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Roger Deakins

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Sir Roger Deakins is a highly influential English cinematographer. A cinematographer is the professional responsible for the camera and lighting on a film set. They use visual elements to help tell a story through light, color, and movement. Many experts consider him one of the greatest cinematographers in cinema history. His career is marked by significant honors, including two Academy Awards and five BAFTA Awards. He is also a member of the British and American Societies of Cinematographers.

Roger Deakins Feb-2011 02 (cropped)
Roger Deakins Feb-2011 02 (cropped)

Deakins uses various technical processes to create specific visual moods. One notable method is called bleach bypass. This process retains silver in the film print to create a washed-out appearance. He used this technique for the 1984 film Nineteen Eighty-Four to match the bleak vision of the story. This method was highly influential and later appeared in films like Seven and Saving Private Ryan. He also pioneered digital color correction. For the film O Brother, Where Art Thou?, he spent two months changing the lush green landscape into a burnt, autumnal yellow. This was the first feature film to be entirely digitally color-corrected.

His professional journey began with a foundation in art and photography. He was born in Torquay, Devon, in 1949. His mother was an actress and painter, while his father ran a construction company. Deakins studied graphic design at the Bath Academy of Art. During this time, he became passionate about photography. He was inspired by a guest lecturer named Roger Mayne. Although his photography was initially rejected by the National Film School for not being "filmic" enough, he was eventually admitted in 1972. It was during his school years that he met director Michael Radford.

Deakins has built long-term creative partnerships with many famous directors. He began a major collaboration with the Coen brothers in 1991 with the film Barton Fink. This partnership continued through many films, including Fargo and True Grit. He also works frequently with director Sam Mendes. Together, they created the war film 1917, which was filmed and edited to look like one continuous shot. Another significant partnership is with director Denis Villeneuve. They worked together on Sicario, Blade Runner 2049, and Prisoners. His work on Blade Runner 2049 earned him his first Academy Award.

His career includes a wide variety of film types and roles. Beyond live-action movies, he has served as a visual consultant for animated films. He contributed to projects such as WALL-E, Rango, and the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy. Early in his career, he worked on documentaries in Africa and anthropological films in India and Sudan. He also filmed music-related projects and music videos for artists like Eric Clapton and Marvin Gaye. These diverse experiences helped him develop the skills used in his modern feature films.

Deakins has received many prestigious awards for his technical skill. He has earned a total of 15 Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography. He finally won his first Oscar for Blade Runner 2049 and his second for 1917. In 2008, he became the first cinematographer since 1972 to receive two Oscar nominations in a single year. These nominations were for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and No Country for Old Men. In 2013, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). In 2021, he was also knighted as a Knight Bachelor.

Outside of the film industry, Deakins maintains several personal passions. He married James Ellis in 1991, and they have worked together on various film projects. They divide their time between Devon, England, and Santa Monica, California. Deakins enjoys running and still photography. He released a book of his black-and-white photographs titled Byways. He also maintains a website to answer fan questions and share cinematography tips. He even hosts a podcast called Team Deakins with his wife.

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Goldfinch 04 (48810058686)
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File:Roger Deakins Feb-2011 02 (cropped).jpg
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