage Steve Holland
Heart of Dixie Martin Davidson
1990 Bad Influence Curtis Hanson
1991 Paris Trout Stephen Gyllenhaal
1992 The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Curtis Hanson
Waterland Stephen Gyllenhaal
1993 A Dangerous Woman Stephen Gyllenhaal
1994 The River Wild Curtis Hanson
1996 Hard Eight Paul Thomas Anderson
The Pallbearer Matt Reeves
Boys Stacy Cochran
1997 Boogie Nights Paul Thomas Anderson
Tomorrow Never Dies Roger Spottiswoode
1999 8mm Joel Schumacher
Magnolia Paul Thomas Anderson
2000 Bounce Don Roos
2001 Heist David Mamet
2002 Impostor Gary Fleder
Punch-Drunk Love Paul Thomas Anderson
2003 Gigli Martin Brest
Runaway Jury Gary Fleder
2005 Good Night, and Good Luck George Clooney Nominated for Academy Award for Best Cinematography
Syriana Stephen Gaghan
2006 American Dreamz Paul Weitz
2007 Michael Clayton Tony Gilroy
There Will Be Blood Paul Thomas Anderson Won Academy Award for Best Cinematography
2008 Redbelt David Mamet
The Burning Plain Guillermo Arriaga
2009 Duplicity Tony Gilroy
The Men Who Stare at Goats Grant Heslov
2010 The Town Ben Affleck
Salt Phillip Noyce
2011 Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol Brad Bird
2012 The Bourne Legacy Tony Gilroy
2014 Inherent Vice Paul Thomas Anderson
Nightcrawler Dan Gilroy
2015 Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation Christopher McQuarrie
2016 The Night Of Steven Zaillian HBO miniseries (1 episode)
Gold Stephen Gaghan
2017 Suburbicon George Clooney
TBA Inner City Dan Gilroy

Awards and Nominations

Academy Award for Best Cinematography

American Society of Cinematographers Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography

Austin Film Critics Association for Best Cinematography

Awards Circuit Community Award for Best Cinematography

BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography

Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography

British Society of Cinematographers Award for Best Cinematography

CableACE Award for Direction of Photography and/or Lighting Direction for a Dramatic or Theatrical Special/Movie or Miniseries

Camerimage Golden Frog Award

Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography

Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography

(For episode "The War Between The Classes")

Houston Film Critics Society for Best Cinematography

Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography

International Online Cinema Awards for Best Cinematography

International Online Film Critics' Poll Award for Best Cinematography

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography

National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography

New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cinematographer

New York Film Critics Online for Best Cinematography

Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Cinematography

San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Cinematography

Satellite Award for Best Cinematography

St. Louis Film Critics Association

Utah Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography

References

External links

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