Donald McAlpine facts for kids

Donald M. McAlpine is a very talented Australian cinematographer. A cinematographer is the person who is in charge of the camera and lighting on a film set. They work closely with the director to create the visual look of a movie. Donald McAlpine is a member of both the Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS) and the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), which are important groups for film professionals.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Donald McAlpine was born in a place called Quandialla, in New South Wales, Australia. Before he became a famous cinematographer, he was a physical education teacher in Parkes, New South Wales.

His journey into filmmaking started when he used a 16mm camera to film athletes getting ready for the Melbourne Olympic Games. This sparked his interest in cameras and movies.

In 1962, he decided to leave his teaching job. He joined ABC Television as a camera assistant. He worked hard and was promoted to cameraman in 1965. A few years later, in 1968, he moved to the Commonwealth Film Unit (which later became Film Australia). This is where he truly began to understand that making films was an art. He quickly became the chief cameraman there.

Becoming a Film Expert

From 1972 to 1981, Donald McAlpine worked a lot with Australian director Bruce Beresford. In 1974, he decided to become a freelance Director of Photography (DOP). This meant he could work on many different films with various directors.

He filmed many of Bruce Beresford's early movies, like The Adventures of Barry McKenzie, Don's Party, Breaker Morant, and The Club. He also worked with director Gillian Armstrong on the film My Brilliant Career.

His career really took off when director Paul Mazursky asked him to work on the film Tempest, which came out in 1982. After that, he became a very sought-after cinematographer in Hollywood.

Amazing Achievements and Awards

Donald McAlpine has received many important awards for his work. In 1997, the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) added him to their Hall of Fame. This is a huge honor! In 2009, they also gave him their International Achievement Award.

In 2001, he received the Australian Centenary Medal. This award recognized his great contributions to Australian society and film. In the same year, he was nominated for an Academy Award (also known as an Oscar) for his amazing work on the movie Moulin Rouge!.

In 2011, he was given the AACTA Lifetime Achievement Award, called the Longford Lyell Award. This award celebrates a person's entire career and their lasting impact on Australian film.

More recently, in 2016, he received an honorary doctorate from Edith Cowan University in Perth, Western Australia. This means the university recognized his incredible artistic achievements. In October 2024, he was honored with the Don Dunstan Award at the Adelaide Film Festival.

Notable Films

Donald McAlpine has worked on many popular and well-known movies. Here are some of them:

• The Adventures of Barry McKenzie (1972)
• My Brilliant Career (1979)
• Breaker Morant (1980)
• Tempest (1982)
• Predator (1987)
• Parenthood (1989)
• Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
• Romeo + Juliet (1996)
• Moulin Rouge! (2001)
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
• X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
• Ender's Game (2013)
• The Dressmaker (2015)

He has also worked on television movies and series, including Lambs of God (2019) and Savage River (2022).

Donald McAlpine's work has helped bring many amazing stories to life on the big screen, making him one of the most respected cinematographers in the world.