Maximilian Schmige Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 Hi folks! I was wondering if anyone knows of any documentaries with award winning cinematography? Looking for compelling documentaries that showcase extraordinary cinematography above and beyond the usual. Has a cinematographer ever won the academy award with a documentary? Looking forward to all the great responses! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Vincent Sweeney Posted November 19, 2010 Premium Member Share Posted November 19, 2010 Watch Grey Gardens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Rose Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 "Crumb" by Zwigoff is beautifully shot and belies its extreme low budget origins. The new Criterion blu-ray is a must. Also, I'd mention Ken Burns. He does his own cinematography, but doesn't get a lot of credit since his films are seen as relying heavily on archival mediums. But he does utilize a fair bit of original material, mainly location footage and first person "talking head" interviews, and these scenes are stunning...his composition is almost Fordian in its precision, and his interviews are the most simple yet exquisite I've ever seen. And, he's one of the few non-fiction filmmakers who still utilizes 16mm for the footage he generates for a picture, so that's worth some bonus points. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dzyak Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 I've always loved the look of The Thin Blue Line. From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thin_Blue_Line_(documentary) Awards The Thin Blue Line won Best Documentary honors from the New York Film Critics Circle, the Kansas City Film Critics Circle, the National Board of Review, and the National Society of Film Critics.[21] Morris himself won an International Documentary Association Award, an Edgar Award, and a MacArthur Fellowship Genius Grant (1989).[22][23] The film was marketed as "nonfiction" rather than as a documentary which disqualified it from being considered in that category for an Academy Award.[7] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Rose Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Oh Brian, how could I forget Errol Morris! Yes his films too have some of the most stunning visuals...his films are enough to make you wonder what he would craft directing a fiction film, or working as a DP. Either way, I'm sure it'd be amazing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Metzger Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Hey Brian, ken Burns has been working with Buddy for the last 20+ years or so. They both shoot. I'd suggest watching "man on wire"...amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suki Ewers Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 I thought this looked amazing: Kassim the Dream Kassim was kidnapped and forced to be a child soldier in Uganda. He defected when he came to the US with a military boxing team for a competition and went on to be come a world champion boxer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason joseffer Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Not a "documentary" in the classic sense, but none the less a fabulous piece of documentary filmmaking is This American Life TV series episode John Smith. I was blown away! I thought this looked amazing: Kassim the Dream Kassim was kidnapped and forced to be a child soldier in Uganda. He defected when he came to the US with a military boxing team for a competition and went on to be come a world champion boxer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Burke Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 errol morris has been mentioned, but I will still suggest Fog of War. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Serr Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 Ron Fricke's photography in Koyaanisqatsi and Baraka is stunning. Easily the best I've seen in a documentary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Costello Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 Mondo Cane, Africa Addio, and Women of the World always impressed me with content as well as style- everything about them is pretty above and beyond the usual. All by the same basic group of people-- great music too- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Rose Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Ron Fricke's photography in Koyaanisqatsi and Baraka is stunning. Easily the best I've seen in a documentary. Oh yes! A few years back I saw a brand new 70mm print, struck from the OCN. Absolutely mind blowing. Easily in the top two or three movie going experiences of my life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maximilian Schmige Posted November 24, 2010 Author Share Posted November 24, 2010 I had seen Baraka and Errol Morris films. Truly amazing works. Outside of Baraka, I feel like a lot of documentaries such as by Errol Morris rely on amazing subject matter and editing. I am looking for more films along the line of truly amazing visuals and visual storytelling. I'll look into the other films mentions. Thank you for all the recommendations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Lazarte Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 Hi Max, Check out the Betrayal directed by Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath. Ellen Kuras' cinematography, filmed over 23 years, is truly beautiful and fitting for the film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Reimer Posted December 3, 2010 Share Posted December 3, 2010 I'm kind of a broken record about this subject, but Iraq in Fragments was some of my favorite cinematography of any genre (along with the usual suspects by the likes of Deakins, Lubezsky, etc.) Check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Dubrovskiy Posted December 3, 2010 Share Posted December 3, 2010 Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait I promise, you have never seen a football match shot like this. It's Darius Khondji, in the end of the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kevin Thomas Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 If you are looking for extraordinary cinematography above and beyond the usual then Peter Greenaway's Rembrandt's J'Accuse is an excellent example. There is a short clip on YouTube: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberto Schaefer asc aic Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 For a classic but really well shot documentary cinematography that is beautiful in it's own right look at "Waiting For Superman" as well as "The September Issue". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Peter Moretti Posted January 11, 2011 Premium Member Share Posted January 11, 2011 "Lake of Fire" and "Dark Days." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gustav Lassen Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I can highly recommend a recent gem from my country, Denmark, namely Armadillo which won the critics award at Cannes. It's cinematographer Lars Skree shot everything himself except from some headmounted cameras on the soldiers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91A0MCZWjm8&feature=related Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Weidemann Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 I recently came across a documentary about Flamenco, directed by Carlos Saura and photographed by Vittorio Storaro! I think its just beautifully shot. You can find the whole film on a well known website. :) Here's a trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xg2-8Ipvz4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Kieran Scannell Posted February 4, 2011 Premium Member Share Posted February 4, 2011 Thank you Henry! Never heard of this! what a joy to watch! typical Storaro completely captures the heart of Flamenco. small venue atmosphere on a large stage it is beautifully lit, performed, and directed. This will take some beating! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antti Näyhä Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Be sure to watch the whole film! If I remember correctly, in the final shot the camera pulls back and reveals the whole stage and Storaro's lighting equipment. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Murray Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Hi folks! I was wondering if anyone knows of any documentaries with award winning cinematography? Looking for compelling documentaries that showcase extraordinary cinematography above and beyond the usual. Has a cinematographer ever won the academy award with a documentary? Looking forward to all the great responses! The Man Who Skied Down Everest Absolutely stunning cinematography. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy M Lundborg Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Among many of those mentioned above, I highly recommend for their visual quality and moving content: Workingman's Death (2005) - dir. Michael Glowagger Searching For The Wrong Eyed Jesus (2003) - dir. Andrew Douglas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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