Oliver Wood (cinematographer)
Oliver Wood | |
|---|---|
| Born | 21 February 1942 London, England |
| Died | 13 February 2023 (aged 80) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Years active | 1968–2022 |
| Spouse(s) | Jane Forth Sabina Groh |
| Children | 3 |
Oliver Wood (21 February 1942 – 13 February 2023) was an English cinematographer, who worked mainly in the United States. He was best known for his work on action, thriller and comedy films, and his collaborations with directors like Paul Greengrass, Adam McKay, and Renny Harlin.[1][2][3][4] He was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography for The Bourne Ultimatum (2007).[5]
Early life
Wood was born in London on 21 February 1942.[6] One of his early jobs in the film industry was as an assistant to director John Boorman, while he was head of the BBC's documentary department.[7][8] He cited French New Wave cinematographer Raoul Coutard as one of his strongest influences.[7][8]
Career
Wood shot the (now partially-lost) 1967 short film Popdown in London, and Rene Daalder's 1969 film The White Slave, and was a camera assistant for the Michael Winner-directed music hall documentary A Little of What You Fancy in 1968. In the late 1960s, Wood moved to New York City.
His first break in the US came when he was hired by director Leonard Kastle to shoot The Honeymoon Killers, a low-budget film based on the real-life serial killer couple Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck, "the Lonely Hearts Killers." He utilized high-contrast black-and-white film stock and natural lighting to give the dark comedy a cinéma vérité-inspired pseudo-documentary look.[9] The film is now considered a cult classic, and Wood's photography was noted at the time.
He shot numerous B-movies and independent films throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, often working with fellow cinematographers Joseph Mangine and Fred Murphy.[10] He also worked as a camera operator on higher-profile projects including Body Rock (1984) and To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), both of which were shot by Robby Müller.[11] He also became a music video and commercial cinematographer, working for directors like Bob Giraldi and Rupert Wainwright.[12]
His big break came when he was director of photography for 53 episodes of the crime drama television series Miami Vice, serving as the series primary DP between 1987 and 1989. His work on the series caught the attention of producers, enabling him to work on big-budget Hollywood films including Die Hard 2 (1990), Face/Off (1997), U-571 (2000) Fantastic Four (2005), and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013).[13]
He was the original director of photography on the swashbuckling action film Cutthroat Island, but suffered an on-set injury and was replaced by Peter Levy.[14][15][16]
He shot the Bourne Trilogy, where he worked with director Paul Greengrass on Supremacy and Ultimatum, producing a spontaneous, naturalistic effect, often using multiple cameras, frequently handheld, citing films such as The Battle of Algiers as an influence.[17][18] He was nominated for a BAFTA for The Bourne Ultimatum (2007).[19]
In 2016, Wood shot the remake of Ben-Hur,[20] directed by Timur Bekmambetov, utilizing GoPro cameras to film the movie's action sequences.[21]
Personal life
Wood married twice, once to Jane Forth.[22] He had two daughters, and a son.[12]
Death
Wood died from cancer at his home in Los Angeles, California on 13 February 2023 at the age of 80.[6]
Filmography
Film
Feature films
Short films
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Popdown | Fred Marshall |
| 1979 | Mr. Gimme | Peter Mark Schifter |
| 1984 | My Hometown | Bob Giraldi |
| 1988 | One or the Other | Nicholas Hondrogen |
Documentary films
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | In Our Words | Robert Richter Stanley Warnow |
Television
TV movies
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | City Boy | Bob Giraldi |
| 1987 | Nasty Hero | Nick Barwood |
| 1991 | Angel City | Renny Harlin |
TV series
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1987–89 | Miami Vice | 53 episodes |
| 2020 | Cine Chalom | Episode "EXTRAIT DU FILM "VOLTE FACE" DE JOHN WOO... 1997" |
Awards and nominations
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Academy Film Award | 10 February 2008 | Best Cinematography | The Bourne Ultimatum | Nominated[5] |
References
- ^ "Oliver Wood | Biography and Filmography". Hollywood.com. 6 February 2015. Archived from the original on 5 August 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
- ^ Seitz, Matt Zoller (20 February 2023). "Where the Action Is: Oliver Wood, 1942-2023 | Tributes | Roger Ebert". https://www.rogerebert.com/. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website= - ^ "Oliver Wood – Murtha Skouras Agency". www.murthaskouras.com. Archived from the original on 12 November 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
- ^ "OLIVER WOOD". www.cinematographers.nl. Archived from the original on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
- ^ a b "Film Awards Winners in 2008". www.bafta.org. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
- ^ a b Gajewski, Ryan (18 February 2023). "Oliver Wood, Cinematographer on 'Bourne' Franchise and 'Face/Off,' Dies at 80". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
- ^ a b Seitz, Matt Zoller (20 February 2023). "Where the Action Is: Oliver Wood, 1942-2023 | Tributes | Roger Ebert". https://www.rogerebert.com/. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website= - ^ a b "DP Oliver Wood shoots to kill on John Woo's Face/Off | Live Design Online". June 1997.
- ^ Gary Giddins, The Honeymoon Killers Archived 24 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine, The Criterion Collection
- ^ "OLIVER WOOD". www.cinematographers.nl. Archived from the original on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
- ^ Ryan Gajewski (18 February 2023). "Oliver Wood Dead: Cinematographer on Bourne Identity, Face/Off Was 80 – The Hollywood Reporter". Hollywoodreporter.com. Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
- ^ a b Jazz Tangcay,J. Kim Murphy (18 February 2023). "Oliver Wood Dead: 'Bourne' Trilogy Cinematographer Was 80". Variety. Archived from the original on 19 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 November 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Bernard, Paul (26 March 2013). Adventures in Movies: A Chronicle of 25 Years in Movies from Roger Rabbit to Harry Potter. BookBaby. ISBN 9781626754980.
- ^ "Class of 1995: 'Cutthroat Island' | THE FILM YAP". THE FILM YAP. 30 November 2015. Archived from the original on 29 November 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
- ^ Sterngold, James (31 March 1996). "Debacle on the High Seas". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 9 December 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
- ^ Jon Silberg, "The Bourne Ultimatum" Archived 29 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine, American Cinematographer magazine, September 2007
- ^ David Heuring, "Homeward Bound" Archived 27 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine, ICG Magazine, August 2007
- ^ 2008 Winners Archived 5 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine, BAFTA, accessed 21 January 2016
- ^ "OLIVER WOOD". www.cinematographers.nl. Archived from the original on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
- ^ Hart, Hugh (18 August 2016). "YouTube-Inspired Director Used GoPro Cameras to Capture Ben-Hur Chariot Action". Where to Watch. Archived from the original on 5 August 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
- ^ AnOther (14 December 2016). "Jane Forth, One of New York's Most Notable Renaissance Women". AnOther. Retrieved 19 April 2025.