Russell Boyd

Last updated

Russell Boyd
AO , ACS, ASC
Born
Russell Stewart Boyd

(1944-04-21) 21 April 1944 (age 81)
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, known as a key figure in the Australian New Wave of the 1970s [1] , with his work on Picnic at Hanging Rock helping to shape the visual aesthetic of Australian cinema [2] .

Contents

Boyd also had won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography in 2003 for Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World [3] .

Early life

Born into a rural Victorian family, he spent his early years on a small farm near Geelong, where his father worked as a wool classer. [4]

Career

Boyd started his professional career at Cinesound in Melbourne as a general assistant. [5] Seeking broader opportunities, he moved to Sydney in the mid-1960s, where he worked on documentaries and commercials at Supreme Studios. [6]

Boyd's breakthrough into feature films came in 1973 with Between Wars , directed by Michael Thornhill, which earned him the Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS) Milli Award for Australian Cinematographer of the Year. [7]

Australian New Wave and collaboration with Peter Weir

Boyd played a pivotal role in the Australian New Wave cinema movement of the 1970s, which revitalized the country's film industry. [8] His collaboration with director Peter Weir began in 1975 with Picnic at Hanging Rock , a film that is widely credited with putting Australian cinema on the world map. [9] His work on the film also earned Boyd a BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography. [10]

Boyd would later work on five other movies with Weir, like The Last Wave (1977), Gallipoli (1981), The Year of Living Dangerously (1982), Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003), and The Way Back (2010).

Hollywood career

In the early 1980s, Boyd expanded his career to Hollywood, working with Australian directors who had also made the transition. He served as cinematographer on Bruce Beresford's Tender Mercies (1983) and Gillian Armstrong's Mrs. Soffel (1984). [11]

He also worked on mainstream productions like Liar Liar (1997) and Dr. Dolittle (1998). [12]

Filmography

Feature film

YearTitleDirectorNotes
1974MatchlessJohn 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
2001SerenadesMojgan 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

YearTitleDirectorNotes
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 Thomson3 episodes
2012 Watch with Mother Paul Bruty
The Glue Society
2 episodes

TV movies

YearTitleDirector
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

YearTitleDirectorNotes
1979New South Wales ImagesHimselfWith John Seale

Awards and recognition

Boyd has been a member of the Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS) since 1975, and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 1998.

In 2004, he became a member of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC).

In 1988, Boyd became the first of the only two cinematographers to receive the Australian Film Institute's Raymond Longford Award, recognizing his "unwavering commitment over many years to excellence in the film and television industries". [13]

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. [14]

Major awards

YearAwardCategoryTitleResultRef.
2003 Academy Awards Best Cinematography Master and Commander:
The Far Side of the World
Won [15]
American Society of Cinematographers Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography Nominated [16]
BAFTA Awards Best Cinematography Nominated
1975Picnic at Hanging RockWon [17]

Australian awards

Australian Film Institute Awards

YearAwardTitleResultRef.
1977 Best Cinematography Break of DayWon [18]
1978The Last WaveWon
1980The Chain ReactionNominated
1983The Year of Living DangerouslyNominated
1986Burke & WillsNominated
1988 Raymond Longford Award Won [19]
1990Best CinematographyBlood OathNominated

Australian Cinematographers Society

YearAwardTitleResult
1976Cinematographer of the YearBetween WarsWon
1982GallipoliWon
1998Hall of Fame AwardWon

Other awards

YearAwardCategoryTitleResultRef.
1976 British Society of Cinematographers Best Cinematography Picnic at Hanging RockNominated
1979 Saturn Awards Best CinematographyWon [20]
2002 FCCA Award Special Achievement AwardWon
2003 Camerimage Special Award for Duo Cinematographer-DirectorMaster and Commander:
The Far Side of the World
Won
Golden FrogNominated
Satellite Awards Best Cinematography
(shared with Sandi Sissel on second unit)
Nominated
2005Kodak AwardsExcellence in CinematographyWon

References

  1. "Russell Boyd, ASC, ACS: Vision Accomplished". The American Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  2. "Russell Boyd | Cinematographer, Camera and Electrical Department, Director". IMDb. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  3. "Russell Boyd". www.acmi.net.au. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  4. "Russell Boyd, ASC, ACS: Vision Accomplished". The American Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  5. "Russell Boyd, ASC, ACS: Vision Accomplished". The American Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  6. "Russell Boyd, ASC, ACS: Vision Accomplished". The American Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  7. "Russell Boyd, ASC, ACS: Vision Accomplished". The American Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  8. "The Golden Age of The Australian New Wave Cinema (1970s - 1980s)". www.robertcmorton.com. 30 July 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  9. elias, debbie lynn (25 January 2011). "Exclusive 1:1 with Peter Weir: Master and Commander of His Ship". Behind The Lens Online. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  10. Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) - Awards - IMDb . Retrieved 10 June 2025 via www.imdb.com.
  11. "Russell Boyd | Cinematographer, Camera and Electrical Department, Director". IMDb. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  12. "Russell Boyd | Cinematographer, Camera and Electrical Department, Director". IMDb. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  13. cinephiliabeyond (15 October 2024). "Australian Gothic: Peter Weir's 'Picnic at Hanging Rock' • Cinephilia & Beyond" . Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  14. "Russell Boyd". www.acmi.net.au. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  15. "Russell Boyd | Cinematographer, Camera and Electrical Department, Director". IMDb. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  16. "Russell Boyd - Awards". IMDb. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  17. "Russell Boyd - Awards". IMDb. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  18. "Russell Boyd - Awards". IMDb. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  19. "Russell Boyd - Awards". IMDb. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  20. "Russell Boyd - Awards". IMDb. Retrieved 10 June 2025.

Further reading