Michael Chapman (cinematographer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michael Chapman
The Portrait of Michael Chapman 2020 - Chalk on paper 36" x 22"
Born	Michael Crawford Chapman (1935-11-21)November 21, 1935 New York City, New York, U.S.
Died	September 20, 2020(2020-09-20) (aged 84) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Cinematographer film director
Years active	1968–2007
Known for	American New Wave
Spouse(s)	Amy Holden Jones

Michael Crawford Chapman (born November 21, 1935 – died September 20, 2020) was a famous American cinematographer and film director. He was known for his amazing work on many movies during the 1970s and 1980s. He worked with well-known directors like Martin Scorsese and Ivan Reitman.

Michael Chapman helped make over 40 feature films. He worked with just three different directors for more than half of those movies.

Early Life and School

Michael Chapman was born in New York City in 1935. He grew up in Wellesley, Massachusetts, near Boston. When he was young, he wasn't very interested in movies. He liked sports more than photography or painting.

After high school, he went to Columbia University. He studied English there. For a short time, he worked on a railroad. He also served in the United States Army.

Michael's father-in-law, Joe Brun, helped him get his first job. He worked as an assistant camera operator for commercials. At that time, not many feature films were being made in New York.

His Career in Movies

Michael Chapman started his movie career as a camera operator. He worked on big films like Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather (1972) and Steven Spielberg's Jaws (1975). He really liked being a camera operator. He said it was one of the best jobs because "you get to see the film before anyone else does!"

As a cinematographer, he became very famous. He worked with Martin Scorsese on two important films: Taxi Driver (1976) and Raging Bull (1980). Chapman also worked on the movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978).

He and Scorsese were big fans of the music group The Band. Chapman was the main cinematographer for their concert documentary, The Last Waltz (1978). They used nine cameras to film the concert. Chapman said they planned how to film each song in great detail.

Chapman's Unique Style

Michael Chapman's style often used strong contrasts and bold colors. He was also good at setting up complex camera movements quickly. He could also make up new ways to shoot scenes on the spot.

This style was very clear in the boxing scenes of Raging Bull. For those scenes, the camera was often attached to an actor using special setups. Chapman used black-and-white film for Raging Bull. This was very hard to do well. His work on this film earned him his first Academy Award nomination. Like with Jaws, he used a handheld camera for much of Raging Bull.

Working with Other Directors

Besides Martin Scorsese, Chapman worked with many other directors. These included Hal Ashby, Philip Kaufman, Martin Ritt, Robert Towne, Michael Caton-Jones, Andrew Davis, and Ivan Reitman.

Sometimes, he even appeared in small roles in the movies he filmed. He also directed some films himself. His most famous film as a director was All the Right Moves (1983). This movie starred Tom Cruise in one of his first big roles.

In 1987, Chapman worked with Scorsese again. They made an 18-minute short film. This film was the music video for Michael Jackson’s song Bad.

Chapman also filmed many comedies in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These included Ghostbusters II and Kindergarten Cop. He said he didn't need to change his style much for comedies. He explained that for comedies, he used "a little more fill light." This created a bright atmosphere where actors could move freely.

He became a member of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) in 1995. His last film was Bridge to Terabithia (2007). He planned to retire after this movie. He wanted his last film to be a good one.

Personal Life

Michael Chapman was married to screenwriter Amy Holden Jones. His father-in-law, Joe Brun, was also a cinematographer. Joe Brun was nominated for an Oscar and came from France.

Later in his life, Michael said he no longer watched films by directors he often worked with, like Martin Scorsese or Steven Spielberg. He felt he already knew their style. He preferred watching movies at home and rarely went to a movie theater.

Death

Michael Chapman passed away on September 20, 2020. He died from heart failure at his home in Los Angeles.

Awards and Nominations

Michael Chapman was nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. These nominations were for his work on Raging Bull and The Fugitive.

He won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography in 1981 for Raging Bull. In 2003, he received the ASC Lifetime Achievement Award. He also got a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 24th International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage in 2016.

Filmography

As Director

Other Film Work

See also

In Spanish: Michael Chapman para niños