Russell Boyd

Russell Boyd
Born
Russell Stewart Boyd

(1944-04-21) 21 April 1944 (age 80)
Victoria, Australia
Years active1966–2018
Organization(s)Australian Cinematographers Society
American Society of Cinematographers

Russell Stewart Boyd, AO, ACS, ASC, (born 21 April 1944) is an Australian cinematographer.

Career

He rose to prominence with his highly praised work on Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), the first of several collaborations with director Peter Weir. Boyd is a member of both the Australian Cinematographers Society since 1975 and the American Society of Cinematographers since 2004.

Boyd served as cinematographer for Tender Mercies, a 1983 film about an alcoholic country singer played by Robert Duvall. Boyd largely utilized available light to give the film a natural feeling which director Bruce Beresford said was crucial to the movie. Actress Tess Harper said Boyd was so quiet during filming that he mostly used only three words: "Yeah, right and sure."[1]

For his work on the 2003 film Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Boyd won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography.

In 2021, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for "distinguished service to the visual arts as a cinematographer of Australian feature films and television productions" in the Queen's Birthday Honours.[2]

Filmography

Feature film

Year Title Director Notes
1974 Matchless John Papadopoulos
Between Wars Michael Thornhill
1975 The Man from Hong Kong Brian Trenchard-Smith
Picnic at Hanging Rock Peter Weir
The Golden Cage Ayten Kuyululu
1976 Summer of Secrets Jim Sharman
Break of Day Ken Hannam
1977 The Singer and the Dancer Gillian Armstrong
Backroads Phillip Noyce
The Last Wave Peter Weir
1979 Dawn! Ken Hannam
Just Out of Reach Linda Blagg
1980 The Chain Reaction Ian Barry
1981 ...Maybe This Time Chris McGill
Gallipoli Peter Weir
1982 Starstruck Gillian Armstrong
The Year of Living Dangerously Peter Weir
1983 Tender Mercies Bruce Beresford
Phar Lap Simon Wincer
1984 A Soldier's Story Norman Jewison
Mrs. Soffel Gillian Armstrong
Stanley Esben Storm
1985 Burke & Wills Graeme Clifford
1986 Crocodile Dundee Peter Faiman
1987 High Tide Gillian Armstrong
The Perfectionist Chris Thomson
1988 Crocodile Dundee II John Cornell
The Rescue Ferdinand Fairfax
1989 In Country Norman Jewison
1990 Blood Oath Stephen Wallace
Almost an Angel John Cornell
1991 Sweet Talker Michael Jenkins
1992 Turtle Beach Stephen Wallace
White Men Can't Jump Ron Shelton
Forever Young Steve Miner
1994 Cobb Ron Shelton
1995 Operation Dumbo Drop Simon Wincer
1996 Tin Cup Ron Shelton
1997 Liar Liar Tom Shadyac
1998 Dr. Dolittle Betty Thomas
2000 Company Man Peter Askin
Douglas McGrath
2001 Serenades Mojgan Khadem
American Outlaws Les Mayfield
2003 Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Peter Weir
2007 Ghost Rider Mark Steven Johnson
2010 The Way Back Peter Weir

Television

Year Title Director Notes
1972 The Spoiler
The Marty Feldman Show Brian Trenchard-Smith TV special
1975 CBS Children's Film Festival Bert Salzman Episode "Me and You, Kangaroo"
1981 A Town Like Alice David Stevens Miniseries
1986 The Challenge Chris Thomson 3 episodes
2012 Watch with Mother Paul Bruty
The Glue Society
2 episodes

TV movies

Year Title Director
1976 Is There Anybody There? Peter Maxwell
1977 The Alternative Paul Eddey
Mama's Gone A-Hunting Peter Maxwell
Benny Hill Down Under Rod Kinnear
Richard McCarthy
1978 Gone to Ground Kevin James Dobson
The Night Nurse Igor Auzins
Plunge Into Darkness Peter Maxwell
1985 The Perfectionist Chris Thomson

Documentary film

Year Title Director Notes
1979 New South Wales Images Himself With John Seale

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

Year Award Title Result
2003 Best Cinematography Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Won

American Society of Cinematographers

Year Award Title Result
2003 Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Nominated

BAFTA Awards

Year Award Title Result
1975 Best Cinematography Picnic at Hanging Rock Won
2003 Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Nominated

Australian Film Institute Awards

Year Award Title Result
1977 Best Cinematography Break of Day Won
1978 The Last Wave Won
1980 The Chain Reaction Nominated
1983 The Year of Living Dangerously Nominated
1986 Burke & Wills Nominated
1988 Raymond Longford Award Won
1990 Best Cinematography Blood Oath Nominated

Australian Cinematographers Society

Year Award Title Result
1976 Cinematographer of the Year Between Wars Won
1982 Gallipoli Won
1998 Hall of Fame Award Won

Other Awards

Year Award Category Title Result
1976 British Society of Cinematographers Best Cinematography Picnic at Hanging Rock Nominated
1979 Saturn Awards Best Cinematography Won
2002 FCCA Award Special Achievement Award Won
2003 Camerimage Special Award for Duo Cinematographer-Director Master and Commander:
The Far Side of the World
Won
Golden Frog Nominated
Satellite Awards Best Cinematography
(shared with Sandi Sissel on second unit)
Nominated
2005 Kodak Awards Excellence in Cinematography Won

References

  1. ^ Miracles & Mercies (Documentary). West Hollywood, California: Blue Underground. 16 April 2002. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  2. ^ "Mr Russell Stewart Boyd". It's An Honour. Retrieved 13 June 2021.

Further reading

  • McFarlane, Brian; Mayer, Geoff (1999). Bertrand, Ina (ed.). The Oxford companion to Australian film. Melbourne, Australia ; New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-553797-1.