RUSSELL BOYD

RUSSELL BOYD ACS/ASC

Born: 21 April 1944, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Career: 'I was born and raised in a small town in Victoria. My family was farmers. Australia's economy rode on the backs of sheep during the 1950s. My dad used to go around to the shearing sheds, collect wool in bails and send it off to market. I was a teenage photo hobbyist. My very first job was in a small production company [Cinesound Newsreel in Melbourne] that produced newsreels for the cinema in Australia. We didn't get television until the late 1950s. I started off painting sets and projecting film dailies, and it just developed from there. After about a year, I got to shoot newsreels. After a few years of filming newsreels, I got a job shooting television news for Channel 7 in Melbourne. It was b&w at first. I think even then, I had a feeling I wanted to go into drama. After about three to four years in Melbourne, I went to Sydney where I worked for a small documentary company [Supreme Studios]. We drove around Australia, shooting films that were put on a loop in an 8mm projector. […] I was shooting TV commercials, a lot of them... actually, a different one every day. I worked for a studio that also had a big laboratory with around 150 people. It was big by Sydney standards in those days. On the weekends, I worked with a friend who made student movies with no budget whatsoever. His name is Mike Thornhill. In 1974, he made a very low budget, full fledged dramatic movie called 'Between Wars', and asked me to shoot it.'

Ph commercials.

Member of the ACS since 1975 and member of the ASC since 2004.

Appeared in the doc's 'Feature Film Lighting: Russell Boyd A.C.S. Interviewed by Peter Thompson' [1984, John Wiggins; 57m] & 'Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation' [2008, Mark Hartley; 103m].

Awards: ACS 'Milli' Award 'Australian Cinematographer of the Year' [1976] for 'Between Wars'; AFI [Aus] Award [1977] for 'Break of Day'; BSC Award nom [1976], BAFTA Film Award [1977] & 'Saturn' Award [1979] for 'Picnic at Hanging Rock'; AFI [Aus] Award [1978] for 'The Last Wave'; AFI [Aus] Award nom [1980] for 'The Chain Reaction'; AFI [Aus] Award [1981] & ACS 'Milli' Award 'Australian Cinematographer of the Year' [1982] for 'Gallipoli'; AFI [Aus] Award nom [1983] for 'The Year of Living Dangerously'; AFI [Aus] Award nom [1986] for 'Burke & Wills'; AFI [Aus] Award nom [1990] for 'Prisoners of the Sun'; ACS 'Hall of Fame' Award [1998]; Film Critics Circle of Australia 'Special Achievement Award' [2002]; Camerimage 'Special Award Best Duo' [2003; shared]; Camerimage 'Golden Frog' nom [2003], ASC Film Award nom [2003], Golden Satellite Award nom [2003; shared]; 'Oscar' AA [2003], BAFTA Film Award nom [2003] & NSFC Award [2004] for 'Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World'; ASC International Award [2018].

Russell Boyd: 'Technology is constantly changing. There is a fascinating future ahead. I'm a purist. I prefer to work in film, but digital intermediate technology can be a great enhancement. In 'Master and Commander' there is a scene in the captain's cabin, where Russell Crowe is giving a midshipman quite a lecture. Russell walked forward and when he stopped I had too much light on him. Instead of stopping everything and shooting another take, we scanned that shot and I timed it digitally to bring the light on him down. In that case, it was more efficient to do it. Digital intermediate technology can help you finesse some things, but it can't cover glaring mistakes. It has its good points, but there are limits to what it can do. The cinematographer still has to get it right, knowing that he may be able to tweak it later. I don't foresee the cinematographer's role diminishing because of advances in post technology, and I think producers are starting to become aware of that.' [From the KODAK website.]

FILMS
1966	Hennessy's Holiday [Barry Scott] c; promotional doc/22m
1968	Cobar Copper: A New Era in Mining [Bob Warbrook] 16mm/c; doc/25m; cph: David Gribble & Noel Leeder
1968	The American Poet's Visit [Michael Thornhill] 16mm/b&w; short/16m
1970	The Acid Test [Peter Benardos & Kenneth Cook] c; doc/52m; cph: Andrew Fraser & Oscar Scherl
1970	The Girl from the Family of Man [Michael Thornhill] c; short/25m
1970	Jindivik: The Hunted One [Bewick Hack] c; doc/15m
1971	Project Turana - A New Australian Target Concept [Bewick Hack] c; doc/12m
1972	Making It Work [?] ?
1973	Joker [James Ricketson] b&w; short/25m; cph: Tom Cowan
1973	Matchless [John Papadopoulos] 16mm/b&w; short/55m; addph: Wolfgang Kress & Gillian Armstrong
1973	Mr. Fixit - My Dad [Michael Thornhill] c; docudrama/8m
1973	Lanshan [Graham Shirley] b&w; short/22m; cph: Peter Newton; prod Australian Film and Television School
1973	Cheryl and Kevin [Michael Thornhill] 16mm/c; doc/9m
1973	This Is Philosophy [Arch Nicholson] 16mm/c; educational doc/27m
1974	Between Wars [Michael Thornhill] 16mm-35bu/c; cph: Greg Hunter, a.o.
1974	Me and You, Kangaroo [Bert Salzman] c; short/19m; for Learning Corporation of America
1974	The Love Epidemic [Brian Trenchard-Smith] 16mm/c; doc + dram seq/83m
1974	The Man from Hong Kong/The Dragon Flies [Brian Trenchard-Smith] cs/c
1975	Picnic at Hanging Rock [Peter Weir] c; nature ph: David Sanderson
1975	The Golden Cage [Ayten Kuyululu] 16mm/c
1975	Douglas Stewart [Keith Salvat] c; interview/60m
1975	Marjorie Barnard [Keith Salvat] c; interview/50m
1975	Bert Flugelman [Keith Salvat] c; interview/44m
197?	Leon Gellert [Keith Salvat] 16mm/c; doc/50m
1975	Modern Masters: Manet to Matisse [Keith Salvat] 16mm/c; doc/55m
1975	The Crossing [Frank Shields] c; short/22m
1975	[Ric] Howard [Keith Salvat]16mm/c; doc/28m
1975	The Singer and the Dancer [Gillian Armstrong] 16mm-35bu/c; short/50m
1975	Amy Is a Tiger [Keith Hall] c; promotional doc/29m
197?	What Went Wrong at Currajong? [John S. Dick] 16mm/c; doc/26m; cph: Milton Ingerson & Paul Dallwitz
1976	Painted Horses [Keith Salvat] c; doc/15m; cph: Brian Probyn
1976	Alcestis [Ken Quinnell] 16mm/c; short/25m
1976	Summer of Secrets [Jim Sharman] c
1976	Break of Day [Ken Hannam] c
1976	Backroads [Phillip Noyce] 16mm/c; short/59m; addph: David Gribble & Micha Nussinov
1977	Plunge Into Darkness [Peter Maxwell] c
1977	The Reef [John Heyer] c; doc/76m; co-2uc; ph: Andrew Fraser
1977	The Last Wave [Peter Weir] c; addph: Ron Taylor, Klaus Jaritz & George Greenough
1977	Dawn! [Ken Hannam] c
1978	Stunt Rock/Crash/Sorcery [Brian Trenchard-Smith] 16mm (stunt footage)+35mm-to-tao35/c; co-2uc Australia; ph: Bob Carras (= Robert Primes)
1978	Temperament Unsuited [Ken Cameron] 16mm/c; short/57m
1978	Tapak dewata - Java/Tapak dewata - Path of the Gods [Phillip Noyce] 16mm/c; doc/27m; cph: Tom Cowan
1979	Just Out of Reach [Linda Blagg] 16mm/c; short/49m; cph: Nixon Binney
1979	Bali: Pulau dewata/Bali: Island of the Gods [Phillip Noyce] 16mm/c; comm doc/?m; for Qantas Airways
1979	Tranquility in a Wilderness: Gardens of Early Australia [William Fitzwater] c; doc/29m
1979	The Chain Reaction/Nuclear Run [Ian Barry] c; addph: Louis Irving, Steve Dobson, a.o.; uwph: George Greenough
1979	…Maybe This Time [Chris McGill] c
1980	Gymnastics: Just About the Best Thing Going [Frank Heimans] 16mm/c; doc/21m; cph: Nixon Binney
1980	A Club with Three Members [Frank Heimans] c; doc/?m
1980	Gallipoli [Peter Weir] p/c; uwph: Ron Taylor
1981	Starstruck [Gillian Armstrong] c; 2uc: Malcolm Richards

"Tender Mercies" - photo by Ron Phillips

1981	Tender Mercies [Bruce Beresford] c
1982	The Year of Living Dangerously [Peter Weir] p/c; 2uc: John Seale
1982	Phar Lap [Simon Wincer] p/c; 2uc: Keith Wagstaff; + co-add c.op
1982	Stanley [: Every Home Should Have One] [Esben Storm] c
1983	Night of Shadows [Brian Thomson] c; short/25m
1983	A Soldier's Story [Norman Jewison] c

"Mrs. Soffel"

1984	Mrs. Soffel [Gillian Armstrong] c; ph Pittsburgh: Peter Norman & Darwin Dean
1985	Burke & Wills [Graeme Clifford] p/c
1985	"Crocodile" Dundee [Peter Faiman] p/c; 2uc: John Haddy (Australia) & Terry Hopkins (N.Y.); wildlife ph: Michael Atkinson
1986	Hightide/High Tide [Gillian Armstrong] c; addph: David Gribble; 2uc: Peter Menzies, Geoffrey Wharton & George Greenough
1987	The Rescue [Ferdinand Fairfax] s35-to-35mm/c
1987	"Crocodile" Dundee II [John Cornell] p/c
1988	In Country [Norman Jewison] c; 2uc: J. Michael McClary
1989	Confidence/Sweet Talker [Michael Jenkins] c
1989	Prisoners of the Sun/Blood Oath [Stephen Wallace] c
1990	Almost an Angel [John Cornell] c; 2uc: Richard Yuricich
1990	The Street of Dreams [Martin Sharp] c; doc/108m; cph: Geoff Burton, Tom Cowan & Michael Edols
1990	Turtle Beach/The Killing Beach [Stephen Wallace] c; uwph: Robert Hunter
1991	White Men Can't Jump [Ron Shelton] c
1992	Forever Young [Steve Miner] c; addph: Michael Benson; aph: Rexford Metz
1994	Cobb [Ron Shelton] p/b&w-c; 2uc Sierra (+ spec vfx superv): Mark Vargo
1994	Operation Dumbo Drop [Simon Wincer] p/c; aph: Frank M. Holgate
1995	Tin Cup [Ron Shelton] p/c; 2uc (+ 2ud): Mark Vargo
1996	Liar Liar [Tom Shadyac] c; 2uc: Donald McCuaig
1996	Oscar and Lucinda [Gillian Armstrong] p/c; addph; ph: Geoffrey Simpson
1997	Dr. Dolittle/Doctor Dolittle [Betty Thomas] c; 2uc: Donald McCuaig
1999	Company Man [Peter Askin & Douglas McGrath] c; addph: Michael Spiller
1999	Serenades [Mojgan Khadem] c
2000	American Outlaws [Les Mayfield] c; 2uc: Terry Leonard, Robert McLachlan & Paul Varrieur
2002	The Birthday [Samantha Rebillet] c; short/6m

[Right] with dir Peter Weir

"Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World"

2002	Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World [Peter Weir] s35/c; addph (+ 2uc): Sandi Sissel; 2uc: Simon Akkerman & Kim Batterham; Cape Horn ph: Paul Atkins; vfx ph: Martin Rosenberg
2004	Stealth [Rob Cohen] p (+ D-Cinema)/c; uncred ph Thailand; ph: Dean Semler
2005	Ghost Rider [Mark Steven Johnson] s35/c; 2uc: Brad Shield; aph: Warwick Field
2006	What They Don't Know [Samuel Bennetts] scope/c; short/12m
2007	Finders Keepers [Melanie Bridge] scope/c; branded short/10m; for Schweppes
2009	The Way Back [Peter Weir] s35 (+ D-Cinema)/c; 2uc: Mark Vargo
2013	Light [Matt Murphy] c; short/7m

TELEVISION & MULTI-PLATFORM
1967	Handle, Pitch and Drive [Alan Harkness] promotional doc/32m
1971	Way of Life/Nurses Story/Nurses Recruitment [Ted Holliday] doc/30m
1972	The Spoiler [Bill Hughes & Alister Smart] 13-part series/b&w
1972	The Marty Feldman Show [Brian Trenchard-Smith] special/b&w/30m
1975	Mama's Gone A-Hunting [Peter Maxwell] tvm/16mm; 2uc: Hans Heidrich
1976	Gone to Ground [Kevin James Dobson] tvm
1976	Is There Anybody There? [Peter Maxwell] tvm
1976	The Alternative [Paul Eddy] tvm/16mm
1977	Benny Hill Down Under/Benny Hill in Australia [Rod Kinnear (studio) & Richard McCarthy (film)] special/60m/v
1978	Julie Anthony's First Special [Russell Boyd] special/60m; for Seven Network
1978	Day's I'll Remember in South Australia [Howard Rubie] special/25m
1978	The Night Nurse [Igor Auzins] tvm
1979	Julie Anthony's Second Special [Russell Boyd] special
1979	New South Wales Images [Russell Boyd] doc/55m/16mm; cph: John Seale
1980	A Town Like Alice [David Stevens] 4-part miniseries
1985	The Perfectionist/Three's Trouble [Chris Thomson] tvm
1986	The Challenge [Chris Thomson] 3-part (originally 6-part) miniseries

"Watch with Mother"

2012

Watch with Mother [collective The Glue Society] 6-part (x 16-20m) multi-platform sketch horror series/HD (ARRI ALEXA); cph: Jeremy Rouse

MISCELLANEOUS [camera op - director]
1972	Private Collection/Going Once, Going Twice [Keith Salvat] c.op; ph: David Gribble
1973	Number 96 [Peter Benardos] co-c.op; ph: John McLean
1978	Julie Anthony's First Special [dir; tv-special] see Television & Multi-Platform
1979	Julie Anthony's Second Special [dir; tv-special] see Television & Multi-Platform
1979	New South Wales Images [dir; + cph; tv-doc] see Television & Multi-Platform