Stefan Czapsky
Stefan Czapsky | |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 December 1950 |
| Alma mater | Case Western Reserve Columbia University |
| Years active | 1976–2023 |
Stefan Czapsky, A.S.C. (born 15 December 1950) is an American cinematographer.[1][2][3]
Early life and education
Born in Oldenburg, West Germany to Ukrainian parents, his family emigrated to the United States while he was still an infant and settled in Cleveland.
Career
Graduating from Case Western Reserve University with a BFA in the humanities and an emphasis on film history and criticism, Czapsky moved to New York City, where he attended a film studies graduate program at Columbia University[2] and began working in the film production business in positions such as assistant cameraman, gaffer, and key grip, for productions like After Hours, Matewan, and Q.
His first feature film, On the Edge, was praised by Roger Ebert, who noted, "The movie creates a real sense of place: These aren’t Hollywood locations but rooms where human voices sound at home."[4]
The independent success secured Czapsky a cinematographer role alongside Robert Chappell for Erroll Morris’ The Thin Blue Line and Robert Bierman’s Vampire’s Kiss. [5]
Czapsky's more notable work has been with expressionist director Tim Burton, starting with Edward Scissorhands, which was praised for its ethereal atmosphere;[6] then Batman Returns, which was shot on a Panavision Panaflex Gold II in 35mm;[7] and Ed Wood, which would prove to be their most critically successful.[8]
Batman Returns star Danny DeVito teamed up with Czapsky to work on the 1996 film Matilda.[9]
From 2016, Czapsky shifted his work towards television, shooting episodes of Shades of Blue, Quantico, and God Friended Me.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | On the Edge | Rob Nilsson |
| 1988 | Vampire's Kiss | Robert Bierman |
| 1989 | Last Exit to Brooklyn | Uli Edel |
| Fear, Anxiety & Depression | Todd Solondz | |
| Sons | Alexandre Rockwell | |
| 1990 | Flashback | Franco Amurri |
| Child's Play 2 | John Lafia | |
| Edward Scissorhands | Tim Burton | |
| 1991 | The Dark Wind | Errol Morris |
| 1992 | Batman Returns | Tim Burton |
| Prelude to a Kiss | Norman René | |
| 1994 | Ed Wood | Tim Burton |
| 1996 | Matilda | Danny DeVito |
| 2003 | Bulletproof Monk | Paul Hunter |
| 2007 | Blades of Glory | Will Speck Josh Gordon |
| 2009 | Fighting | Dito Montiel |
| 2012 | Safe | Boaz Yakin |
| 2015 | Max | |
| 2022 | Christmas with You | Gabriela Tagliavini |
Documentary film
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | The Thin Blue Line | Errol Morris | With Robert Chappell |
| 1991 | A Brief History of Time | With John Bailey |
Television
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Drew | James Strong | TV movie |
| 2016-2017 | Shades of Blue | All 36 episodes | |
| 2018 | Quantico | 10 episodes | |
| 2018-2020 | God Friended Me | 20 episodes | |
| 2021 | Stargirl | Andi Armaganian | 2 episodes |
| 2022-2023 | Law & Order: Organized Crime | 11 episodes |
References
- ^ "STEFAN CZAPSKY". www.cinematographers.nl. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
- ^ a b "BIO". Stefan Czapsky. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
- ^ Davis, Clayton. "ACCA 1994". AwardsCircuit.com - By Clayton Davis. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
- ^ Ebert, Roger. "On The Edge movie review & film summary (1986) | Roger Ebert". www.rogerebert.com. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
- ^ "The Thin Blue Line". The Criterion Collection. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
- ^ Arabian, Alex (2017-12-27). "EDWARD SCISSORHANDS: Tim Burton's Timeless Masterpiece". Film Inquiry. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
- ^ Batman Returns (1992), retrieved 2020-05-01
- ^ "'Ed Wood': Tim Burton's Beautiful Ode to a Fascinating Filmmaker, From One Outsider to Another • Cinephilia & Beyond". Cinephilia & Beyond. 2017-06-07. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
- ^ Leydon, Joe (1996-08-05). "Matilda". Variety. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
External links
- Official website
- Stefan Czapsky at IMDb
- Stefan Czapsky profile at the Internet Encyclopedia of Cinematographers