#1: 2007

#2: 2005

#3: With dir Spike Lee [left]

 

   


MATTHEW LIBATIQUE   ASC

 

Born: 19 July 1968, Elmhurst, Queens, New York City, as Matthew Jose Libatique. His parents came from the Philippines.

Education: California State University, Fullerton [Sociology & Communications; graduated in 1992]; American Film Institute [AFI] [1992-95; MFA in Cinematography].

Career: Worked on an internship at Chanticleer Films and became a post-prod coordinator. 'My first job as a cinematographer was shooting karaoke's. I had a friend at Chanticleer who wanted to be an actor, and his brother wanted to be a director. We'd shoot six karaoke's over a weekend. They would edit and put them on laser discs so that people could sing to them. At that point, I was more interested in shooting music videos than features. It was the beginning of the electronic age in post-production, and I didn't think that feature films were going to allow the opportunity to really explore that. I didn't want to miss out on the beginning of a new technology. Finally, through a friend, I got an opportunity to shoot a music video for a rapper named E40, and the rest is history.' [From KODAK website.]

Ph 100+ music videos [see below] and commercials [dir by McG, a.o.].

Member of the ASC since 2002.

Married to c.op/ph Magela Crosignani.

Appeared in the doc 'Cinematographer Style' [2005, Jon Fauer; ph: J. Fauer, Jeff Laszlo, Brian Heller & David Morgan].

Awards: Chlotrudis Award [1998] & Independent Spirit Award nom [1999] for 'Pi'; BSFC Award 3rd place [2000], Independent Spirit Award [2001] & Chlotrudis Award nom [2001] for 'Requiem for a Dream'; MVPA 'Panavision Award' [2002] for 'Mad Season'; Kodak Vision Award [2006]; 'Oscar' AA nom [2010], BAFTA Film Award nom [2010] & Independent Spirit Award [2011] for 'Black Swan'.


Matthew Libatique: 'For me, the photography in music videos is driven by the tempo of the music and certain instruments. I still hold out hope that in today's pop climate, music videos have the potential to be an art. There are some directors and cinematographers who constantly strive for that. I don't like to sit around between pictures, so videos provide an opportunity for me to practice, not unlike a musician. It gives me the ability to constantly work on my craft and apply techniques of cinematography.' [From KODAK website.]


 FILMS

1993

Protozoa [Darren Aronofsky] dv/c; short/?m; prod AFI (USA)

1993

Redneck [Shane Kuhn] c; 2uc: Alan Caudillo

1994

The Bedroom [David Crabtree] c; short/11m

1994

No Time [Darren Aronofsky] b&w-c; short/23m

1995

Til Death Do Us Part [Phil Leirness] c

1995

Soldier Boyz [Louis Morneau] c; 2uc; ph: Mauro Fiore

1995

Duke of Groove [Griffin Dunne] c; short/32m; 2uc (+ co-2nd c.asst); ph: John J. Campbell

1996

Grinders [Gary Ellenberg] c

1996

Pi [Darren Aronofsky] s16-35bu/b&w

1997

The Party Crashers/Until Yesterday Is Done [Phil Leirness] c

1998

Saturn/Speed of Life [Rob Schmidt] c; add time-lapse ph: Sarah Cawley

1998

Ted [Gary Ellenberg] 16mm/b&w-c; 2uc (+ 2ud); ph: Stephen S. Langensteiner

1999

Requiem for a Dream/Delusion Over Addiction [Darren Aronofsky] c; 2uc: Richard Rutkowski

2000

When Incubus Attacks Volume 2 [Philip Harder, a.o.] c/V; mus perf/150m (incl music videos); cph: Clark DePastino, Tom Marvel & Brett Spivey; filmed during SnoCore Tour 2000

2000

Tigerland [Joel Schumacher] 16mm-35bu/c

2000

Josie and the Pussycats [Harry Elfont & Deborah Kaplan] c; 2uc: Ron Williams

2000

Phone Booth [Joel Schumacher] s35/c

2001

Cosmic Coffee [Charles Wall] b&w-c

2001

Abandon [Stephen Gaghan] s35/c; uwph: Cynthia Pusheck

2002

Batman: Year One [Darren Aronofsky] announced; prod cancelled

2002

The 7th Man [Jason Liggett] c; short/13m; vfx: Bert Yukich

2003

Never Die Alone [Ernest R. Dickerson] s16-35bu/c; 2uc: Richard Rutkowski

2003

Gothika [Mathieu Kassovitz] c; 2uc: Igor Meglic; uwph: Pete Romano

2003

The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things [Asia Argento] announced as doph, but ph by Eric Alan Edwards

2003

She Hate Me [Spike Lee] s16+35mm-to-35mm/c

2004

Everything Is Illuminated [Liev Schreiber] c; 2uc: Milan Chadima

2004

The Fountain [Darren Aronofsky] s35-to-35mm/ c; 2uc: Sylvaine Dufaux; uwph: Pete Romano

 

With dir Spike Lee [right] - "Inside Man"

 

2005

Inside Man [Spike Lee] s35/c

2006

The Number 23 [Joel Schumacher] p/c; 2uc: Richard Rutkowski

2007

Iron Man [Jon Favreau] s35/c; addph: Gabriel Beristáin; 2uc: Jonathan Taylor; aph: David B. Nowell

2007

Miracle at St. Anna [Spike Lee] s35+s16-to-35mm scope/c; 2uc: Ernest Dickerson; 2uc New York: Ricardo Sarmiento

2008

The Fighter [Darren Aronofsky] announced in 2007 (not to be confused with Aronofsky's 'The Wrestler'); scheduled to start filming in October 2008; dir in 2009 by David O. Russell and ph by Hoyte van Hoytema

2008

Inside Man 2 [Spike Lee] pre-production; status unknown

2008

RoboCop [Darren Aronofsky] announced; remake of film (1986-87, Paul Verhoeven; ph: Jost Vacano); filmed in 2012 by dir José Padilha and ph by Lula Carvalho

2008

My Own Love Song [Olivier Dahan] s35-to-35mm/c; 2uc: Magela Crosignani

2009

Iron Man 2 [Jon Favreau] s35 (+ IMAX-70bu & D-Cinema)/c; addph: Gabriel Beristain; 2uc: Jonathan Taylor; ph New York: Richard Rutkowski; aph: David B. Nowell & (Monaco) Adam Dale

 

[Left] with Darren Aronofsky - "Black Swan"

 

2009

Black Swan [Darren Aronofsky] s16+HD (Canon EOS 5D & 7D)-to-35mm scope (+ D-Cinema)/c; filmed 2009-10

2010

Despair [Alex Prager] RED/c; short/5m; prod for Nowness (a brand of the luxury group LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton)

2010

Cowboys & Aliens [Jon Favreau] p (+ D-Cinema)/c; 2uc: Paul Hughen; aph: David B. Nowell

2010

The Wolverine/X-Men Origins: Wolverine 2 [James Mangold (replaced Darren Aronofsky)] announced as doph, but prod started filming in August 2012 with ph Amir Mokri

2011

Ruby Sparks/He Loves Me [Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris] HD (ARRI ALEXA)-to-35mm (+ D-Cinema)/c; 2uc: Tommy Maddox-Upshaw

2011

La Petite Mort [Alex Prager] HD/c; short/7m; part of A. Prager's exhibition 'Compulsion' (2012; film + series of photographs)

2012

Noah [Darren Aronofsky] s35+HD (ARRI ALEXA Plus + Canon EOS 5D Mark II)-to-35mm (+ D-Cinema)/c; 2uc: Lukasz Jogalla; ph Iceland: Chris Moseley (+ main unit co-c.op) & Karl Oskarsson; aph: Steve Koster; uwph: Pete Romano

2013

Pelé [Jeff & Michael Zimbalist] RED Epic Dragon/c; addph: Felipe Reinheimer

2014

The Jungle Book [Jon Favreau] announced as doph, but replaced by Bill Pope

2014

Straight Outta Compton [F. Gary Gray] RED Epic Dragon/c; 2uc: Tommy Maddox-Upshaw; aph: Dylan Goss

2015

Money Monster [Jodie Foster] HD (ARRI ALEXA XT Plus/p)-to-D-Cinema (scope)/c

2015

The Circle [James Ponsoldt] RED Epic Dragon/c; addph: Tommy Maddox-Upshaw

2016

mother! [Darren Aronofsky] s16+s35+RED Epic Dragon-to-D-Cinema (scope)/c; splinter unit ph: Robert Mattigetz

2017

A Star Is Born [Bradley Cooper] HD (ARRI ALEXA Mini/scope)-to-D-Cinema (scope)/c; 2uc (+ main unit c.op 'b' cam): Chris Moseley; remake of film (1936, William A. Wellman & (uncred) Jack Conway; ph: W. Howard Greene)

2017

Venom [Ruben Fleischer] HD/c

2018

Native Son [Rashid Johnson] HD (ARRI ALEXA Mini/tao35)-to-D-Cinema (scope)/c

 

 TELEVISION

1997

Women: Stories of Passion [ep #16 'Grip Till It Hurts' dir by Julie Dash] 26-part series; other ph: John Aronson, Theo van de Sande, Arturo Smith, Denise Brassard, a.o.

2002

A Darkness More Than Night [?] tvm; status unknown

2008

Kobe Doin' Work/Game Day with Kobe [Spike Lee] sports doc/90m (including prologue & epilogue)/HD; for ESPN-tv

2008

Passing Strange [Spike Lee] rock musical/136m/HD; filmed 19 July (Belasco Theatre, New York); also released theatrically as 'Passing Strange The Movie'

2014

Jerrod Carmichael: Love at the Store [Spike Lee] standup comedy special/54m; for HBO-tv; filmed 7 May (Comedy Store, Hollywood)

 

 MISCELLANEOUS

1991

Without a Pass [Marco Williams; short] electric prod asst 2u; ph: Stephen McNutt; also ep of Showtime-tv series '30-Minute Movie'

1991

Session Man [Seth Winston; short] post-prod co-ord; ph: Charlie Lieberman; also ep of Showtime-tv series '30-Minute Movie'

1991

The Washing Machine Man [Dean Pitchford; short] post-prod co-ord; ph: Eric J. Goldstein; also ep of Showtime-tv series '30-Minute Movie'

1992

Extreme Justice [Mark L. Lester] co-2nd c.asst; ph: Mark Irwin

1992

The Witness [Chris Gerolmo; short] 2nd c.asst; ph: Peter Lang; also ep of Showtime-tv series '30-Minute Movie'

1992

Contact [Jonathan Darby; short] post-prod co-ord; ph: Eric J. Goldstein; also ep of Showtime-tv series '30-Minute Movie'

1993

Traveler's Rest [Craig Belknap; short] cam prod asst; ph: Steve McMahon; also ep of Showtime-tv series '30-Minute Movie'

1993

Lush Life [Michael Elias; tvm] co-cam loader; ph: Nancy Schreiber

1993

Under the Car [Alan McElroy; short] 2nd c.asst (insert ph) (+ post-prod co-ord); ph: John J. Connor; also ep of Showtime-tv series '30-Minute Movie'

1994

My Family/Mi familia/Cafe con leche/East L.A. [Gregory Nava] cam loader; ph: Edward Lachman

1995

Duke of Groove [Griffin Dunne; short] co-2nd c.asst (+ 2uc); ph: John J. Campbell

1996

Fox Hunt [Michael Berns] electrician; ph: John P. Tarver

 

 MUSIC VIDEOS [Selection]

1996

Give Me One Reason [a: Tracy Chapman; d: Julie Dash]

1997

Anytime [a: Brian McKnight; d: Darren Grant]

1998

What U See Is What U Get [a: Xzibit; d: Gregory Dark]

1999

Just My Imagination [a: The Cranberries; d: Phil Harder]

1999

Westside [a: TQ; d: Darren Grant]

1999

Aisha [a: Death In Vegas; d: Terry Richardson]

1999

Ooh La La [a: The Wiseguys; d: Scott Bibo]

1999

My Favorite Girl [a: Dave Hollister; d: Steven Carr]

1999

Bodyrock [a: Moby; d: Steven Carr]

2000

I'll Do Anything [a: Jay-Z; d: Chris Robinson]

2000

Boyz In the Hood [a: Dynamite Hack; d: Evan Bernard]

2000 

Stellar [a: Incubus; d: Phil Harder]

2001

Fool [a: Mansun; d: Phil Harder]

2001

Mad Season [a: Matchbox 20; d: Phil Harder]

2001

The Trees [a: Pulp; d: Phil Harder]

2001

Save Me [a: Remy Zero; d: Phil Harder]

2001

Goodbye [a: Jagged Edge; d: Forest Whitaker]

2002

Pitiful [a: Blindside; d: Nathan Cox]

2002

Dem Girls [a: Oxide & Neutrino; d: Nathan Cox]

2004

Taking Off [a: The Cure; d: The Saline Project]