Innovative Artists

This year has already featured some standout work when it comes to cinematography. From the nerve-wracking shadows of Jordan Peele’s “Us” (Mike Gioulakis) to the vibrant 35mm photography of Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” (Robert Richardson, an instant Oscar contender), 2019 has been a visual knockout at the movies and things are only set to get more eye-popping as the fall movie season begins. From major Hollywood tentpoles like “Doctor Sleep,” “1917,” and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” to indie awards hopefuls such as “Jojo Rabbit” and “Uncut Gems” and foreign titles “Parasite” and “Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” there is an overwhelming amount of visually-appealing cinema set to hit fall festivals and movie theaters this season.

As the fall awards season gets started with the major festivals (Venice, TIFF, Telluride, and New York), IndieWire has singled out the 30 cinematographers that every moviegoer needs to know through the remainder of 2019. Whether or not these films become Oscar contenders is beside the point. What’s important here is that these 30 behind-the-camera artists are all shaping the look of cinema and will continue to do so for years to come.

Alfre Woodard and Alex Castillo appear in Clemency by Chinonye Chukwu, an official selection of the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. Courtsey of Sundance Institute | photo by Eric Branco All photos are copyrighted and may be used by press only for the purpose of news or editorial coverage of Sundance Institute programs. Photos must be accompanied by a credit to the photographer and/or 'Courtesy of Sundance Institute.' Unauthorized use, alteration, reproduction or sale of logos and/or photos is strictly prohibited.

Eric Branco (“Clemency”)

One of the year’s breakout cinematography talents is without question Eric Branco, who shot Chinonye Chukwu’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner “Clemency.” Neon is mounting an awards campaign for the prison drama later this year and is opening the film December 27. Branco’s intimate camerawork utilizes the spaces within the movie’s prison setting to maximize the claustrophobia and increasing despair of the characters. Prior to “Clemency,” Branco served as cinematographer on various short films and a segment in the anthology horror movie “V/H/S.”

Steve Yedlin (“Knives Out”)

It’s not a Rian Johnson movie without cinematographer Steve Yedlin. The DP has shot all of Johnson’s feature films, starting with “Brick” and moving on to “The Brothers Bloom,” “Looper,” and “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” No surprise to hear Yedlin is back for Johnson’s ensemble murder mystery “Knives Out,” starring Daniel Craig and Lakeith Stanfield as detectives investigating a wealthy family after the death of its patriarch. “The Last Jedi” showed off Yedlin’s visual artistry on an expansive, blockbuster scale, which makes the one-setting “Knives Out” an exciting and wildly opposite follow-up.

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