Allen Daviau facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Allen Daviau
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John Allen Daviau
June 14, 1942 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
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| Died | April 15, 2020 (aged 77) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Cinematographer |
| Years active | 1967–2010 |
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John Allen Daviau (born June 14, 1942 – died April 15, 2020) was an American cinematographer. A cinematographer is the person in charge of how a movie is filmed. They decide on the lighting, camera angles, and how each scene looks.
John Daviau was famous for working with director Steven Spielberg. They made several well-known movies together. These include E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), The Color Purple (1985), and Empire of the Sun (1987). He was nominated for five Academy Awards and won one British Academy Film Award.
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What is a Cinematographer?
A cinematographer, also called a Director of Photography (DP), is a key person on a film set. They work closely with the director to create the visual style of a movie. This includes choosing the right cameras, lenses, and lighting. They make sure every shot looks exactly how the director imagines it.
John Daviau's Journey in Film
John Daviau was born in New Orleans in 1942. He grew up in Los Angeles, California. He finished high school in 1960.
In the late 1960s, John met Steven Spielberg. They started working together on some short films. This was the beginning of a long and successful partnership.
Their first big movie together was E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in 1982. They also worked on a part of Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983). Other famous films they made were The Color Purple (1985) and Empire of the Sun (1987). They even filmed an episode of the TV show Amazing Stories.
John Daviau also filmed many other movies for different directors. Some of these include The Falcon and the Snowman (1985), Harry and the Hendersons (1987), and Defending Your Life (1991). He also worked on Avalon (1990) and Bugsy (1991). Later, he filmed Fearless (1993), Congo (1995), and The Astronaut's Wife (1999). His last major movie was Van Helsing in 2004.
He received special awards for his amazing work. These included lifetime achievement awards from the Art Directors Guild in 1997 and the American Society of Cinematographers in 2007. Before working on big movies, John Daviau filmed many commercials and documentaries. He even created cool special effects lighting for a movie called The Trip in 1967.
Filming E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
John Daviau heard that Steven Spielberg was looking for a cinematographer for E.T.. John sent Spielberg a video of a TV movie he had filmed. He thought Spielberg would like it because it had a lot of mood and was about kids.
Spielberg was very impressed with John's work. He said he usually thinks a lot before hiring someone. But with John, he just picked up the phone and asked him to film his next movie, E.T..
Later Life and Passing
After a surgery in 2012, John Daviau used a wheelchair. He passed away on April 15, 2020, at the age of 77. He died due to health issues related to COVID-19.
See Also
In Spanish: Allen Daviau para niños
Images for kids
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Amblin' (1968) - Steven Spielberg.jpg
A scene from Amblin (1968), one of Daviau's early short films with Steven Spielberg.
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ET the Extra-Terrestrial poster.jpg
The movie poster for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), a famous film Daviau worked on.
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The Color Purple (1985 film) poster.jpg
The movie poster for The Color Purple (1985).
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Empire of the Sun (film) poster.jpg
The movie poster for Empire of the Sun (1987).
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Harry and the Hendersons poster.jpg
The movie poster for Harry and the Hendersons (1987).
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Avalon (1990 film) poster.jpg
The movie poster for Avalon (1990).
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Bugsy (film) poster.jpg
The movie poster for Bugsy (1991).
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Fearless (1993 film) poster.jpg
The movie poster for Fearless (1993).
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Congo (film) poster.jpg
The movie poster for Congo (1995).
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The Astronaut's Wife poster.jpg
The movie poster for The Astronaut's Wife (1999).
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The Tigger Movie poster.jpg
The movie poster for The Tigger Movie (2000).
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Van Helsing (film) poster.jpg
The movie poster for Van Helsing (2004), his final feature film.
