Oscar Chart Updates: Cinematography
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 3:55PM Previously: Production Design, Costumes, Screenplays, Visual FX, Animation & Docs, and Supporting Categories
News of the World
Where will Oscar voters turn for the Best Cinematography nominations this season. Will they be looking for evocative landscapes, genre polish, intimate dramas, gaudy musicals, or tour de force biopics? In an Oscar year that's been characterized by the near complete lack of the theatrical experience, the category that arguably most needs that to soar is a big question mark. With most voters not seeing the contenders on the big screen what will they make of, say, Dariusz Wolski's large open impressive vistas in News of the World? Will Hoyte van Hoytema's slick lensing of something expensive like Tenet have any thrilling sweep on television screens? Will Mandy Walker's work on Mulan have any takers since it fits both of those descriptions?
Nomadland
Mank
The only sure thing at this writing appears to be Joshua James Richards acclaimed magic hour work on Nomadland. It's the kind of emotional and natural epic imagery that can feel so breathtaking on large screens, but it's also intimate dramatically in a way that will inevitably work on the small screen. I myself screened it in frankly terrible circumstances (as surely many other critics and voters will) and the mournful beauty was still impossible to miss despite being muffled by pixellation and intrusive watermarks. We'd guess that Erik Messerschmidt's work on Mank is not far behind since black and white is enough of a gimmick that it usually wins the Academy's eyeballs if not their automatic votes.
Minari
I Carry You With Me
I'm Thinking of Ending Things
We're currently predicting an all first-timers field of nominees which is... unlikely now that we've typed it out. But many of Oscar's previously-nominated cinematographers either sat this year out or their movies are divisive (Lukasz Zal on I'm Thinking of Ending Things) or saddled with an unfair 'underperforming' narratives (the Tenet situation) or not often discussed or praised on visual terms (Phedon Papamichael on Trial of the Chicago 7 and Matthew Libatique on The Prom). Some of the most beautiful work is on small scale films like Lachlan Milne on Minari or Juan Pablo Ramirez on I Carry You With Me but small-scale films occassionally run into trouble in the craft categories.
SEE THE CHART - Who do you think will be nominated this year?
Reader Comments (12)
The shot of Frances McDormand with the lantern is my favourite still so far this year. I'm glad I saw the movie film fest digitally before the promotional stills made the rounds as it was such a surprise and took my breath away. Though I haven't seen Minari or I Carry You With Me yet. Looking forward.
The cinematography of First Cow was stunning. The cinematographer, Christopher Blauvelt has never been nominated before, but he also lensed Emma (which I haven't seen yet), so that may help him.
Yeah-I struggle to see a world where none of the nominees are previous contenders, and so I'm guessing that Von Hoytema gets in (and despite it being divisive, Tenet racks up a relatively healthy number of tech nominations-Sound, VFX, Editing, Production Design, Score, & Cinematography).
currently predicting:
Nomadalnd
Mank
News of the world
Da 5 bloods
The father
One question: is LOVER'S ROCK eligible? 'cause the cinematography work is outstanding
My current guess at nominees would be:
1. Nomadland
2. Mank
3. Tenet
4. News of the World
5. The Trial of the Chicago 7
Like John T, I think Tenet will show up in 5 or 6 craft categories and that many pundits are underestimating it (I've even seen it left out of some Visual Effects predictions, which is frankly ludicrous).
I think Chicago 7 makes it because it will do well across the board, Phedon Papamichael is a known quantity, and cinematographers will be aware how much heavy lifting he had to do for Aaron Sorkin who has admitted he focused more on directing the actors and gave his cinematographer more say than usual in terms of getting sufficient coverage and designing the look of the large-scale scenes (like the riot re-creations). Plus the blending of archive may be seen as a plus.
Looking at your list and seeing how many cinematographers I'm familiar with (like Mandy Walker, Sean Bobbitt, Darius Wolski and Newton Thomas Siegel) have never been nominated, it's a reminder of what an insular branch the cinematographers are.
Ed - no film this year has impressed me as much as Lovers Rock for cinematography and I will be including it in my own lists due to its festival appearances.
However, it will compete at the Emmys/BAFTA TV awards as part of the Small Axe anthology...
Ed - it is not eligible. It's competing for the Emmys in tandem with the other installments of Small Axe.
I liked the look of Sylvie's Love. Old fashioned beauty with some nice Douglas Sirk touches here and there.
I know I'm late here but I actively disliked the cinematography of MANK. The whole thing was just a dark murky mess and was really inferior to Citizen Kane. If skill and technique haven't improved in almost 80 years, it's a pass for me.
Okay, so I'm a complete amateur in understanding cinematography but I point all this out because there must be others like me in the Academy. I'm sure Mank will be nominated, but can it win if other people feel like me?
Roger Deakins has just been knighted for his services to film. So, cinematography by Sir Roger Deakins from now on.
I have thought so many times of entering the blogging world as I love reading them. I think I finally have the courage to give it a try. Thank you so much for all of the ideas!