Photo by D. Kirkland
With dir Mira Nair [right]
"The Perez Family" [1994]
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Photo by D. Kirkland |
With dir Mira Nair [right] "The Perez Family" [1994] |
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Born: 30 March 1952, London, UK. Moved to New Zealand at age 9.
Education: University of Auckland [Bachelor of Architecture, 1977].
Career: 'My father gave me my first camera when I was 8 years old. Later, when I was studying architecture at Auckland University, they taught us photography and encouraged us to use the darkroom. Photography became part of my life. In the final year of my degree we were required to submit a major project as a sub-thesis, usually a design project. As I had become interested in moviemaking, I decided that I wanted to make a 16mm film. I had a book in one hand about how to make films all the time I was shooting. The theme was about the energy crisis during the mid-1970s. It dealt with things that are relevant now. I used architecture to help tell the story. With the help of my friend who was a trainee editor and a very good book about editing, I managed to connect the pieces into something that was not a bad looking narrative film. I thought this was magical. I wanted to be an editor. [...] Next, I had an opportunity to work in a P.A. position on a couple of New Zealand films. I ended up helping out in the lighting department. I became very interested in lighting. I was promoted to gaffer almost overnight, with on-the-job training provided by the cinematographers who taught me about lighting. Looking back, I understand that I was privileged to be able to see how different cinematographers approached lighting and what choices they made. As a gaffer, I was at their right hand. If you pay attention, you can really learn. After a while, I got opportunities to light low-budget and no-budget films. […] I went to the commercial directors whom I knew, told them I was just getting started as a director of photography, and asked if they would they give me little jobs. I was gradually accepted. People would say maybe he knows how to light, but can he frame a shot. It took three years for me to get a solid commercial career going in New Zealand. It was a great learning experience, because I was shooting something different every day with decent budgets and professional crews. I also shot some music videos, maybe a dozen or 15.' [From interview with Bob Fisher on the KODAK OnFilm website.]
Moved to the USA [New York City] in 1995. Ph music videos dir by Alison MacLean, Fane Flaws, a.o. Dir music videos. Member of the ASC since 2009. Member of the NZCS.
Awards: New Zealand Film Award [1990] for 'An Angel at My Table'; AFI [Aus] Award [1993], Camerimage 'Golden Frog' [1993], BSC Award nom [1993], LAFCA Award [1993, shared], 'Oscar' AA nom [1994], ASC Award nom [1994] & BAFTA Film Award nom [1994] for 'The Piano'; Csapnivalo 'Golden Slate Award' nom [2000] for 'Runaway Bride'; Shanghai IFF 'Golden Goblet Award' [2005] for 'In My Father's Den'.
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FILMS |
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1985 |
Drum - Sing [Gregor Nicholas] c; perf/22m; cph: Alan Locke, Ian Paul & Leon Narbey |
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1985 |
Jewel's Darl [Peter Wells] c; short/28m |
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1987 |
The Leading Edge [Michael Firth] c; cph: M. Firth |
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1988 |
Kitchen Sink [Alison MacLean] b&w; short/14m |
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1988 |
Fender Bending [Chris Todd & Chris Williams] 16mm/?; doc/48m; cph: Richard Scott |
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1988 |
Rushes [Gregor Nicholas] c; short/12m |
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1989 |
An Angel at My Table [Jane Campion] 16mm-35bu/c; 2uc: Allen Guilford; originally a 3-part tv-miniseries |
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1991 |
The Piano [Jane Campion] c; uwph: Rob Hunter |
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1992 |
The Invisible Hand [Athina Tsoulis] 16mm/c; short/11m |
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1993 |
Once Were Warriors [Lee Tamahori] c |
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1993 |
Sense of Place - Robin Morrison, Photographer [John Bates] ?; doc/46m; addph: Robin Carati; also ep tv-series 'Work of Art' |
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1993 |
Peach [Christine Parker] c; short/16m |
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1994 |
The Perez Family [Mira Nair] c |
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1995 |
The Beach [Dorthe Scheffmann] c; short/8m |
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1995 |
Lone Star [John Sayles] c |
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1995 |
The Portrait of a Lady [Jane Campion] p/c |
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1996 |
The Bar [Dorthe Scheffmann] c; short/13m |
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1998 |
Analyze This Harold Ramis] c |
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1998 |
Runaway Bride [Garry Marshall] c; 2uc: Ian Fox |
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2000 |
Bridget Jones's Diary [Sharon Maguire] c |
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2001 |
Kate & Leopold [James Mangold] c |
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2001 |
The Recruit [Roger Donaldson] s35/c |
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2002 |
The Beautiful Country [Hans Petter Moland] s35/c |
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2003 |
Joe's Last Chance [Andrew Bergman] announced for September start; status unknown |
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2003 |
In My Father's Den [Brad McGann] s35/c |
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2004 |
Aeon Flux [Karyn Kusama] s35/c; 2uc: Josh Bleibtreu & Anna Foerster; aph: John Trapman |
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2005 |
A Doll's House/Et dukkehjem [Liv Ullmann] scheduled to start in June, but postponed due to budget problems |
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[Left] - "The Painted Veil" |
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2005 |
The Painted Veil [John Curran] p/c |
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2006 |
No Reservations [Scott Hicks] s35/c |
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2006 |
Shine a Light [Martin Scorsese] HD+s8+s35-to-35mm & 70bu/b&w-c; mus doc/122m; co-c.op; ph: Robert Richardson |
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2006 |
The Girl in the Park [David Auburn] c |
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2007 |
Nim's Island [Jennifer Flackett & Mark Levin] s35/c; addph: Alun Bollinger (+ 2ud) & John Stokes |
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2008 |
Amelia [Mira Nair] Hawk Scope/c; 2uc: Jacques Haitkin; aph: John Marzano |
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2008 |
Bitter Memories [Joshua Marston] s16/c; short/14m |
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2008 |
The Tempest [Julie Taymor] c; 2uc: Dana Gonzales |
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TELEVISION |
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1989 |
The Ray Bradbury Theater [ep #20 'A Miracle of Rare Device' dir by Roger Tompkins, #24 'A Sound of Thunder' dir by Costa Botes & #26 'The Haunting of the New' dir by Roger Tompkins] 65-part series, 1985-86, 1988-90 & 1992 |
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1997 |
Poodle Springs [Bob Rafelson] tvm |
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1998 |
Sex and the City [pilot dir by Susan Seidelman] 94-part series, 1998-2004/s16; 1st season, 1998; other ph: Michael Spiller, Michael Barrow & Maryse Alberti |
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2000 |
3rd Rock from the Sun [ep #123 & 124 'Dick'll Take Manhattan, Part 1 & 2' dir by Terry Hughes] 139-part series, 1996-2001; 6th season, 2000-01; other ph: Ronald W. Browne (+ cph ep #123 & 124) |
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2001 |
The Extreme Team/The X-Team [Leslie Libman] tvm; 2uc: Chris Patterson |
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2007 |
New Amsterdam [pilot dir by Lasse Hallström] series, 2008 |
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2009 |
Boardwalk Empire [Martin Scorsese] pilot |
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MISCELLANEOUS |
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1979 |
Middle Age Spread [John Reid] best boy/runner; ph: Alun Bollinger |
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1980 |
Nutcase [Roger Donaldson; short/47m] grip; ph: Graeme Cowley |
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1981 |
Goodbye Pork Pie [Geoff Murphy] gaffer; ph: Alun Bollinger |
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1981 |
Smash Palace [Roger Donaldson] gaffer; ph: Graeme Cowley |
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1981 |
Battletruck/Warlords of the 21st Century [Harley Cokliss] gaffer; ph: Chris Menges |
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1982 |
Savage Islands/Nate and Hayes [Ferdinand Fairfax] best boy; ph: Tony Imi |
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1983 |
Bodyspeak [Gregor Nicholas; short/10m] co-gaffer; ph: Alan Locke & Jusin Keen |
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1983 |
Strata [Geoff Steven] gaffer; ph: Leon Narbey |
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1984 |
Vigil [Vincent Ward] gaffer; ph: Alun Bollinger |
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1984 |
Pallet on the Floor [Lynton Butler] gaffer; ph: Kevin Hayward |
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1984 |
Heart of the Stag [Michael Firth] gaffer; ph: James Bartle |
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1985 |
Came a Hot Friday [Ian Mune] gaffer; ph: Alun Bollinger |
