Brett Pawlak
Brett Pawlak is an American cinematographer known for his work on independent and mainstream films. A frequent collaborator of director Destin Daniel Cretton, he gained recognition for his cinematography on Short Term 12 (2013), where he used handheld camerawork and natural lighting to create a realistic aesthetic.
In 2016, he served as the cinematographer for the pilot episode of This Is Us, establishing the show's visual style. Pawlak later reunited with Cretton for Just Mercy (2019), which featured a character-driven cinematographic approach. In 2023, he was announced as the director of photography for Marvel Studios' Wonder Man.
Career
In 2013, Pawlak served as the cinematographer for Short Term 12, collaborating with director Destin Daniel Cretton to develop a naturalistic visual style. Having previously worked with Cretton on the original Short Term 12 short film and I Am Not a Hipster, Pawlak employed handheld camerawork and available light to enhance the film’s realism.[1] His cinematography for the film received positive recognition for its naturalistic approach. His visual style allowed for fluid movement within scenes, contributing to the film’s blend of humor and emotional depth.[2]
In 2016, Pawlak served as the cinematographer for the pilot episode of This Is Us, helping to establish the visual tone of the series. His work introduced a handheld shooting style that facilitated seamless transitions between different time periods, a key element of the show's narrative structure. When the series was officially ordered, Yasu Tanida took over as the primary cinematographer but retained aspects of Pawlak’s stylistic approach, including the use of handheld camerawork across eras.[3]
In 2019, Pawlak served as the cinematographer for Just Mercy, his fourth consecutive feature-length collaboration with director Destin Daniel Cretton.[4] Pawlak’s cinematography for the film received positive industry recognition for its intimate and character-driven visual style. His work contributed to the film’s emotional depth and portrayal of its legal drama. While Just Mercy was not nominated at Camerimage that year, Pawlak’s cinematography was noted in discussions on the film-versus-digital debate.[5]
In 2023, Pawlak was announced as the director of photography for Marvel Studios' streaming series Wonder Man. The series reunites Pawlak with executive producer Destin Daniel Cretton.[6]
Filmography
Film
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Hand in Hand | Iris Green |
| The Jinn | ||
| 2009 | Shadowman | Fabrice Devevre |
| 2012 | I Am Not a Hipster | Destin Daniel Cretton |
| 2013 | Short Term 12 | |
| 2014 | Hellion | Kat Candler |
| 2015 | The Wannabe | Nick Sandow |
| We Are Your Friends | Max Joseph | |
| The Meddler | Lorene Scafaria | |
| 2016 | All We Had | Katie Holmes |
| Max Steel | Stewart Hendler | |
| 2017 | MDMA | Angie Wang |
| The Glass Castle | Destin Daniel Cretton | |
| Unicorn Store | Brie Larson | |
| 2018 | Life Itself | Dan Fogelman |
| Instant Family | Sean Anders | |
| 2019 | Just Mercy | Destin Daniel Cretton |
| 2020 | The 24th | Kevin Willmott |
| 2022 | A Jazzman's Blues | Tyler Perry |
| 2026 | Spider-Man: Brand New Day † | Destin Daniel Cretton |
| TBA | He Bled Neon † | Drew Kirsch |
Short
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Underexposed | Wade Alexander |
| 2006 | A Change Is Gonna Come | Valerie Kemp |
| 2007 | Seventh & Hill | Ryan Postas |
| God's Children | Alex J. Flores | |
| 2008 | Short Term 12 | Destin Daniel Cretton |
| The End | Miguel Alejandro Gomez | |
| 2009 | Refrigerator | Jim Revis |
| Pawned | Randal Kirk II | |
| 2010 | L.T.D. | Trever James and Luke Rold |
| Synthetic_World | Slavik IA | |
| Apt. 5 | Luke Guidici | |
| 2012 | Weak: This Old Man | Ty Higgins |
| 2013 | Play Date with Kumail Nanjiani Part 2 | Matty Smith |
| Gays Beware with Jesse Tyler Ferguson and George Takei | LP | |
| The Final Moments of Karl Brant | M. Francis Wilson | |
| 2014 | Jabbawockeez: Regenerate | Kevin Tancharoen |
| 2016 | It's Been Like a Year | Cameron Fay |
| 2020 | Weak | Ty Higgins |
TV Series
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Pretty Tough | Various |
| 2011-2013 | H+ | Various |
| 2012 | Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn | Stewart Hendler |
| 2016 | This Is Us | Glenn Ficarra and John Requa |
| 2018 | Shatterbox | Jessica Sanders |
| 2020 | Next | Various |
| 2021 | The Republic of Sarah | Kat Candler |
| 2022 | Echoes | Li Lu and Valerie Weiss |
| 2023 | American Born Chinese | Destin Daniel Cretton |
| 2025 | Wonder Man † |
References
- ^ "Short Term 12 cinematographer Brett Pawlak". deep fried movies. 2014-02-24. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
- ^ Goldberg, Matt (2013-08-23). "SHORT TERM 12 Review Starring Brie Larson". Collider. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
- ^ "Extended Family". Panavision. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
- ^ "The Whole of Ourselves: Tim Blake Nelson and Karan Kendrick on Just Mercy | Interviews | Roger Ebert". www.rogerebert.com. 2019-12-16. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
- ^ Heuring, David (2019-11-01). "Shooting on Digital or Film a Defining Choice for Oscar-Contending Cinematographers". Variety. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
- ^ Murphy, Charles (2023-04-03). "'Just Mercy' Director of Photography Brett Pawlak Joins 'Wonder Man'". Murphy's Multiverse. Retrieved 2025-03-15.