In Praise of Bradford Young
Sunday, November 27, 2016 at 4:00PM 
Chris here to spread some love for one of my below the line favorites in this year's Oscar Race. Like many of my cohorts here at The Film Experience, I am completely taken with Arrival. Director Denis Villeneuve's last two films (Sicario and Prisoners) resulted in Best Cinematography nominations for the genius Roger Deakins, but this time he partnered up with future legend Bradford Young to stunning results. If the Oscars want to reward some diversity below the line, Young is a mightily deserving talent.
Arrival seems like a fitting film to break him into the Oscar fold considering how it perfectly distills his greatest strengths: layering intimacy and the grandiose in equal measure, complimenting theme, and creating awe in the everyday. Like the film itself, his camera is only deceptively stoic with a great well of feeling underneath. Add in Arrival's many unforgettable images and fluid movement, and we have a real contender.
The cinematography branch is one of the stingiest to let in new voices, but with a major contender like Arrival he can hopefully break through. While much of his past work might have been too small for Oscar, he's been building a steady resume of immaculate work. Let's take a look back at five favorites from his work thus far...
Pariah
The camera is keyed into Adepero Oduye's Alike on an almost surreal level - as psychologically upended as her burgeoning sexuality, as grounded as her need for approval. The color palate matches Alike's emotions as well, all lurid purples and aching browns. This was the first time we caught his name and haven't forgotten it since.
Middle of Nowhere
Here is another example of him tapping into a protagonist's state of being: Young captures the feeling of being emotionally stuck without losing the yourning disposition being stifled. It's a stylistic gamble that director Ava DuVernay takes, and the risk works thanks to Young's sexy and intellectual work.
Mother of George
Notice how Young seems to be one of the few cinematographers who give a damn about how to properly light actors of color? Delivering another sensual experience, Young finds the identity of the individual within a wider culture and vice versa. He'll be reuniting with director Andrew Dosunmu for Michelle Pfeiffer's Where Is Kyra?.
A Most Violent Year
Young takes the allegory of the screenplay and blows it up onto an even larger canvas with panoramic cityscapes and an almost confrontational intimacy. Perhaps his most narrative enhancing and simply visually appealing work, the framing alone elevates this story of one man to the level of Greek tragedy.
Selma
Much like how director DuVernay wanted to avoid the traditional trapping of the bipoic, Young also depicts Martin Luther King modestly while holding the march in Selma in profound reverence. His eye is as curious about this monumental character as it is his everyday subjects. The achievement in visual tying the civil rights movement of then to now is as much his accomplishment as it is DuVernay's.
Soon, he'll be shooting the Star Wars Han Solo spinoff, but are you already a fan of Bradford Young? Do you think his work for Arrival will get him his first nomination?
Reader Comments (13)
It's TFE's unofficial podcast boyfriend! Bradford Young forever.
I hope Bradford Young gets in for Arrival. However, one of his biggest hurdles is potential name checking of people like Caleb Deschanel, Robert Richardson, etc.
I've just walked out of Arrival and I'm on a bit of a Bradford Young buzz.
The film is immaculately controlled in pretty much every department, but I especially loved how unshowily elegant the cinematography was. I was very curious to see who the DoP might be and when Bradford Young's name popped up I must admit I got a bit of a geeky thrill. He's one of my favourite film genuises to emerge in the last few years.
I haven't seen Arrival yet and wasn't aware that Young was the cinematographer. Now Im eager to see it at once.
Nathaniel, just a heads up - I think the blog keeps blocking my comments
Anyway, I was just chipping in with additional love for Bradford Young, who is one of my favourite camera geniuses to emerge in years
Am I correct in thinking he would be the first black cinematographer nominated?
Gosh, A Most Violent Year was so under appreciated. Whenever you get a film with the combo of killer art direction and cinematography, it's brilliant. Plus the score added the right tone/feel to it. And Jessica Chastain was fab with that hair and that mob wife accent. Damn.
Am I correct in thinking he would be the first black cinematographer nominated?
He'd be the 2nd. The 1st is a foreigner who lensed Elizabeth (1998).
I love him, but his work in this movies is more of the same blue sci-fi filter. It's kind of ok, but he could have been way bolder. I have this blue thing, as a matter of fact.
Bradford Young is amazing and I love what the writer of this post said about him putting actual care into recognizing the unique challenge of lighting for different skin tones. He's a master of his craft.
Bradford Young is truly an emerging master cinematographer. His work might not get the recognition it deserves because it is typically understated, which goes along with his philosophy of cinematography being the vehicle od the story. That being said, all his frames are immaculate, subtle, elegant and convey real atmosphere and feeling. There is a scene in Ain't Them Bodies Saints in which a bounty hunter fights with the protagonist in the woods in almost complete darkness but the action is so clear. He is truly the Crown Prince of Darkness, taking up the mantle of Gordon Willis.
Ain't Them Bodies Saints is stunning.
cal roth: I don't think "blue" so much as "grey." HUGE Man of Steel vibes off those trailers in terms of the "look."