Robert Elswit

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American cinematographer

title: "Robert Elswit" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1950-births", "living-people", "american-cinematographers", "afi-conservatory-alumni", "artists-from-los-angeles", "best-cinematographer-academy-award-winners", "film-people-from-los-angeles", "primetime-emmy-award-winners", "usc-school-of-cinematic-arts-alumni", "best-cinematography-independent-spirit-award-winners"] description: "American cinematographer" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Elswit" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American cinematographer ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]

FieldValue
nameRobert Elswit
birth_nameRobert Christopher Elswit
birth_date
birth_placeLos Angeles, California, U.S.
alma_materUniversity of Southern California (BFA)
American Film Institute (MFA)
occupationCinematographer
years_active1977–present
titleASC
::

|name = Robert Elswit |birth_name = Robert Christopher Elswit |birth_date = |birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |alma_mater = University of Southern California (BFA) American Film Institute (MFA) |occupation = Cinematographer |years_active = 1977–present |title = ASC

Robert Christopher Elswit, ASC (born April 22, 1950) is an American cinematographer.

He has collaborated with Paul Thomas Anderson from 1996 to 2014, winning the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for There Will Be Blood.

Elswit has also collaborated with directors and screenwriters Tony and Dan Gilroy on all of the six films that either brother directed.

Early life

Elswit was born in Los Angeles.

He is a graduate of the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts and worked there as a teaching assistant.

Elswit is also the godfather to the actor Jake Gyllenhaal.

Career

An early short film he worked on was the 1982 television adaptation of Ray Bradbury's short story All Summer in a Day.

He worked as a visual effects camera operator at John Dykstra's Apogee Productions Inc. on each film, including Star Trek: The Motion Picture, The Empire Strikes Back and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, before shooting made-for-television films and shows.

Elswit has been a fierce defender of shooting on film, and whenever possible avoids using digital cameras. Images shot digitally, he said, have "no texture, no grain", though he started shooting digitally with Nightcrawler.

He shot his black and white, Oscar nominated film Good Night, and Good Luck. He first shot the film in color, and then converted the film into black and white in post production. According to Elswit, the technique preserved the subtlety of the colors (as complex shades of blacks and greys) and made the overall look much richer in the final film. His work on the film earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, but lost to Dion Beebe for Memoirs of a Geisha.

Elswit later won the award for There Will Be Blood in 2008.

He has cited early independent filmmaker John Cassavetes as a major influence.

Filmography

Television

::data[format=table]

YearTitleDirectorNotes
1980CBS LibrarySeth Pinsker
Sam WeissEpisode: "The Incredible Book Escape"
1985CBS Schoolbreak SpecialMichael Toshiyuki UnoEpisode: "The War Between the Classes"
1989Dream StreetMark RosnerEpisode: "Pilot"
1992Human TargetMax TashEpisode: "Pilot"
1997Prince StreetRoger SpottiswoodeEpisode: "Pilot"
2016The Night OfSteven ZaillianEpisode: "The Beach"
2024RipleyMiniseries
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TV movies ::data[format=table]

YearTitleDirectorNotes
1982All Summer in a DayEd Kaplan
1983Tiger TownAlan Shapiro
1984A Single LightKarl Epstein
1986The Children of Times SquareCurtis Hanson
1987A Different AffairNoel Nosseck
Long GoneMartin Davidson
Into the HomelandLesli Linka Glatter
1989Double Exposure: The Story of Margaret Bourke-WhiteLawrence Schiller
1990A Killing in a Small TownStephen Gyllenhaal
Steel MagnoliasThomas Schlamme
Opposites AttractNoel Nosseck
1991Prison Stories: Women on the InsideDonna Deitch
Joan Micklin SilverSegments "Esperanza" and "Parole Board"
The Summer My Father Grew UpMichael Tuchner
Paris TroutStephen Gyllenhaal
VidiotsHoward Storm
1992A Murderous Affair: The Carolyn Warmus StoryMartin Davidson
2026Untitled Punisher television specialReinaldo Marcus GreenTV special
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Feature film

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YearTitleDirectorNotes
1981The End of AugustBob Graham
1982Waltz Across TexasErnest Day
1983SummerspellLina Shanklin
1985The Sure ThingRob Reiner
Moving ViolationsNeal Israel
Desert HeartsDonna Deitch
1986Trick or TreatCharles Martin Smith
1987Amazing Grace and ChuckMike Newell
1988Return of the Living Dead Part IIKen Wiederhorn
1989How I Got into CollegeSavage Steve Holland
Heart of DixieMartin Davidson
1990Bad InfluenceCurtis Hanson
1992The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
WaterlandStephen Gyllenhaal
1993A Dangerous Woman
1994The River WildCurtis Hanson
1996Hard EightPaul Thomas AndersonFirst of 6 collaborations with Anderson
The PallbearerMatt Reeves
BoysStacy Cochran
1997Boogie NightsPaul Thomas Anderson
Tomorrow Never DiesRoger Spottiswoode
19998mmJoel Schumacher
MagnoliaPaul Thomas Anderson
2000BounceDon Roos
2001HeistDavid Mamet
ImpostorGary Fleder
2002Punch-Drunk LovePaul Thomas Anderson
2003Behind the Red DoorMatia Karrell
GigliMartin Brest
Runaway JuryGary Fleder
2005Good Night, and Good LuckGeorge Clooney
SyrianaStephen Gaghan
2006American DreamzPaul Weitz
2007Michael ClaytonTony Gilroy
There Will Be BloodPaul Thomas Anderson
2008RedbeltDavid Mamet
The Burning PlainGuillermo Arriaga
2009DuplicityTony Gilroy
The Men Who Stare at GoatsGrant Heslov
2010The TownBen Affleck
SaltPhillip Noyce
2011Mission: Impossible – Ghost ProtocolBrad Bird
2012The Bourne LegacyTony Gilroy
2014Inherent VicePaul Thomas Anderson
NightcrawlerDan Gilroy
2015Mission: Impossible – Rogue NationChristopher McQuarrie
2016GoldStephen Gaghan
2017SuburbiconGeorge Clooney
Roman J. Israel, Esq.Dan Gilroy
2018SkyscraperRawson Marshall Thurber
Write When You Get WorkStacy Cochran
2019Velvet BuzzsawDan Gilroy
2020The King of Staten IslandJudd Apatow
2021King RichardReinaldo Marcus Green
2024Bob Marley: One Love
2025Ella McCayJames L. Brooks
2026Ben AffleckPost-production
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::data[format=table title="Key"]

Denotes films that have not yet been released
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Short film ::data[format=table]

YearTitleDirectorNotes
1988Cadillac DreamsMatia Karrell
1998Richard Lester!Stacy CochranDocumentary short
2010Lost Masterpieces of PornographyDavid MametVideo short
2019SnowbrawlDavid Leitch
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Accolades

Academy Awards ::data[format=table]

YearCategoryTitleResult
2005Best CinematographyGood Night, and Good Luck
2007There Will Be Blood
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American Society of Cinematographers ::data[format=table]

YearCategoryTitleResult
2005Outstanding CinematographyGood Night, and Good Luck
2007There Will Be Blood
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BAFTA Awards ::data[format=table]

YearCategoryTitleResult
2007Best CinematographyThere Will Be Blood
::

Boston Society of Film Critics ::data[format=table]

YearCategoryTitleResult
2005Best CinematographyGood Night, and Good Luck
::

British Society of Cinematographers ::data[format=table]

YearCategoryTitleResult
2007Best CinematographyThere Will Be Blood
::

**Camerimage ** ::data[format=table]

YearCategoryTitleResult
2005Golden Frog AwardGood Night, and Good Luck
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Chicago Film Critics Association ::data[format=table]

YearCategoryTitleResult
2005Best CinematographyGood Night, and Good Luck
2007There Will Be Blood
2014Inherent Vice
::

Daytime Emmy Award ::data[format=table]

YearCategoryTitleResult
1984Outstanding Achievement in CinematographyCBS Schoolbreak Special (For episode "The War Between The Classes")
::

Houston Film Critics Society ::data[format=table]

YearCategoryTitleResult
2014Best CinematographyInherent Vice
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Independent Spirit Award ::data[format=table]

YearCategoryTitleResult
1997Best CinematographyHard Eight
2005Good Night, and Good Luck
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Los Angeles Film Critics Association ::data[format=table]

YearCategoryTitleResult
2005Best CinematographyGood Night, and Good Luck
2007There Will Be Blood
::

National Society of Film Critics ::data[format=table]

YearCategoryTitleResult
2002Best CinematographyPunch-Drunk Love
2005Good Night, and Good Luck
2007There Will Be Blood
::

New York Film Critics Circle ::data[format=table]

YearCategoryTitleResult
2005Best CinematographyGood Night, and Good Luck
2007There Will Be Blood
::

Online Film Critics Society ::data[format=table]

YearCategoryTitleResult
2005Best CinematographyGood Night, and Good Luck
2007There Will Be Blood
::

Primetime Emmy Award ::data[format=table]

YearCategoryTitleResult
2024Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited or Anthology Series or MovieRipley (For episode "V Lucio")
::

San Diego Film Critics Society ::data[format=table]

YearCategoryTitleResult
2007Best CinematographyThere Will Be Blood
2014Nightcrawler
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Satellite Awards ::data[format=table]

YearCategoryTitleResult
2005Best CinematographyGood Night, and Good Luck
2007There Will Be Blood
2010Salt
2014Inherent Vice
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St. Louis Film Critics Association ::data[format=table]

YearCategoryTitleResult
2005Best CinematographyGood Night, and Good Luck
2007There Will Be Blood
2014Nightcrawler
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Other awards ::data[format=table]

YearAwardCategoryTitleResult
1988CableACE AwardBest CinematographyLong Gone
2007Austin Film Critics AssociationThere Will Be Blood
International Online Cinema Awards
New York Film Critics Online
2014Utah Film Critics AssociationNightcrawler
::

References

References

  1. [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005696/bio Robert Elswit - Biography]. ''[[Internet Movie Database]]''. Retrieved May 7th, 2010.
  2. [http://www.indiewire.com/article/decade_paul_thomas_anderson_on_there_will_be_blood/ Eugene Hernandez, "Decade: Paul Thomas Anderson on 'There Will Be Blood'," indieWIRE (December 24, 2009)] Retrieved June 4, 2010.
  3. Frost, Jacqueline B.. (March 17, 2021). "Conversations with Contemporary Cinematographers: The Eye Behind the Lens". [[Taylor & Francis]].
  4. (10 March 2014). "Conversations with Jake Gyllenhaal".
  5. "ROBERT ELSWIT".
  6. (2006-01-01). "A Little More Than Luck on Syriana and Good Night, and Good Luck - Studio Daily". Studio Daily.
  7. [http://www.studiodaily.com/filmandvideo/projects/f/movies/5857.html "A Little More Than Luck on Syriana and Good Night, and Good Luck," StudioDaily (January 1, 2006)] Retrieved April 19, 2011.
  8. [http://www.studiodaily.com/filmandvideo/projects/f/movies/5857.html "A Little More Than Luck on Syriana and Good Night, and Good Luck," StudioDaily (January 1, 2006)] Retrieved April 19, 2011.
  9. [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005696/awards Robert Elswit - Awards]. ''[[Internet Movie Database]]''. Retrieved May 7th, 2010.
  10. (January 2006). "A Little More Than Luck on Syriana and Good Night, and Good Luck".
  11. Dillon, Mark. (September 2022). "The Traditionalist". [[American Society of Cinematographers]].

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1950-birthsliving-peopleamerican-cinematographersafi-conservatory-alumniartists-from-los-angelesbest-cinematographer-academy-award-winnersfilm-people-from-los-angelesprimetime-emmy-award-winnersusc-school-of-cinematic-arts-alumnibest-cinematography-independent-spirit-award-winners