Roger Deakins is a renowned English cinematographer who has achieved his fame for his work in the films of the Coen brothers, Sam Mendes, and Denis Villeneuve. He is a member of the American and British Society of Cinematographers.
The Mountains of Moon (1990) was his first film as a cinematographer in America by Deakins. In 1991, he commenced his work on the film Barton Fink with the Coen Brothers. He received his first major award from the American Society of Cinematographers for his outstanding achievement in cinematography for The Shawshank Redemption (1994), an internationally praised major motion picture. He has worked in more than 30 movies and won many awards. His notable films are Return to Waterloo (1984), Stormy Monday (1988), The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Fargo (1996), A Beautiful Mind (2001), No Country for Old Men (2007), Sicario (2015) and Hail, Ceasar! (2016). He was a cinematographer in Villeneuve`s sci-fi movie, Blade Runner, Blade Runner 2049, a sequel to the 1982 Ridley Scott movie. His famous work includes The Goldfinch (2019) and 1917 (2020).
Early Life
Born in Torquay, Devon, England, Roger Deakins is a famous Film cinematographer. He went to art college and the National Film School. He started with documentaries by shooting many in Africa as well as covering the Whitbread Round the World Yacht race. While filming a documentary, he worked for more than 9 months as a crew member .
Afterwards, Roger went to film, starting in England and then filming in the US. His main hobbies still photography and fishing. He spent a year in North Devon, England, but before that he spent a year documenting the way of life on the farms and in the villages.
His dad owned a construction company while his mother was an aspiring painter and an actress. Deakins attended the Grammar School of Torquay Boys. He started drawing at a young age and then studied graphic design at the Bath Academy of Art in Somerset. Deakins established his photography passion while studying in Bath; he cited photographer Roger Mayne as a major source of inspiration. He then became a guest lecturer at the academy.
Filmography
| 1996 | Fargo |
| 2000 | Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? |
| 2008 | WALL-E |
| 2011 | Puss in Boots |
| 2012 | Skyfall |
| 2010 | How to Train Your Dragon |
| 2014 | How to Train Your Dragon 2 |
| 2019 | How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World |
Personal Life
On 11 December 1991, Deakins married Isabella James Purefoy Ellis. They met at the set of David Mamet’s homicide in Los Angeles where they worked as the script supervisor.
Achievements
He has won many awards and has been nominated twelve times for Oscars, won the BAFTA Award thrice for Best Cinematography, won the ASC Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography thrice, along with a Lifetime Achievement Award from ASC. He has received dual nominations from the American Society of Cinematographers, for two consecutive years. In 2013, Deakins was honoured with the Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for his contribution to cinema. He has also received dual nominations from the American Society of Cinematographers, for two consecutive years.
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