Jeff Cronenweth
American cinematographer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jeffrey Scott Cronenweth, ASC[1] (born January 14, 1962) is an American cinematographer known for his work in music videos and his collaborations with filmmaker David Fincher. He has received nominations for two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award and a Primetime Emmy Award.
Jeff Cronenweth | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 14, 1962 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Education | USC School of Cinematic Arts |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Organization(s) | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences American Society of Cinematographers |
| Works | Filmography |
| Parent | Jordan Cronenweth |
| Awards | Full list |
Born in Los Angeles, California, and son of the influential cinematographer Jordan Cronenweth, he studied at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. He worked in music videos before transitioning to film with his debut being the David Fincher film Fight Club (1999). He went on to collaborate with him on three more films The Social Network (2010), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), and Gone Girl (2014), the former two earning him nominations for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. He has also worked with filmmakers Kathryn Bigelow, Joseph Kosinski and Aaron Sorkin.
On television, he directed an episode of the science fiction series Tales from the Loop for which he was Primetime Emmy Award nominated. He has directed numerous music videos for artists such as Nine Inch Nails, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, David Bowie, Alanis Morissette, Christina Aguilera, Shakira, Taylor Swift, and Lady Gaga. He won an MTV Video Music Award for Macy Gray: Do Something (2000).
Early life and education
Born in Los Angeles, California, and son of the influential cinematographer Jordan Cronenweth, he graduated at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.[2] Jeff Cronenweth started working with his father as a camera loader/2nd assistant camera while in high-school.[3] He then worked as 1st assistant camera and camera operator until the mid-1990s.
Career
He was able to work as director of photography for the first time in David Fincher's Fight Club. After working again with Fincher in three more projects, Cronenweth earned two nominations for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography.
Style and recognition
Cronenweth is known for his use of light (or the absence thereof) and composition to elegantly weave a visual language throughout a story as shown in his work on Fight Club, The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and Gone Girl and including many of the iconic music videos and commercials he has photographed. On filming Fight Club, Cronenweth stated: "Whether we were inside or outside, we always wanted to embrace depth of field or the lack of as a key story telling element in guiding an audiences focus on what we wanted them to embrace."[4]
In addition, Jeff and his brother Tim (known as "The Cronenweths") have worked as a director/DP team, doing numerous commercials and music videos in and out of Los Angeles. In 2004, he was invited to join the cinematographers branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[5]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Fight Club | David Fincher | 1st collaboration with Fincher |
| 2002 | One Hour Photo | Mark Romanek | |
| K-19: The Widowmaker | Kathryn Bigelow | ||
| 2003 | Down with Love | Peyton Reed | |
| 2010 | The Social Network | David Fincher | 2nd collaboration with Fincher |
| 2011 | The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo | 3rd collaboration with Fincher | |
| 2012 | Hitchcock | Sacha Gervasi | |
| 2014 | Gone Girl | David Fincher | 4th collaboration with Fincher |
| 2018 | A Million Little Pieces | Sam Taylor-Johnson | |
| 2021 | Being the Ricardos | Aaron Sorkin | |
| 2025 | Tron: Ares | Joachim Rønning | |
| 2026 | Melania | Brett Ratner | Documentary; With Barry Peterson and Dante Spinotti |
| The Social Reckoning † | Aaron Sorkin | Post-production | |
| The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth † | David Fincher | Post-production; 5th collaboration with Fincher; with Erik Messerschmidt[6] | |
| TBA | Tyrant † | David Weil | Post-production |
Short film
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Brighter Days Ahead | Christian Breslauer and Ariana Grande |
Television
| Year | Title | Director | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Tales from the Loop | Mark Romanek | Episode: "Loop" |