THEO VAN DE SANDE

"Steal a Pencil for Me" [2006]

Born: 10 May 1947, Tilburg, Netherlands, as Theodorus Amandus Maria van de Sande.

Education: Nederlandse Film Academie [NFA] [1966-70], Amsterdam.

Career: 'The day I graduated, I was not there to get my diploma because I was working on a film called 'Stamping Ground'. I was one of the field cameramen, and Jan de Bont was the cinematographer. After that, I started working on tv programs. The first opportunity I got to work on a feature was when Jan was doing a film, and he was looking for a 2nd assistant cameraman. On the next film, I was bumped up to first assistant. After that film, I decided that I was going to shoot my own films.'

Was prod asst on the short feature 'Antenna' [1969, Adriaan Ditvoorst; ph: Jan de Bont]. Went to Los Angeles, USA, in 1987.

'My first visit [to the USA] was in 1980. I shot a documentary in Cuba, and heard so much talk about the capitalist monster in America, I decided to see what the country was like. I rented a car in Washington, D.C. and spent a month driving across the country, and then another two weeks in Los Angeles. I found an immense country with great natural beauty. I went back to The Netherlands and shot more films in Europe and other countries. I returned to the United States [in 1984] because a film ['Charlotte'] that I shot about a Jewish artist who died in a Nazi concentration camp was opening at a San Francisco film festival. I met with some agents in Los Angeles during that trip and they asked for a resume. I had never had a resume! I simply went from film to film. I had about 40 to 50 credits including about 25 features. I was happy making films in Europe, but I knew I could never do bigger projects there because of budgets. There aren't that many people in the world who speak Dutch, so that put a limit on distribution.'

Appeared in the [tv-]doc's 'Kunstig - Fons Rademakers' [1979, Juri Voogd; tv-doc/48m], 'De Uitkijk - De IJssalon' [1984, ?; tv-doc/19m], 'Het visioen: over het maken van "De wisselwachter"' [1987, Rimko Haanstra; ph: Frans Bromet & Cees Samson], 'Stardust' [1998; seg dir by Harry Hosman] & 'R.A.M. Special' [2003, Harry Hosman; tv-doc/60m]. Became member of the ASC in 1991. Gives workshops at the Film & Television Workshops, Rockport, Maine. Was married to film director Nouchka van Brakel. Married to dir Michèle Ohayon.

Awards: Nederlands FF 'Gouden Kalf' Camera [1982] for his work, 1977-82; Madrid FF 'Best Cinematography Award' [1986] for 'De wisselwachter'; Nederlands FF 'Gouden Kalf' Camera [1987] for his work, 1982-87.

FILMS AT THE ACADEMY

1968	Prins Bernhard Fonds II [Ingeborg Köhler] ?; doc/?m
1969	Allerzielen [- Het feest van de dood] [Guido Pieters] 16mm/c; short/25m
1969	Carnaval [Guido Pieters] ?; short/30m
1969	Rosemary's Baby [Gert Meer] ?; short/?m

FEATURE FILMS

1969	Drop Out, of: De meester kan me nog meer vertellen [Wim Verstappen] c; cph: Jan de Bont, a.o.
1970	Blue Movie [Wim Verstappen] 35bu/c; ph special seq dir by Pim de la Parra; ph: Jan de Bont
1972	Vaarwel [: een sprookje]/Farewell/True Romantic Agony [Guido Pieters] 16mm/c
1973	Dakota [Wim Verstappen] ts/tc; ph Holland (studio); other ph: Jan de Bont, Marc Felperlaan, Werner Leckebusch & Peter Brugman
1974	Zwaarmoedige verhalen voor bij de centrale verwarming/Melancholy Tales [seg 'De smalle oude man' dir by Guido Pieters, 'Zeeman tussen wal en schip' dir by Ernie Damen, 'Een winkelier keert nooit weerom' dir by Nouchka van Brakel & 'Meneer Frits' dir by Bas van der Lecq] c; 4 seg
1976	Alle dagen feest/Every Day a Party [seg 'Alle dagen feest' dir by Ate de Jong, 'Een ellendige nietsnut' dir by Orlow Seunke, 'Hoe ik mijn verjaardag vierde' dir by Otto Jongerius & 'Op reis' dir by Paul de Lussanet] c; 4 seg
1976	Soleil des hyènes/Chamass wa el dibua/De zonnevreters/Hyenas' Sun [Ridha Behi] c; + small part
1976	Het debuut/The Debut [Nouchka van Brakel] c
1977	Dokter Vlimmen/Doctor Vlimmen [Guido Pieters] c
1978	Kasper in de onderwereld/De goden moeten hun getal hebben [Jef van der Heyden] c; cph: Fernand Tack
1978	Mijn vriend, of het verborgen leven van Jules Depraeter/The Judge's Friend [Fons Rademakers] c
1979	De Witte [van Sichem] [Robbe de Hert] c; cph: Walther Vanden Ende
1980	Charlotte [Frans Weisz] c; cph: Jerzy Lipman (started prod, but was replaced by van de Sande)
1980	Verdronken land/Drown Country [Chris Brouwer & Gerard Reteig] c
1981	Het meisje met het rode haar/The Girl with the Red Hair [Ben Verbong] c
1981	Golven/Waves [Annette Apon] 16mm/c
1982	Van de koele meren des doods/Hedwig: The Quiet Lakes [Nouchka van Brakel] c; also 4-part tv-miniseries (1984)
1983	De illusionist/The Illusionist [Jos Stelling] c
1983	Giovanni [Annette Apon] c
1983	De Anna [Erik van Zuylen] c
1983	Schatjes!/Army Brats/Darlings! [Ruud van Hemert] c
1983	De schorpioen/The Scorpion [Ben Verbong] c
1984	De ijssalon/Private Resistance [Dimitri Frenkel Frank] c
1984	Het bittere kruid/Bitter Sweet [Kees van Oostrum] c
1985	De aanslag/The Assault [Fons Rademakers] c
1985	[Schatjes 2:] Mama is boos!/Hitting the Fan! [Ruud van Hemert] c
1986	De wisselwachter/The Pointsman [Jos Stelling] c; cph: Frans Bromet, Paul van den Bos & Goert Giltay
1987	Der Madonna-Mann [Hans-Christoph Blumenberg] c
1987	Zoeken naar Eileen/Looking for Eileen [Rudolf van den Berg] c; cph: Paul van den Bos
1987	Miracle Mile [Steve De Jarnatt] c; addph: Ernest Holzman; 2uc: Jack Wallner & Chris Squires
1987	Crossing Delancey [Joan Micklin Silver] c
1988	Eyes of an Angel/The Tender [Robert Harmon] p/c; 2uc: R. Harmon & Walter Lloyd; 3uc: Alexander Gruszynski
1988	Rooftops [Robert Wise] c
1989	The First Power/Pentagram/Transit [Robert Resnikoff] c; 2uc: Jesus Elizondo & Michael Todd Henry; uwph: Peter Romano
1990	Once Around [Lasse Hallström] c
1990	Body Parts [Eric Red] p/c
1990	Big Girls Don't Cry... They Get Even/Stepkids [Joan Micklin Silver] c
1991	Wayne's World [Penelope Spheeris] c; 2uc: Robert M. Stevens
1993	On Deadly Ground [Steven Seagal] Clairmont-Scope/c; addph Alaska; ph: Ric Waite
1993	Exit to Eden [Garry Marshall] c; addph: Johnny Jensen; 2uc: Steve Yaconelli, Michael Genne & David Nowell
1993	Swallows Never Die in Jerusalem/Les hirondelles ne meurent pas à Jerusalem [Ridha Behi] c
1994	Bushwhacked/The Tenderfoot [Greg Beeman] Clairmont-Scope + Arriscope/c; 2uc: Scott Ransom
1996	Volcano [Mick Jackson] c; aph: Dylan Gross; vfx ph: Michael Sajbel; miniature efx ph: Allen Blaisdell, Michael Condro, David Drzewiecki & Eric Swenson; SpaceCam op: Ron Goodman
1997	Blade [Stephen Norrington] Clairmont-Scope/c; 2uc: Raymond Stella
1998	Cruel Intentions/Sexual Provocation [Roger Kumble] c
1998	Big Daddy [Dennis Dugan] c
1999	Little Nicky [Steven Brill] c; 2uc: Moshe Levin; aph: Dwayne McClintock
2000	Double Take [George Gallo] p/c; 2uc: Moshe Levin; + co-2ud
2001	High Crimes [Carl Franklin] p+s16-to-35mm scope/c; aph: Phil Pastuhov
2002	Out of Time [Carl Franklin] s35/c; 2uc: Josh Bleibtreu
2003	Little Black Book [Nick Hurran] s35/c; 2uc: Moshe Levin; aph: Phil Pastuhov
2004	Beauty Shop [Bille Woodruff] p/c
2004	The Marine [John Bonito] s35-to-35mm 1.85/c; ph Los Angeles; ph: David Eggby
*2004*	*Zwartboek/Black Book* [Paul Verhoeven] announced as doph, but ph by Karl Walter Lindenlaub in 2005
2005	Yours, Mine and Ours [Raja Gosnell] s35/c; 2uc: Larry Blanford & Paul Hughen
*2007*	Tulia [Carl Franklin (later replaced by John Singleton)] scheduled to start in May; status unknown
2007	College Road Trip [Roger Kumble] s35/c; addph: Matthew Leonetti

[Left] with dir Jean van de Velde - "Wit licht"

2008	Wit licht/The Silent Army [Jean van de Velde] s35/c
2008	The Hole [Joe Dante] Silicon Imaging/c
2009	Grown Ups [Dennis Dugan] HD-to-35mm/c; aph: Phil Pastuhov
2010	Just Go with It [Dennis Dugan] c

SHORTS & DOCUMENTARIES

1969	Carna [Adriaan Ditvoorst] c; doc/12m; cph: Jan de Bont & Piotr van Dijk
1970	Love and Music/Stamping Ground [Hansjürgen Pohland & George Sluizer] c; mus doc/101m; cph: Jan de Bont, Harry Hart, Paul van den Bos, Mat van Hensbergen, a.o.; aph: Jan Oonk
1972	Kapsalon [Frans Rasker] ?; short/24m; cph: Jan de Bont
1972	Crossover [Bobby Eerhart] c; short/7m
1972	De treurige geranium [Feliks Arons] 16mm/c; short/10m
1973	Eigen haard is goud waard/There's No Place Like Home [Annette Apon] 16mm/b&w; short/25m
1973	Een andere kijk op zwakzinnigheid/A New Look at the Mentally Retarded [Jan Vrijman] 16mm/c; doc/40m
1973	Bankoverval/Bankgeheim [Rob van Steensel] c; short/10m
1974	Arthur en Eva [Annette Apon] ?; short/35m
1974	Straf [Olga Madsen] c; short/12m
1974	Don't Move Baby [Bobby Eerhart] c; short/11m
1975	Oronoque [Aat den Ouden & Theo van de Sande] 16mm/c; doc/43m; cph: A. den Ouden
1976	The Hanged Man [Meino Zeillemaker] 16mm/c; short/12m
1976	De radiodroom [Flip Jansen] 16mm/c; short/18m
1976	Shoot Out [Bobby Eerhart] ts/c; short/13m
1976	Scherven [Juri Voogd] c; short/12m

With dir Willeke van Ammelrooy

photo by Maya Pejic

1976	Rust [Willeke van Ammelrooy] c; short/6m
1977	Alleen is maar alleen [collective] 16mm/c; dram doc/23m; prod by Amsterdams Stadsjournaal
1977	De vitusdans [Ben Verbong] 16mm/?; short/30m
1977	De elektriseermachine van Wimshurst [Erik van Zuylen] 16mm/c; short/40m
1977	Maria van de garage [Guido Pieters] c; ?/30m
1978	De verleiding [Ben Verbong] 16mm/c; short/50m
1978	Geen ontbijt [Annemarie Prins] 16mm/c; short/24m
1978	De plaats van de vreemdeling/The Alien's Place/The Alien [Rudolf van den Berg] 16mm/c; doc/87m
1979	De fabriek - Werken in Cuba/The Factory - Working in Cuba [Hillie Molenaar] c; doc/60m
1979	Episode [Victorine Habets] 16mm/c; short/27m
1979	Good Luck Danny [Flip Jansen, Peter Abbink & Ella Elbersen] 16mm/?; short/16m
1979	De code van Neerlands Hoop [Orlow Seunke] 16mm/c; perf/71 & 96m; cph: Goert Giltay & Jules van den Steenhoven
1980	Het begin [Orlow Seunke] c; doc/60m
1980	Chaos in de rechtsstaat [Barbara den Uyl] s16/?; doc/61m; cph: Jules van den Steenhoven; prod by Amsterdams Stadsjournaal
1982	Aanstelleritis [Ine Schenkkan] c; short/36m
1982	Who Needs the Pacific Ocean [August Louisson-Barrier] 16mm/c; doc/53m
1983	De toekomst van '36/The Future of '36 [Linda van Tulden & Willum Thijssen] c; dram doc/95m; cph: Michel Houssiau
1983	Capriccio di Amsterdam [Piotr Andrejew] c; doc/8m
1984	Stranger at Home [Rudolf van den Berg] 16mm/c; doc/93m; cph: Jules van den Steenhoven & Goert Giltay
1984	Projekties [Annette Apon] c; short/30m; prod by Amsterdams Stadsjournaal
1984	The End [Piotr Andrejew] c; short/8m
1989	Salamander [Michèle Ohayon] c; short/28m
1990	Let the Good Times Roll [Paul Justman] b&w-c; mus doc/90m; cph: Albert Maysles & Michelle Mahrer
1991	It Was a Wonderful Life [Michèle Ohayon] 16mm/c; doc/84m; cph: Jacek Laskus & Bruce Ready
1997	Colors Straight Up [Michèle Ohayon] s16/c; doc/93m; cph: Jacek Laskus; addph: Teresa Medina
2002	DysFunktional Family [George Gallo] HD-to-35mm/c; concert film/89m
2005	Cowboy del Amor [Michèle Ohayon] HD-to-35mm/c; doc/86m; addph Mexico: M. Ohayon; + co-prod
2006	Steal a Pencil for Me [Michèle Ohayon] dv/c; doc/94m; addph: Sam Ameen & Michael Pinkey; + co-prod
2009	S.O.S - State of Security: Richard A. Clarke's Quest for Truth [Michèle Ohayon] HD/b&w-c; doc/102m

TELEVISION

1971	De heilige familie [Jan van den Brink] doc/?m; cph: ?
1974	Q & Q [Bram van Erkel] 13-part series/16mm; 1st series; other ph: Jan Kijser
1975	W.F. Hermans en de triomph der techniek [Erik van Zuylen] doc/25m/16mm; ep series 'Beeldspraak'

[Left] - "Q & Q"

1975	Q & Q [, kunst- en vliegwerk] [Bram van Erkel] 13-part series/16mm; 2nd series, 1976; re-edited & released theatrically (1978/87m)
1977	Prettig weekend, meneer Meijer [Orlow Seunke] tvm/65m/16mm; ep series 'Dubbelleven'
1978	De taal is gansch het volk [Erik van Zuylen] doc/60m/16mm; cph: Paul van den Bos, Jochgem van Dijk, a.o.
1979	Extra [seg 'Bedankt en tot ziens' dir by Marc Nelissen] series/16mm
1979	Pim [Orlow Seunke] 5-part series/16mm; also released theatrically (1983)
1980	De granman [Jan Venema] doc/b&w-c/29m/16mm; cph: Jan Kijser
1984	Wij komen als vrienden/We Are Coming as Friends [Marion Bloem] doc/97m/16mm
1993	Wet/Feucht [Bob Rafelson] tvm/27m; ep 27-part series 'Erotic Tales - Die schönste Sache der Welt', 1993-2002
1996	The Practice [pilot dir by Mick Jackson] 168-part series, 1997-2004; 1st season, 1997 (6 ep); other ph: Dennis Smith
1996	Women: Stories of Passion [ep #1 'For the Sake of Science' & #14 'Reading for Pleasure' dir by Michèle Ohayon] 26-part series for Showtime Cable, 1996-97; addph: Samuel Ameen (#1 & 14); other ph: Arturo Smith, Denise Brassard, John Aronson, Matthew Libatique, Sergei Vertov, a.o.
1997	Profiler [various] 83-part series, 1996-2000; 2nd season, 1997-98 (20 ep); other ph: Kees van Oostrum
1999	[Oprah Winfrey Presents:] Tuesdays with Morrie [Mick Jackson] tvm
2004	Planet Rules [Steve De Jarnatt] series; unrealized (?)
2006	The Riches [pilot dir by Carl Franklin & (reshoots) Peter O'Fallon] 20-part series, 2007-08; 1st season, 2007; pilot reshoots ph: Jeffrey Jur
2006	October Road [ep #2 'The Pros and Cons of Upsetting the Applecart' dir by Gary Fleder (GF), #3 'Tomorrow's So Far Away' dir by GF, #4 'Secrets and Guys' dir by Michael Schultz, #5 'Forever Until Now' dir by David Paymer & #6 'Best Friend Windows' dir by GF] 19-part series, 2007-08; 1st season, 2007 (6 ep); pilot ph by Brian Agnew & Sharone Meir
2007	The Memory Keeper's Daughter [Mick Jackson] tvm

FILMS AS CAMERA ASSISTANT/OPERATOR

1968	Obsessions/Bezeten - Het gat in de muur [Pim de la Parra] c.asst; ph: Frans Bromet
1970	Rubia's Jungle [Pim de la Parra] c.asst; ph: Frans Bromet
1970	Tussen de wielen [Fons Grasveld; short] c.asst; ph: Fred Tammes
1970	Wat zien ik...?/Any Special Way/Diary of a Hooker/Business is Business [Paul Verhoeven] c.asst; ph: Jan de Bont
1971	Joyriding [Otto Maria Jongerius; short] co-c.asst; ph: Frans Bromet
1971	João [en het mes] [George Sluizer] c.asst; ph: Jan de Bont
1972	Turks Fruit [Paul Verhoeven] co-c.asst; ph: Jan de Bont
1973	Latsi in training [Samuel Meyering; short] c.asst; ph: Jan de Bont
1973	Naakt over de schutting [Frans Weisz] c.op; ph: Ferenc Kálmán-Gáll
1975	Blokpost/De laatste trein [Erik van Zuylen] c.asst; ph: Jan de Bont