Cinematography is the perfect mix of science and art, of intelligence and creativity, and those who explore this particular field of filmmaking need to have a mind that encompasses just about everything that helps in bringing images to life on the screen. From lights and shadows to colors and hues, the cinematographer decides on just about every element there is to a visual work, and this is why the cinematographer plays a very important role in the making of a movie, a documentary, or even a work for television. While all it takes is a look at the list of cinematographers to know that it is mostly men that dominate this particular niche in the entertainment industry, there have been a few pioneering women who have taken on this male-dominated bastion with dedication and passion and proven to be just as good if not better than their male counterparts. Some of them have even managed to take the conversation beyond male or female and have helped the film industry understand and accept that eventually, it’s about passion and skill, hard work and grit, and little else. Here, we bring to you the most interesting bytes on Rachel Morrison, who among other things, has notched the eternal credit of being the first female cinematographer to be nominated for an Academy Award. You may already be fans of Rachel’s works without knowing it — some of the titles to her name include The Harvest, Some Girl(s), the Jennifer Aniston starrer Cake, the critically acclaimed Dope, the impactful and touching Mudbound, Fruitvale Station, and Any Day Now — and now that you know that it was Rachel who was the mastermind behind the impactful visuals from these movies, you would surely want to know more. So here we are with all the interesting details!
Rachel’s Early Passion for Photography
When you’re truly passionate about something, you find your way to it early in life, and this is exactly how it went with Rachel Morrison. She took to the path of her choice in a clearly defined manner, attending the New York University and wrapping up a double major in film and photography. And why did she choose a double major? It was because she just couldn’t make up her mind on whether she wished to learn more about film or explore all that there was to photography! Her experiments in photojournalism had already helped her explore her love for photography even more but by the time her course ended, she was clear on what path she would choose as her career. Rachel’s Instagram account gives you a peek into how she captures images in beautiful tones even in everyday life, while her official website is yet another place where you will be able to explore some of her works.
Her Evolved Love for Film and Cinematography
“I am intrigued by the dichotomy between real and imagined, perhaps because truth can be deceptive,” says Rachel, and this was probably one of the reasons that drew her to the world of films early on in life. While it was her love for photography that first brought Rachel to the New York University, she had already found herself attracted to the magic of film too, and the double major she collected here stands testimony to her love for the two mediums. By the time she ended her course, however, she had decided on her career path — cinematography. To pursue this further, Rachel signed up for the graduate cinematography program at the American Film Institute Conservatory, and in 2006, learned all there was to learn from here with a Master in Fine Arts. It was now time to explore! First experimenting with television and then independent cinema, and delivering some amazing works that regularly found their way to film festivals around the world, including the top-notch Sundance Film Festival, Rachel soon became a force to reckon with in mainstream cinema.
Even Her Early Work Brought Her Accolades
Rachel was great at her work from the word go, and this is proven with the amount of work as well as the accolades that came her way even as a newbie in the making. She began her work as a cinematographer in working on television films and series. Some of her notable works on the telly include Confirmation, a TV movie, and Hightown, a series for which she took on the role of cinematographer for 4 episodes. But it was her documentary Rikers High that caught everyone’s attention. A work that included exploring how the Rikers Island prison complex ran a special high school education program for its young inmates, the documentary was well-received. And Rachel was especially praised for her work. The documentary got her an Emmy Award nomination in the category of News & Documentary Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in a Craft: Cinematography. Yet another work that won her an Emmy nomination, this time in the category of Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction program, was What Happened, Miss Simone?. When she finally moved on and took on films, this proved to be a journey that was filled with recognition for her talents and skills. Even as she began her career in films, the most prominent among these recognitions were her works being picked up at the Sundance Film Festival.
Dope, Rachel’s Icing on the Sundance Film Festival Cake
Rachel’s tryst with the Sundance Film Festival began early. After filming The Hills for a period of two years, Rachel worked on Sound of My Voice, and this Zal Batmanglij work was picked up for a premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011. The next two years of the world-renowned festival saw two more of Rachel’s works making it to the list of Sundance premieres — Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie and Fruitvale Station. Other works from Rachel that made their way to Sundance included Some Girl(s), The Harvest, and Any Day Now. But the one work that probably got the most attention on her Sundance list was Dope. Her seventh cinematographic work to make it into Sundance, Dope was a favorite for Rachel as well as fans of her work. The coming-of-age comedy-drama starring Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Kimberly Elise, Chanel Iman, and Tyga, among others caught everyone’s attention and when it premiered at Sundance, had six production companies and film studios clamoring for distribution rights. The film that provided “smart, insightful entertainment” was particularly noted for its cinematography, giving Rachel yet another win.
Her Success Was Predicted So Many Times
It was clear from the beginning that Rachel Morrison would be a well-known name in the world of cinematography. And while filmmakers clamored to get her on to their projects, others in the entertainment industry began noticing a rising star who would be counted among the pioneers of their generation. On this front, the first major recognition that came Rachel’s way was in 2013 when her work in the industry got her the Kodak Vision Award at the 2013 Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards. Variety saw the immense potential of this Cambridge-born trailblazer and the magazine’s “Below The Line Impact Report” had her name in the “Up Next” category. Indiewire picked up on the cues that were now lining up and named Rachel in their list of “Cinematographers to Watch”. The best was yet to come though, and in the meantime, each one of Rachel’s works was only building her reputation in the industry.
Rachel is a Member of the American Society of Cinematographers
When you’re the best, the best out there want you as a part of their team! And that’s how it is with Rachel Morrison. Thanks to her works in the industry that ranged from photography and cinematography to even directing, it was soon well-recognized that Rachel wasn’t just another name in the industry, she was among the best out there. This recognition and a great lineup of cinematographic works helped her get on board the distinguished American Society of Cinematographers. A “cultural, educational, and professional organization that is neither a labor union nor a guild”, the institution is considered among the best ones in the world and Rachel’s addition as a member proved just how much she had accomplished in only a few years. And again, the best was yet to come!
The First Female Cinematographer to Win an Academy Award Nomination
Breakthroughs are always great. And when the breakthroughs come in the form of wins that truly make a difference to an entire generation, they’re even better! And this is exactly what went down when Rachel Morrison won an Academy Award nomination for her excellent cinematographic work in Mudbound. A historical drama film set against the backdrop of soldiers returning to their homes after World War II, it depicts their struggles with PTSD and racial discrimination. Directed by Dee Rees and led by a cast that included Carey Mulligan, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Clarke, Jason Mitchell, Mary J. Blige, Rob Morgan, Jonathan Banks, and more, the film received a long list of notable accolades and critical acclaim from several fronts. And among the many artists and technicians who were appreciated for their contribution to the journey that was Mudbound was the name, Rachel Morrison. This nomination, apart from being another high for Rachel’s career was also a notable one for another reason — this was the first time in history that a female cinematographer has been nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Cinematographer category. And the entire industry sat up, took notice, and applauded the event. Perhaps one comment said it better than any other when journalist and cultural critic A.O. Scott wrote in the New York Times, “Rachel… brings the soil, the flora, and the weather to life in a way that emphasizes the archaic, elemental power of the story.” If Rachel had already arrived on the scene as a powerful storyteller through the craft of cinematography, with this Oscar nomination, she had just arrived once again!
Mudbound Brought Her Other Firsts and Accolades Too
In addition to an Oscar nomination, Rachel’s work in Mudbound also brought her several other accolades. Among them was an American Society of Cinematographers nomination in the category of Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases, an Austin Film Critics Association nomination, a Chicago Film Critics Association nomination, a Critics’ Choice Movie Awards nomination, a Georgia Film Critics Association nomination, a New York Film Critics Circle nomination, an Online Film Critics Society nomination, and a Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association nomination, and the one thing that was common across all these nominations was the fact that this was the first time most of these institutions were adding a woman’s name to their list of nominations as Best Cinematographer. From this astounding list, Rachel scored a win at the New York Film Critics Circle and again, she was the first woman to score the win!
Rachel Was Also the Cinematographer Who Brought Black Panther to Life
If you loved Black Panther, you love Rachel Morrison! As the cinematographer of a superhero movie that proved to be a hit with the audience, this was Rachel’s first tryst with an all-out fantasy movie of this proportion, and boy, did she deliver! There was a lot of analysis and research involved, of course, and Rachel spoke of how she first saw all the MCU films and decided she would push the “language” used in the previous films and offer more contrast to her work. The mix of digital along with her original work was something she needed to understand first, and visual effects pro Geoff Baumann came in handy here, sharing with her before and after scenes from Captain America to help Rachel understand the finer nuances. Despite all the homework, Rachel had admitted that working on Black Panther was “much bigger than I’d experienced before”. Well, she took on every challenge head-on and her work is out there for all to see!
Rachel Morrison is in Love with Her Craft
One look at all that Rachel Morrison shares on her website, her work until now, as well as her passion that flows uninhibitedly in the knowledge and love she has of and for her craft, will tell you that this is not someone who just happened to stumble across a career and chose to make it their own. This is someone who was born to do just this and nothing else. The breakthroughs that Rachel has to her name have already made headlines and going by what we have seen so far, the best is yet to come! “I believe in the narrative above all else and am most inspired when I’m out of my element,” says Rachel. Well, going by these words, we hope that you find many more narratives and out-of-element experiences in your life, Rachel. It’ll only mean that we’d all stand witness to even more historical works from you!
Rachel Morrison: Breaking Down Barriers and Creating New Paths
While the credit for breaking the glass ceiling in the cinematographic niche goes to Brianne Murphy, names like Laura Bellingham, Halyna Hutchins, Charlotte Bruus Christensen, Agnes Godard, Kira Kelly, Petra Korner, Ellen Kuras, Polly Morgan, Iris Ng, Tami Reiker, Natasha Braier, Maryse Alberti, Ellen Kuras, Nanu Segal, Quyen Tran, Mandy Walker, Ari Wegner, Zoe White, Reed Morano, and Fowzia Fathima have carried on this legacy. And to add to this list, Rachel Morrison’s name surely features among those who have taken the conversation from “female cinematographer” to simply “renowned cinematographer” and therein lays the impact that Rachel has made through her works. With more and more female cinematographers making their way into the industry, it is only a matter of time before we see yet another Rachel Morrison up there on the Academy Awards stage, and this time around, it won’t be just a nomination, it will be a win! And from what we’ve seen so far, there’s a strong chance that even before any other, it very well might be Rachel Morrison up there collecting an Oscar herself!
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