PHIL MÉHEUX

#1: From interview [Cinefii, 2013]

#2: © George Leon/filmcastlive

PHIL MÉHEUX BSC

Born: 17 September 1941, Sidcup, Kent, UK, as Philip Méheux.

Career: 'Leaving school just before his 16th birthday, Méheux answered a classified ad for a clerk in the sales department of M-G-M Film Distributors and whilst there, formed a lifelong friendship with two other film fanatics. They pooled their resources and acquired a second hand 16mm Bolex camera and began scripting and shooting their own films with Méheux as cameraman. After working as a projectionist in a preview theatre and then a West End cinema, Méheux applied to join a BBC Television Film Training course. By the time the interview came round, the training course was full but, based on his experience, the BBC offered Méheux a job as a studio projectionist [with the BBC Film Unit at Ealing Studios]. During this time, together with his friends, Méheux ph and edited a 30 minute short film with part sponsorship from the British Film Institute and after-hours technical help from the BBC. The film became a minor hit at obscure film festivals and this gained him a place on the next Film Training course in 1964. Six months later, while still a trainee, he was pulling focus for Dick Bush after his assistant went down with flu. He was soon made-up to full assistant and during the following years, worked with many different cameramen with many different styles on both drama and documentary subjects. In 1968, Méheux got his first chance to shoot film when the cameraman he was assisting, bowed out of a documentary about 'pop' music and the director had Méheux take over. He was subsequently sent to the 'Man Alive' unit as a 'holiday relief' cameraman and stayed for two years shooting some eighteen 50-minute documentary films. At the end of the first year, he was promoted to full cameraman. By the mid-70's, Méheux had graduated to all-filmed television plays which had become very successful at the BBC. At the end of 1976, having seen Méheux's television work, Tony Simmons, a freelance director, approached him to be a cameraman/operator on a low budget feature requiring extensive use of a handheld camera and available light, both techniques with which he was experienced. After 13 years at the BBC he left to become freelance and shoot 'Black Joy', his first 35mm feature film and the official British entry at the Cannes Film Festival in 1977. The producer of the film was Martin Campbell who was to have a definitive influence on his later career.' [From the BSC website.]

Ph commercials [dir by Colin Gregg, a.o.] and promotional films.

Also active as stills ph.

Member of the BSC since 1979. Was president of the BSC [2002-06].

Appeared in the BBC-tv series 'Film Education' [October 1995], 'Film 95' [November] & 'Film 96' [January].

Awards: BAFTA TV Award nom [1977] for 'Spend, Spend, Spend'; BSC Award [2006] & BAFTA Film Award nom [2006] for 'Casino Royale'; ASC International Achievement Award [2014]; BSC ARRI John Alcott Memorial Award [2017].

Website: Phil Méheux

FILMS
1969	One Is One [Malcolm Johnson] 16mm/b&w; short/29m; + ed
1975	Exposé/House on Straw Hill/Trauma [James Kenelm Clarke] c; uncred cph; ph: Dennis Lewiston
1977	Black Joy [Anthony Simmons] c
1977	Let's Get Laid!/Love Trap [James Kenelm Clarke] c
1977	Apaches [John Mackenzie] c; comm doc/29m
1978	The Music Machine [Ian Sharp] c; + spec pfx
1979	Scum [Alan Clarke] c; film version of tv drama (1977 - banned until 1991) for BBC-tv drama anthology series 'Play for Today'
1979	The Long Good Friday [John Mackenzie] c
1980	The Final Conflict/Omen III: The Final Conflict [Graham Baker] p/c; cph: Robert Paynter
1981	The First Day [Marek Kanievska] 16mm/c; comm short/30m; for Barclays
1981	Carling Black Label [John Bird] c; comm doc/14m; for Bass-Charrington
1982	Who Dares Wins/The Final Option [Ian Sharp] c
1982	The Honorary Consul/Beyond the Limit [John Mackenzie] c
1983	The Killing Fields [Roland Joffé] c; addph; ph: Chris Menges
1984	Yellow Pages/Going Undercover [James Kenelm Clarke] c; addph; ph: John Coquillon; released 1988
1984	Morons from Outer Space [Mike Hodges] c; vfx superv: David Speed
1986	The Fourth Protocol [John Mackenzie] J-D-C Scope/c
1987	Criminal Law [Martin Campbell] c; c.op 2u: Glen MacPherson, Larry Lynn & Serge Ladouceur
1988	Renegades [Jack Sholder] c; 2uc Philadelphia: Bob Gorelick
1989	Defenseless [Martin Campbell] c
1990	Highlander II - The Quickening [Russell Mulcahy] J-D-C Scope/c; addph: Jamie Thompson; 2uc: Arthur Wooster; vfx ph: Sam Nicholson
1991	Ruby [John Mackenzie] c; 2uc: Brian Tufano
1992	The Trial [David Jones] c; originally made as a tvm for BBC-tv drama anthology series 'Screen Two'
1992	Ghost in the Machine/Deadly Terror [Rachel Talalay] c; 2u addph: Jeffrey Jur
1993	No Escape/Escape from Absolom [Martin Campbell] J-D-C Scope/c; 2uc: David Wakeley; vfx ph: Dennis Skotak; hph: Greg Hunter
1995	GoldenEye [Martin Campbell] p/c; 2uc: Harvey Harrison; addph: Arthur Wooster; Alpine ph: Herbert Raditschnig
1996	The Saint [Phillip Noyce] p/c; addph: Alex Thomson; 2uc Russia (+ co-2ud UK): Michael Benson; 2uc UK: Tony Spratling
1997	The Mask of Zorro [Martin Campbell] J-D-C Scope/c; 2uc: Kim Marks; vfx ph: Michael Hofstein
1998	Entrapment [Jon Amiel] J-D-C Scope/c; Scotland ph: Martin Singleton; 2uc: Tony Spratling & Jonathan Taylor; uwph: Mike Valentine
1999	Bicentennial Man [Chris Columbus] c; 2uc: Brian Sullivan
2000	Bedazzled [Harold Ramis] p/c; London ph; ph: Bill Pope; 2uc: Lowell Peterson
2001	The Core [Jon Amiel (replaced Peter Hyams)] p/c; ph Rome unit; ph: John Lindley
2002	Beyond Borders [Martin Campbell (replaced Oliver Stone)] J-D-C Scope/c; 2uc: David Burr
2003	Around the World in 80 Days [Frank Coraci] s35/c; 2uc: Harvey Harrison (Thailand); aph: Adam Dale
2004	The Legend of Zorro [Martin Campbell] s35/c; 2uc (+ 2ud): John Mahaffie; miniature ph: Richard Bluck; + small part
2006	Casino Royale [Martin Campbell] s35/b&w-c; 2uc (+ 2ud): Alexander Witt; aph: John Marzano; uwph: Mike Valentine; add animal ph: Warwick Sloss; miniature plate ph (Venice): Peter Field; miniature ph: Peter Talbot; + small part
2007	Lions for Lambs [Robert Redford] p (+ D-Cinema)/c; co-addph; ph: Philippe Rousselot

[Left] with dir Raja Gosnell - "Beverly Hills Chihuahua"

2007	Beverly Hills Chihuahua/South of the Border [Raja Gosnell] s35/c ; 2uc: Jim Van Dijk; aph: John Trapman
2008	Edge of Darkness [Martin Campbell] s35/c; 2uc: John Mahaffie
2009	A Kingdom Without a King [Richard Perry] c; short/6m
2010	The Smurfs [Raja Gosnell] HD (Genesis)-to-35mm (+ D-Cinema [also 3-D version])/c; vfx unit ph: David M. Dunlap; vfx superv: Blair Clark & Richard R. Hoover
2011	Here Comes the Boom [Frank Coraci] HD (ARRI ALEXA + Phantom HD + Sony F35)-to-35mm (+ D-Cinema)/c
2012	The Smurfs 2 [Raja Gosnell] HD (Sony F65)-to-35mm (+ D-Cinema [also 3-D version])/c; 2uc: Thomas Ackerman & (Paris) Roger Simonsz; vfx superv: Jay Randall & Richard R. Hoover
2013	Borderline [Kieran Shea & David R. Osorio] c; short/11m; + ed
2013	The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water/SpongeBob SquarePants 2 [Mike Mitchell (live action) & Paul Tibbitt] HD (ARRI ALEXA)-to-35mm (+ D-Cinema [also 3-D version])/c; ph live action seq (filmed October/November)
2014	Killing Thyme [M.J. McMahon] HD (ARRI ALEXA) scope/c; short/23m
2015	Lifted [Lin Oeding] HD scope/c; comm short/5m; filmed with the DJI Ronin-M camera stabilizer; for DJI (Dà-Jiāng Innovations Science and Technology Co., Ltd., China)
2017	I Am the Doorway [Simon Pearce] HD (ARRI ALEXA)/c; short/20m

TELEVISION [for BBC-tv until 1977]
1968	Man on the Move [Paul Bonner] doc/47m; cph: Geoffrey Mulligan; ep #2 of 13-part doc series 'Bird's-Eye View', 1969-71; 1st season, 1969
1968	All My Loving [Tony Palmer] mus doc/55m (shot in color; first shown in b&w); ep arts series 'Omnibus'
1969	Protest in the Ranks [ep #1 'Sanctuary' dir by Shirley Fisher] 2-part (x 55m) doc; ep #2 'Resistance' ph by ?; ep of doc series 'Man Alive', 1965-81; Méheux was involved in this series from 1968-1971
1970	Art and Technology [prod: Tony Cash] 4-part doc arts series
1970	Dixon of Dock Green [ep #351 'Waste Land' dir by Joe Waters] 434-part series/b&w & c, 1955-76; 17th season/c, 1970-71; ph film seq
1971	The Liver Birds [ep #14 'The Dog' dir by Sydney Lotterby] pilot (ep BBC-tv 'Comedy Playhouse') + 85-part series, 1969-79 & 1996; 2nd season, 1971; ph film seq
1971	Three Looms Waiting [prod: Ronald Smedley] doc/50m/16mm; ep series 'Omnibus'
1971	Sounding Out: Yes [Tony Cash] mus short/20m; cph: Nick Squires
1971	The Goodies [ep #15 'Wicked Waltzing' & #16 'Farm Fresh Food' dir by Jim Franklin (film seg) & John Howard Davies] 64-part (+ 5 specials) series, 1970-80; 2nd season, 1971-72; ph film seg; other ph: Stewart Farnell (+ cph #16)
1971	The British Empire: Echoes of Britannia's Rule [ep #2 'The Sugar Slaves' prod by Dominic Flessati] 13-part doc series, 1972
1971	Dixon of Dock Green [ep #368 'Jig-Saw' dir by Joe Waters] 18th season/c, 1971-72; ph film seq; see 1970
1972	Love and Mr Lewisham [Christopher Barry] 4-part miniseries
1972	Z Cars [ep #663 'Connor' dir by Ron Craddock] 800-part series/b&w-c, 1962-78; 8th season/c, 1972-73
1972	The Incredible Robert Baldick - Never Come Night [Cyril Cole] pilot/50m
1972	Till Death Us Do Part [ep #37 (43m) 'Jesus Christ Superstar' prod by Dennis Main Wilson] 53-part series/b&w-c, 1965-75; 4th season/c, 1972; ph film seq
1972	America - A Personal History of the United States by Alistair Cooke [ep #11 'The Promise Fulfilled and the Promise Broken' dir by David Heycock (DH) & #12 'The Arsenal' dir by DH] 13-part doc series/b&w-c, 1972-73; cph: John Wyatt; other ph: Kenneth MacMillan & A.A. Englander
1972	Access to the Children [Philip Saville] tvm/65m; ph film seg; ep #60 of drama anthology series 'Play for Today' (1973)
1973	Sir Mortimer [ep #1 'Digging Up People' prod by David Collison] 2-part (x 50m) doc; cph: John Baker & John Hooper; ep #2 ph by John Hooper, Nat Crosby & John Baker; ep series 'Chronicle'
1973	China [part #1 'Times of Jade and Bronze' & #2 'Times of Silk and Gold' dir by Michael Gill] 2-part (x 50m) doc/b&w-c/16mm
1973	Two Women [Gareth Davies] 4-part miniseries
1973	The Pallisers [ep #1 dir by Hugh David] 26-part series, 1974; ph film seq
1973	Colditz [ep #20 'Frogs in the Well' dir by Viktors Ritelis] 28-part series, 1972-74; 2nd season, 1974; ph film seq; other ph: A.A. Englander, Fred Hamilton & Ray Henman
1973	One Child Gone to the North [Clem Vallance] mus doc/25m; ep series 'The Camera and the Song'
1974	Tom Jones on Happiness Island [prod: Colin Charman] mus special/48m
1974	Jericho [Maggie Black & Lucy Willis] doc/45m; ep doc series 'Open Door', 1973-83; 'Open Door' programmes were made by the public in co-operation with the BBC's Community Programme Unit
1974	Just Another Saturday [John Mackenzie] tvm; ep #108 of drama anthology series 'Play for Today' (1975)
1975	Blue Peter Special Assignment - Islands [ep #4 'The Isle of Wight' dir by Sarah Hellings] 6-part (x 40m) series; cph: Royston Halladay
1975	If You Were Me [ep (30 April) prod by Molly Cox & ep (7 May) dir by Nigel Walters & Gustavo Zozaya] 4-part (x 30m) series; cph: Rick Koontz (30 April) & Ariel Zúñiga (7 May); followed 6-part series, 1971
1975	Brassneck [Mike Newell] tvm; ep #113 of drama anthology series 'Play for Today'
1975	The Whip Hand [Leslie Blair] dram doc/75m
1975	Double Dare [John Mackenzie] tvm/63m; ep #139 of drama anthology series 'Play for Today' (1976)
1976	The Next Generation [prod: Bob Lockyer] doc/60m; ep series 'The Lively Arts'

1976	The Age of Uncertainty - a personal view by John Kenneth Galbraith [ep #1 'The Prophets and Promise of Classical Capitalism' prod by Dick Gilling (DG), #2 'The Manners & Morals of High Capitalism' prod by Mick Jackson (MJ), #3 'Karl Marx - The Massive Dissent' prod by DG, #5 'Lenin and the Great Ungluing' prod by DG, #6 'The Rise and Fall of Money' prod by David Kennard (DK), #7 'The Mandarin Revolution' prod by DG, #8 'The Fatal Competition' prod by DK, #9 'The Big Corporation' prod by DK, #10 'Land & the People' prod by DK & #11 'The Metropolis' prod by MJ] 13-part (12 x 56m + 1x 150m) doc + dram seq series/b&w-c/16mm, 1977; other ph: Henry Farrar (ep #4 + cph #1, 3 & #5-11), Elmer Cossey (#12-13), John Walker (#12) & Adam Gifford (#13); prod was 3 years in the making; ep #13 'Weekend in Vermont' (150m) was filmed in July 1976
1976	The Elephants' Graveyard [John Mackenzie] tvm/48m; ep #144 of drama anthology series 'Play for Today'
1976	The Shirley Bassey Show [Show #2 & #5 prod by Stewart Morris] mus perf (x 45m) series
1976	Spend, Spend, Spend [John Goldschmidt] tvm/16mm; ep #152 of drama anthology series 'Play for Today' (1977)
1977	In the Making [ep #5 'Rope' prod by Anne James] 13-part (x 20m) doc series
1977	The Emperor of Atlantis [John Goldschmidt] opera/73m (1979)
1978	Out [Jim Goddard] 6-part crime series
1978	The Professionals [ep #14 'Hunter/Hunted' dir by Anthony Simmons, #15 'The Rack' dir by Peter Medak, #16 'First Night' dir by David Wickes & #17 'Man Without a Past' dir by Martin Campbell] 57-part (1 unaired) series, 1977-83; 2nd series, 1978
1981	The Disappearance of Harry [Joseph Despins] tvm
1982	Experience Preferred… But Not Essential [Peter Duffell] tvm; ep Channel 4 series 'First Love'; also released theatrically
1983	Lace [Billy Hale] 2-part tvm
1983	Those Glory Glory Days [Philip Saville] tvm; ep Channel 4 series 'First Love'; also released theatrically
1984	Max Headroom [: 20 Minutes Into the Future] [Rocky Morton & Annabel Jankel] pilot for Channel 4 (GB) series; the film was re-edited and renamed 'Blipverts' and served as pilot for a 14-part series, 1987-88, in the USA
1985	Act of Vengeance [... A True Story] [John Mackenzie] tvm
1986	Apology/Apology for Murder [Robert Bierman] tvm

MISCELLANEOUS
1965	King of the River [various; tv-series] c.asst; ph: Dick Bush
1966	Alice in Wonderland [Jonathan Miller; tvm] c.asst; ph: Dick Bush
1974	Got It Made/Sweet Virgin [James Kenelm Clarke] co-prod; ph: Ernest Vincze
1980	The Professionals [dir ep #39 'Blood Sports'] ph: Dusty Miller; 4th series, 1980; see Television (1978)
1981	The Professionals [dir ep #53 'Cry Wolf'] ph: Frank Watts; 5th series, 1982; see Television (1978)
2012	Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 [Kris Pearn & Cody Cameron] anim/95m; visual cons
2014	Get Smurfy [Kelly Asbury] anim; visual cons