Bradford Young

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Bradford Young
Young in 2013
Born
Bradford Marcel Young[1]

(1977-07-06) July 6, 1977 (age 46)[1]
EducationHoward University (BA, MFA)
OccupationCinematographer
Years active2004–present
Websitebradfordyoung.com

Bradford Marcel Young, A.S.C (born July 6, 1977) is an American cinematographer. He is best known for his work on the films Selma, A Most Violent Year (both 2014), Arrival (2016)—which earned him a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography—and Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), as well as the Netflix miniseries When They See Us (2019).

Early life and background

Young spent his early years in Louisville, Kentucky,[3] where he attended The Brown School and Central High School.[4] He moved to Chicago at age 15 to live with his father.[5] He received early artistic inspiration by the works of Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, and Aaron Douglas. Although he intended to study writing, he studied film at Howard University, where he was influenced by Haile Gerima.[2][6][7] His first film project at Howard was a group project, a black and white silent film shot on a Canon Super 8. Working on set with filmmaking colleagues at Howard was his introduction to film. Prior to moving to Washington, D.C. for college, Young says "the only reason I cared about movies was how most people cared about movies. I liked watching them." As a youth, he went to the theater to see Spike Lee films with his family.[8]

Career

Young's early feature film credits as cinematographer include Mississippi Damned (2009), Pariah (2011), Restless City (2011), Middle of Nowhere (2012), Ain't Them Bodies Saints (2013), and Mother of George (2013).[2][5][9] He has won the Cinematography Award at the Sundance Film Festival twice. In 2011, he won for his work on Pariah.[5] Two years later, he won for his work on both Mother of George and Ain't Them Bodies Saints.[9] He was the cinematographer for Selma (2014), which won the BET Award for Best Movie in 2015. That same year, Young was inducted into the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC).[10]

In January 2017, Young became the first African-American cinematographer to be nominated for an Academy Award, for his work on Arrival.[11] His work on Arrival also earned him a Silver Frog award from Camerimage and nominations for BAFTA and American Society of Cinematographers awards.[12]

Young was the cinematographer for Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), about space smuggler Han Solo.[13]

In 2019, Young re-teamed with director Ava DuVernay on the Netflix drama miniseries When They See Us, based on the 1989 Central Park jogger case, which earned critical acclaim.[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23]

In addition to his feature film work, Young has collaborated with directors Kathryn Bigelow, Derek Cianfrance, Todd Haynes, Spike Jonze, and Steve McQueen on numerous short films and commercials.[24] He has filmed music videos for artists Beck, Common, Kamasi Washington, MGMT, and Norah Jones. Young has also collaborated with artists Elissa Blount Moorhead and Leslie Hewitt on video installations that have been displayed in fine art museums around the world.[25][26]

Personal life

Young is married to Stephanie Etienne, who received special thanks in A Most Violent Year.[27] They currently reside in Baltimore, Maryland with their two sons.[3]

Visual style

Young prefers shooting with available light. For example, in Pariah, for a nighttime bedroom scene, he shot using only Christmas lights and an IKEA lamp with a red lampshade.[6] Amanda Petrusich in her 2012 article on Young for The New York Times states that he "favors raw light and has a penchant for shooting into it, but said he ultimately focuses on getting out of the way."[5]

In a 2013 article from The Washington Post about cinematographers who were trained at Howard University, Hans Charles, a frequent camera assistant for Young said that he has developed a versatile but also consistently poetic, oblique visual style.[7]

In a 2017 article from the Courier Journal, Young is quoted as acknowledging older black cinematographers such as Ernest Dickerson (Malcolm X), Arthur Jafa (Daughters of the Dust) and Malik Sayeed (Clockers) as artists who lay a foundation for black cinematographers like himself. He told the Courier Journal that he was "trying to find that balance between making sure I am present but also being that voice in the wilderness that says 'there has been great work by African-American cinematographers and it's a shame those people who came before me and who have been my teachers were not nominated for awards.'"[3]

He also cited his childhood memory as a key source of inspiration: "Early on, when I came upon a technical difficulty (making a film), I would think back to my memories of growing up in Louisville and what the lighting was like in those moments. I still do that to this day. I think about my grandmother's house on Greenwood Avenue and scenes during her wonderful parties. Or I envision the light in my Aunt Marie's kitchen. When I am stuck on a technical issue making a film, I access those memories and I know I am doing the right thing."[3] Young has spoken about his affinity for nonlinear storytelling and switching between overhead and handheld camera shots.[8][28]

Filmography

Short film

Year Title Director Notes
2004 U Street Blue Raafi Rivero
2007 Pariah Dee Rees
I Want You Nefertite Nguvu
Streets 2 Suites Marquette Jones
2008 Broken Tamara Bass
2009 The End of Winter Nefertite Nguvu
In Retrospect... Logan Coles
Windows Vista: Predator Edition Paul Kamuf
Colonial Gods Dee Rees
Abracadabra Julie Pacino With Luke McCoubrey
The Way Home Faythallegra Claude
If I Leap J.J. Stone
Jackie J. Stone
2011 Class Trip Sarah Gyllenstierna
Katya Mako Kamitsuna
The Evil Eyes Bobby Abate
Nasceu Maria Elena Greenlee
2012 Norah Jones: Happy Pills Isaiah Seret
Love Synchs Paul Kamuf
2013 Beck/Hello, Again Chris Milk
Colin K. Gray
The Door Ava DuVernay
Plant Hunter Isaiah Seret
Venice 70 - Future Reloaded" Haile Gerima 1 segment
Lorraine André Desrochers
En Vogue Jenn Nkiru
2015 A Violet Death Isaiah Seret
2017 To Be Free Adepero Oduye
2018 Corazón John Hillcoat
Bleu de Chanel: The Film Steve McQueen
2019 As Told To G/D Thyself Terence Nance
Himself
Jenn Nkiru
Marc Thomas
Kamasi Washington
With Maceo Bishop and Shawn Peters;
Also credited as writer
MedMen: The New Normal Spike Jonze
2023 Seeking: Mapping A Gullah Geechee Story Julie Dash

Feature film

Year Title Director
2007 Mo Brian Scott Lederman 
White Lies, Black Sheep James Spooner
2008 Cigarettes for Breakfast Daniel E. Williams
2009 Mississippi Damned Tina Mabry
Entre nos Gloria La Morte
Paola Mendoza
2011 Pariah Dee Rees
Restless City Andrew Dosunmu
2012 Middle of Nowhere Ava DuVernay
2013 Mother of George Andrew Dosunmu
Ain't Them Bodies Saints David Lowery
Vara: A Blessing Khyentse Norbu
2014 Pawn Sacrifice Edward Zwick
A Most Violent Year J. C. Chandor
Selma Ava DuVernay
2015 Everything is Copy Jacob Bernstein
Nick Hooker
2016 I Called Him Morgan Kasper Collin
Arrival Denis Villeneuve
2017 Where Is Kyra? Andrew Dosunmu
2018 Solo: A Star Wars Story Ron Howard

Television

Year Title Director Notes
2012 The Boring Life of Jacqueline Sebastián Silva All 10 episodes
2019 When They See Us Ava DuVernay Miniseries

Documentary works

Short film

Year Title Director
2009 We Love You Jonathan Kalafer
2019 Black to Techno Jenn Nkiru
2021 Centropy Deana Lawson

Film

Year Title Director Notes
2008 Eventual Salvation Dee Rees
2010 The Western Front Zachary Iscol With Radha Agrawal
2011 More Than Conquerors Andre Wilkins
2012 Free Angela and All Political Prisoners Shola Lynch With Sandi Sissel
2015 Everything Is Copy Jacob Bernstein
Nick Hooker
With Christine Ng

TV movies

Year Title Director Notes
2008 Alicia in Africa: Journey to the Motherland Earle Sebastian  
2010 My Mic Sounds Nice: A Truth About Women and Hip Hop Ava DuVernay
2013 Six by Sondheim Autumn de Wilde Segment "Send in the Clowns"

Awards and recognition

  • NOMINATED - Renew Media Arts Fellowship (Rockefeller Foundation) (2008)[2]
  • 25 New Faces of Independent Film by Filmmaker's Magazine (2009)[2]
Year Award Category Title Result Ref.
2011 Sundance Film Festival Excellence in Cinematography Award: Dramatic Pariah Won [5]
2013 Cinematography Award: U.S. Dramatic Ain't Them Bodies Saints Won [9]
Mother of George Won
2014 Independent Spirit Awards Best Cinematography Selma Nominated
2016 Academy Awards Best Cinematography Arrival Nominated
BAFTA Awards Best Cinematography Nominated [4]
American Society of Cinematographers Outstanding Cinematography Nominated
Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Cinematography Nominated
Florida Film Critics Circle Best Cinematography Nominated
Houston Film Critics Society Best Cinematography Nominated
Online Film Critics Society Best Cinematography Nominated
San Diego Film Critics Society Best Cinematography Nominated
San Francisco Film Critics Circle Best Cinematography Nominated
St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Best Cinematography Nominated
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Best Cinematography Nominated
2019 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Cinematography When They See Us Nominated

References

  1. ^ a b c "Kentucky, Birth Index, 1911-1999 [database on-line]". Ancestry.com. 2006. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Director of Photography". The Western Front. Archived from the original on August 31, 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d Adams, Kirby (February 22, 2017). "Oscar-nominated Bradford Young: 'I am Louisville, Kentucky'". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  4. ^ a b Adams, Kirby (January 24, 2017). "Louisville native Bradford Young gets Oscar nom". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d e Petrusich, Amanda (May 16, 2012). "He's Just a 'Custodian of the Moment': Bradford Young, Cinematographer for 'Middle of Nowhere'". The New York Times. New York. Retrieved August 31, 2013. Mr. Young has gathered considerable accolades from the indie community (as well as beyond it), but he continues to tussle personally with the insularity of the scene.
  6. ^ a b Lindeman, Leslie (December 14, 2011). "Contender – Cinematographer Bradford Young, Pariah". Below The Line. Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
  7. ^ a b Hornaday, Ann (January 28, 2013). "Howard University has become incubator for cinematographers". The Washington Post. Washington, DC. Retrieved August 31, 2013. For his part, Young credits another film professor, Daniel Williams, and especially Gerima as the spiritual godfather of what may be, by now, fairly codified as a bona fide successor to the L.A. Rebellion — the Howard Continuum.
  8. ^ a b "'Selma' cinematographer Bradford Young accidentally fell into filmmaking, and fell in love with it". The Verge. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  9. ^ a b c "Sundance Festival Award Winners". Sundance Film Festival. Archived from the original on August 17, 2012. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
  10. ^ "Young Joins ASC - ASC News". Theasc.com. August 13, 2015. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
  11. ^ Merry, Stephanie (January 24, 2017). "Oscar nominations 2017: Complete list of nominees; 'La La Land's' 14 ties all-time record". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
  12. ^ "Oscars: 'Arrival's' Bradford Young Gets Cinematography Nomination". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  13. ^ Raup, Jordan (September 22, 2016). "Emmanuel Lubezki Reteams With Alfonso Cuarón; Bradford Young to Shoot Han Solo Film". The Film Stage.
  14. ^ McCabe, Bret (March 21, 2019). "Oscar-nominated cinematographer visits Johns Hopkins film program". Johns Hopkins University Hub. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  15. ^ Darrisaw, Michelle (May 14, 2019). "Ava DuVernay's "When They See Us" Looks at the Central Park Five—Here's What to Know". The Oprah Magazine. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  16. ^ D'Addario, Daniel (May 21, 2019). "TV Review: Ava DuVernay's 'When They See Us'". Variety. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  17. ^ Henderson, Odie (May 30, 2019). "When They See Us Review". Roger Ebert. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  18. ^ Fienberg, Daniel (May 31, 2019). "'When They See Us': TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  19. ^ Goldberg, Matt (May 31, 2019). "'When They See Us' Review: Ava DuVernay's Magnum Opus of a Broken America". Collider. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  20. ^ Mangan, Lucy (May 31, 2019). "When They See Us review – Netflix's gut-wrenching tale of the Central Park Five". The Guardian. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  21. ^ Chaney, Jen (May 30, 2019). "When They See Us Is an Intimate, Sensitive Look at the Central Park Five Tragedy". Vulture. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  22. ^ Paskin, Willa (May 30, 2019). "When They See Us Is a New Kind of Must-See TV". Slate. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  23. ^ Lloyd, Robert (May 30, 2019). "Review: Ava DuVernay's 'When They See Us' gets to the human heart of the Central Park Five". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  24. ^ "Brandford Young, ASC - Lux Artists". Lux Artists (website).
  25. ^ "'Arrival' Cinematographer Bradford Young Dives Into Fine Arts With 'Back and Song'". The Hollywood Reporter.
  26. ^ "Exhibitions: MCA Screens: Leslie Hewitt in Collaboration with Bradford Young". May 17, 2014.
  27. ^ "Stephanie Etienne". IMDb. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  28. ^ Desowitz, Bill. "How 'Arrival' Cinematographer Bradford Young Makes Sci-Fi Poetic | IndieWire". www.indiewire.com. Retrieved February 22, 2017.

External links