Caleb Deschanel
Caleb Deschanel | |
|---|---|
Caleb Deschanel, 2009 in San Diego | |
| Born | Joseph Caleb Deschanel September 21, 1944[1] Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Education | |
| Occupations | Cinematographer, film director |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | |
| Awards | See below |
Joseph Caleb Deschanel (born September 21, 1944)[1] is an American cinematographer and director of film and television.[1] He has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography six times.[2] He is also a member of the National Film Preservation Board of the Library of Congress, representing the American Society of Cinematographers.[3]
He has been married to actress Mary Jo Deschanel since 1972, with whom he has two daughters, actresses Emily and Zooey Deschanel.
Early life and professional education
Deschanel was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Ann Ward (née Orr) and Paul Jules Deschanel. His father was French, from Oullins, Rhône, and his mother was American.[4] Deschanel was raised in his mother's Quaker religion.[5]
He enrolled in Severn School for his high school.[6] He attended Johns Hopkins University from 1962 to 1966,[7][8] where he met Walter Murch,[9] with whom he staged "happenings," including one in which Murch sat down and ate an apple for an audience. Murch graduated a year ahead of him and encouraged Deschanel to follow him to the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, where he graduated in 1968. During this time, Deschanel was a member of a band of film students called "The Dirty Dozen;" this group attracted attention from the Hollywood system. Following his graduation, he attended the American Film Institute (AFI) Conservatory and graduated in 1969 as a member of its first class.[10][8]
Personal life
Deschanel joined the American Society of Cinematographers (A.S.C.) in 1969, the year of his graduation from the AFI Conservatory. In 1972, three years later, he married actress Mary Jo Weir.[11] They have two daughters, actresses Emily and Zooey.
Filmography
As director
Film
- The Escape Artist (1982)
- Crusoe (1988)
Music video
- Rhythm of My Heart (1991) for Rod Stewart
Television
| Year | Title | Episode(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1990-91 | Twin Peaks | "Realization Time" |
| "Drive with a Dead Girl" | ||
| "The Black Widow" | ||
| 2005 | Law & Order: Trial by Jury | "41 Shots" |
| "Bang & Blame" | ||
| "Day" | ||
| 2006 | Conviction | "Savasana" |
| "Madness" | ||
| 2007 | Bones | "The Glowing Bones in the Old Stone House" |
As cinematographer
Other credits
| Year | Title | Director | Cinematographer(s) | Contribution | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Angels Hard as They Come | Joe Viola | Stephen M. Katz | Additional photography | |
| THX 1138 | George Lucas | David Myers Albert Kihn |
Uncredited | ||
| 1972 | The Godfather | Francis Ford Coppola | Gordon Willis | Director of photography: Newspaper sequence | |
| 1974 | A Woman Under the Influence | John Cassavetes | Mitch Breit Al Ruban |
Additional photography | |
| 1979 | Apocalypse Now | Francis Ford Coppola | Vittorio Storaro | Director of photography: Inserts | |
| 1983 | The Black Stallion Returns | Robert Dalva | Carlo Di Palma | Additional photography | |
| 1997 | Titanic | James Cameron | Russell Carpenter | Director of photography: Halifax contemporary sequences | |
| 2013 | Gangster Squad | Ruben Fleischer | Dion Beebe | Additional photography | |
| 2019 | Ad Astra | James Gray | Hoyte van Hoytema |
Awards and nominations
| Institution | Year | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | 1983 | Best Cinematography | The Right Stuff | Nominated |
| 1984 | The Natural | Nominated | ||
| 1996 | Fly Away Home | Nominated | ||
| 2000 | The Patriot | Nominated | ||
| 2004 | The Passion of the Christ | Nominated | ||
| 2018 | Never Look Away | Nominated | ||
| American Society of Cinematographers | 1996 | Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography | Fly Away Home | Nominated |
| 2000 | The Patriot | Won | ||
| 2004 | The Passion of the Christ | Nominated | ||
| Berlin International Film Festival | 1976 | Best Short Film | Trains | Won |
| British Academy Film Awards | 1979 | Best Cinematography | The Black Stallion | Nominated |
| British Society of Cinematographers | 1980 | Best Cinematography in a Theatrical Feature Film | Nominated | |
| Camerimage Festival | 2014 | Lifetime Achievement Award | — | Won |
| 2019 | Golden Frog | Never Look Away | Nominated | |
| Hawaiʻi International Film Festival | 2001 | Excellence in Cinematography Award | — | Won |
| Hollywood Film Awards | 2004 | Cinematographer of the Year | The Passion of the Christ | Won |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association | 1979 | Best Cinematography | The Black Stallion | Won |
| National Board of Review | 2004 | Career Achievement Award | — | Won |
| National Society of Film Critics | 1979 | Best Cinematography | Being There | Won |
| The Black Stallion | Won | |||
| Satellite Awards | 1999 | Best Cinematography | Anna and the King | Nominated |
| Visual Effects Society | 2020 | Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a CG Project | The Lion King | Won |
References
- ^ a b c "Caleb Deschanel". Internet Encyclopedia of Cinematographers. Archived from the original on April 28, 2019. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
- ^ "Caleb Deschanel". Oscars Awards Databases. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
- ^ "National Film Preservation Board Members". Library of Congress.
- ^ Powell, Kimberly (November 1, 2011). "Ancestry of Emily and Zooey Deschanel". ThoughtCo. Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
- ^ Olsen, Mark (February 27, 2005). "A passion to convey a director's vision". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 14, 2010.
- ^ "David Astle Memorial Lecture". Severn School. April 4, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
- ^ "Notable Alumni". Johns Hopkins University. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
- ^ a b "Deschanel to Receive AFI's Schaffner Medal June 4". The American Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
- ^ "The late composer behind 'RoboCop,' 'Conan the Barbarian' gets his due at Disney Hall". Los Angeles Times. July 21, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
- ^ King, Susan (September 18, 2019). "At 50, the AFI Conservatory keeps its focus on developing great filmmakers". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "American Film". American Film. Vol. 9, no. 1–10. American Film Institute (AFI). 1983. p. 10. ISSN 0361-4751.
- ^ Giardina, Carolyn (September 15, 2021). "Travis Knight Directing LAIKA's Next Movie, 'Wildwood'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 12, 2025.