Don Michael Burgess, ASC (born May 28, 1956) is an American cinematographer, best known for his collaborations with director Robert Zemeckis.[1] He was nominated for the Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography for Zemeckis' Forrest Gump (1994). In 2024, he received the American Society of Cinematographers' Lifetime Achievement Award.[2]
Don Burgess | |
|---|---|
 Burgess on the set of Contact (1997). | |
| Born | Don Michael Burgess May 28, 1956 Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | ArtCenter College of Design, BFA, Film 1982 |
| Occupation | Cinematographer |
Early life and education
editBurgess comes from a family of builders, and initially wanted to be an architect in his youth. His introduction to photography came through his father building a dark room for his sister since she was in a high school photography class at the time. When in high school he made ski movies and motorcycle movies.[3] He attended the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena,[4] and cited nature documentarian Mike Hoover as an influence.[5] While attending ArtCenter, he worked as a film loader on William Friedkin's Sorcerer (1977).[5]
Career
editBurgess spent the first decade of his career shooting various independent and low-budget films, as well as nature documentaries for the National Geographic Channel. In 1987, he shot the full motion video game Night Trap, which was eventually released in 1992.
He was also a second unit cinematographer on Runaway Train (1985), Cherry 2000 (1986), and Back to the Future Part II (1989) & and Part III (1990), which brought him into contact with Robert Zemeckis.
In 1994, Zemeckis was the main cinematographer on Zemeckis' Forrest Gump, earning Oscar and BAFTA Award nominations for his work. He has subsequently worked with Zemeckis on 10 films, including Contact (1997), Cast Away (2000), and The Polar Express (2004). His work with other directors includes Spider-Man (2002),[6] Enchanted (2007), The Book of Eli (2010), Source Code (2011), The Muppets (2011), 42 (2013), The Conjuring 2 (2016), Aquaman (2018), and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023).[7]
On March 3, 2024, Burgess received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Cinematographers.[2]
Filmography
editFilm
editShort film
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | The Trap | Rita Wilson |
| 2019 | The Tattooed Heart | Sheldon Wong Schwartz |
Video game
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Night Trap | James Riley | Filmed in 1987 |
Television
editTV movies
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Superstunt II | Max Kleven | Documentary film |
| 1988 | Too Young the Hero | Buzz Kulik | |
| 1989 | Breaking Point | Peter Markle | |
| 1990 | The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson | Larry Peerce | |
| 1992 | Two-Fisted Tales | Robert Zemeckis | Segment "Yellow" |
TV series
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | National Geographic Specials | Aram Boyajian Nicolas Noxon |
Episode "The Sharks" |
| 1988 | ABC Afterschool Special | Gabrielle Beaumont | Episode "Tattle: When to Tell on a Friend" |
| Something Is Out There | Larry Shaw | Episode "In His Own Image" | |
| 1991 | Tales from the Crypt | Robert Zemeckis | Episode "Yellow" |
| 1993 | Space Rangers | Mikael Salomon | Episode "Fort Hope" |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | American Society of Cinematographers | Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Motion Picture Made for Television |
The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson | Nominated |
| 1994 | Academy Awards | Best Cinematography | Forrest Gump | Nominated |
| BAFTA Awards | Best Cinematography | Nominated | ||
| American Society of Cinematographers | Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography | Nominated | ||
| 1997 | Satellite Awards | Best Cinematography | Contact | Nominated |
| 2024 | American Society of Cinematographers | Lifetime Achievement Award | — | Won |
References
edit- ^ Tapp, Tom (November 28, 2023). "ASC Awards: Don Burgess, Steven Fierberg and Amy Vincent To Be Honored At 38th Annual Gala". Deadline. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
- ^ a b "38th Annual ASC Awards". American Cinematographer. 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
- ^ Deakins, Roger; James, Deakins (June 6, 2024). "SEASON 2 - EPISODE 92 - DON BURGESS - CINEMATOGRAPHER". Team Deakins (Podcast). Event occurs at 2:37. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
- ^ Don Burgess BFA 82, ArtCenter College of Design
- ^ a b "Don Burgess, ASC: Making Each Shot Work". The American Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
- ^ Holben, Jay (June 2002). "Spider's Stratagem: Spider-Man: Don Burgess, ASC teams up with director Sam Raimi to bring a Marvel Comics icon to life onscreen". American Cinematographer. No. June 2002. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024 – via American Society of Cinematographers, September 22, 2023.
- ^ Giardina, Carolyn (November 28, 2023). "Forrest Gump DP Don Burgess to Receive ASC Cinematographers Lifetime Achievement Award". The Hollywood Reporter. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
External links
edit- Don Burgess at IMDb
- Contender: Cinematographer Don Burgess – Wonder
- Immersed in Movies: Cinematographer Don Burgess Talks ‘Flight’ Indie Wire
- What to Stream: Where will ‘The Nun II’ rank in the Conjuring Cinematic Universe?
- Director Robert Zemeckis and cinematographer Don Burgess, ASC propose an answer to one of humanity's most profound queries.
- Aquaman‘s DP on the Challenge of People Talking & Fighting Underwater Motion Picture Association
- Pinocchio Review: A Perfunctory Remake with Only a Scant Touch of Zemeckis Magic
- ‘Allied’ Review: Brad Pitt & Marion Cotillard Turn Up Movie Star Wattage In Terrific WWII Espionage Thriller Deadline
- The Christmas Chronicles - 2018
- Don Burgess reteams with Zemeckis to adapt The Witches
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