Reed Morano facts for kids

Reed Morano (born April 15, 1977) is an American film director and cinematographer. A cinematographer is someone who is in charge of the camera and lighting on a film or TV show. Reed Morano made history as the first woman to win both an Emmy Award and a Directors Guild Award in the same year. She won these awards for directing the first episode of the TV series The Handmaid's Tale.

She is also well-known for her work as a cinematographer on movies like Frozen River (2008), Kill Your Darlings (2013), and The Skeleton Twins (2014). In 2013, Reed Morano became the youngest woman to join the American Society of Cinematographers. This is a special group for top cinematographers. Two years later, she directed her first movie, Meadowland, which was praised by critics.

Reed Morano's Early Life and Education

Reed Morano was born in Omaha, Nebraska. When she was very young, her family moved to Minnesota. Later, she and her brother lived with their mother on Long Island, New York. Her family moved several times, including to Albuquerque, New Mexico, before settling back on Long Island. She attended high school in Hanover, New Hampshire.

How Reed Morano Discovered Film

Reed's father noticed her interest in theater and storytelling. He gave her a video camera and encouraged her to film family events. This sparked her passion for filmmaking. When it was time for college, her father suggested she apply to film school.

Morano then went to New York University (NYU). She graduated from the Tisch School of the Arts Film and TV program in 2000. Later, she returned to NYU to teach cinematography to advanced students.

Reed Morano's Career in Film and TV

Reed Morano has had a successful career both as a cinematographer and as a director. She has worked on many different types of projects.

Reed Morano as a Cinematographer

Reed Morano's work as a cinematographer has been shown at the Sundance Film Festival many times. This is a famous film festival where new movies are shown.

Notable Cinematography Projects

• In 2008, her film Frozen River won a top prize at Sundance.
• In 2011, she shot Little Birds, which also premiered at Sundance.
• In 2012, two more films she worked on, Shut Up and Play the Hits and For Ellen, were shown there.
• She also worked on Kill Your Darlings (2013) and The Skeleton Twins (2014).
• For television, she was the director of photography for the first season of HBO's Looking in 2014.
• She also worked on the TV series Vinyl, which was produced by famous filmmakers like Martin Scorsese.

Reed Morano as a Director

Reed Morano has also directed several films and TV episodes. Sometimes, she even works as her own cinematographer when she directs.

Directing Her First Feature Film

Her first movie as a director was Meadowland (2015). She also served as the cinematographer for this film. It starred well-known actors like Olivia Wilde and Luke Wilson. The movie was shown at the Tribeca Film Festival and received good reviews.

Directing The Handmaid's Tale

In 2017, Reed Morano directed the first three episodes of The Handmaid's Tale. This TV series is based on a famous book by Margaret Atwood. For her work on this show, she won an Emmy Award. She also won a Directors Guild of America Award for directing the episode "Offred." This made her the first woman ever to win both of these major awards for directing a drama series in the same year.

Other Directing Projects

• In 2018, she directed and filmed I Think We're Alone Now. This was a drama about two people after the end of the world. It starred Peter Dinklage and Elle Fanning.
• In 2020, she released her third movie as a director, The Rhythm Section. This film starred Blake Lively.
• She has also directed episodes for TV shows like Halt and Catch Fire and Billions.

Reed Morano's Personal Life

Reed Morano was married to Matt Walker, who is also a cinematographer. They were married from 2008 to 2018 and have two sons together. Reed lives with her sons in Brooklyn, New York. Her older son, Casey, even appeared in her film Meadowland. In 2021, she started a relationship with actor and director Tim Robbins.

Awards and Recognition for Reed Morano

Reed Morano has received many awards and honors for her work in film and television.

• In 2011, she won the Kodak Vision Award at the Women in Film and Television International awards.
• She was also named one of "10 Cinematographers to Watch" by Variety magazine.
• In 2012, IndieWire, a popular film website, featured her as one of "5 Cinematographers Lighting Up Screens."
• In 2013, she became the youngest member of the American Society of Cinematographers. At that time, she was one of only 14 women in the group.
• In 2015, she was named Woman of the Year at the Fusion Film Festival.
• In 2017, she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for The Handmaid's Tale.