Robert Elswit

CinematographerActorCrewVisual Effects Apr 22 (age 75) California, USA 1953–2026 (73 year career)

6.4 avg rating

Biography

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 six films that either brother directed. Description above from the Wikipedia article Robert Elswit, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

Film

The Empire Strikes Back

Visual Effects Lineup

Film

Return of the Jedi

Visual Effects Camera

Film

There Will Be Blood

Director of Photography

Film

Nightcrawler

Director of Photography

Film

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Visual Effects Camera

Film

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

Director of Photography

Film

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

Director of Photography

Film

Magnolia

Director of Photography

Filmography

Acting (5)

Movies (3)

Remembering Reno: Reflections on the Making of Desert Hearts

2017

as Self

The Informer: Out of the Fog

2006

as Self

That Moment: Magnolia Diary

2000

as Self

7.6

Television (2)

Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter

as Self

The Oscars

as Self

Crew (91)

Movies (83)

The Punisher: One Last Kill

2026 Upcoming

Director of Photography

May 12

Ella McCay

2025

Director of Photography

5.5

Bob Marley: One Love

2024

Director of Photography

6.6

King Richard

2021

Director of Photography

7.6

The King of Staten Island

2020

Director of Photography

7.0

Velvet Buzzsaw

2019

Director of Photography

5.4

Write When You Get Work

2018

Director of Photography

3.9

Skyscraper

2018

Director of Photography

6.3

Roman J. Israel, Esq.

2017

Director of Photography

6.3

Suburbicon

2017

Director of Photography

5.9

Gold

2016

Director of Photography

6.6

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

2015

Director of Photography

7.2

The Diary of a Teenage Girl

2015

Thanks

6.6

Nightcrawler

2014

Director of Photography

7.7

Inherent Vice

2014

Director of Photography

6.5

The Bourne Legacy

2012

Director of Photography

6.2

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

2011

Director of Photography

7.1

The Town

2010

Director of Photography

7.2

Salt

2010

Director of Photography

6.4

Duplicity

2009

Director of Photography

5.9

The Men Who Stare at Goats

2009

Director of Photography

6.0

Redbelt

2008

Director of Photography

Shine a Light

Camera Operator

Shine a Light

Director of Photography

6.8

The Burning Plain

2008

Director of Photography

6.6

There Will Be Blood

2007

Director of Photography

8.1

Michael Clayton

2007

Director of Photography

6.8

American Dreamz

2006

Director of Photography

5.0

Syriana

2005

Director of Photography

6.4

Good Night, and Good Luck.

2005

Director of Photography

7.1

Runaway Jury

2003

Director of Photography

6.9

Gigli

2003

Director of Photography

4.0

Behind the Red Door

2003

Director of Photography

5.3

Punch-Drunk Love

2002

Director of Photography

7.1

Heist

2001

Director of Photography

6.3

Impostor

2001

Director of Photography

6.1

Bounce

2000

Director of Photography

5.8

Magnolia

1999

Director of Photography

7.7

8MM

1999

Director of Photography

6.5

Richard Lester!

1998

Director of Photography

4.0

Tomorrow Never Dies

1997

Director of Photography

6.4

Boogie Nights

1997

Director of Photography

7.6

Hard Eight

1997

Director of Photography

6.8

Boys

1996

Director of Photography

5.3

The Pallbearer

1996

Director of Photography

4.9

The River Wild

1994

Director of Photography

6.5

A Dangerous Woman

1993

Director of Photography

5.5

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle

1992

Director of Photography

6.9

Waterland

1992

Director of Photography

6.3

A Murderous Affair: The Carolyn Warmus Story

1992

Director of Photography

3.8

The Summer My Father Grew Up

1991

Director of Photography

Paris Trout

1991

Director of Photography

5.2

Prison Stories: Women on the Inside

1991

Director of Photography

3.2

Bad Influence

1990

Director of Photography

6.0

Opposites Attract

1990

Director of Photography

A Killing in a Small Town

1990

Director of Photography

4.8

Heart of Dixie

1989

Director of Photography

5.5

Margaret Bourke-White

1989

Director of Photography

How I Got Into College

1989

Director of Photography

5.9

Return of the Living Dead Part II

1988

Director of Photography

6.4

Cadillac Dreams

1988

Director of Photography

5.7

A Different Affair

1987

Director of Photography

Long Gone

1987

Director of Photography

5.8

Into the Homeland

1987

Director of Photography

6.0

Amazing Grace and Chuck

1987

Director of Photography

5.6

Trick or Treat

1986

Director of Photography

6.1

The Children of Times Square

1986

Director of Photography

6.0

The Sure Thing

1985

Director of Photography

6.5

Moving Violations

1985

Director of Photography

5.3

Desert Hearts

1985

Director of Photography

7.0

Tiger Town

1984

Director of Photography

6.6

Return of the Jedi

1983

Visual Effects Camera

7.9

Summerspell

1983

Director of Photography

8.0

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

1982

Visual Effects Camera

7.5

Waltz Across Texas

1982

Director of Photography

All Summer in a Day

1982

Director of Photography

6.8

The End of August

1981

Director of Photography

The Empire Strikes Back

1980

Visual Effects Lineup

8.4

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

1979

Visual Effects Camera

6.5

Genesis: Four Billion Years in the Making

1978

Assistant Camera

Fraternity Row

1977

Camera Operator

Animals

Director of Photography

Faster, Cheaper, Better

Director of Photography

Television (8)

RIPLEY

2024

Director of Photography

8.0

The Night Of

2016

Director of Photography

8.0

Prince Street

1997

Director of Photography

9.5

Human Target

1992

Director of Photography

5.0

Dream Street

1989

Director of Photography

5.0

CBS Schoolbreak Special

1984

Director of Photography

5.5

CBS Library

1979

Director of Photography

10.0

The Boys from Brazil

Director of Photography