Tony Pierce-Roberts

Tony Pierce-Roberts
Forename/s: 
Tony
Family name: 
Pierce-Roberts
Work area/craft/role: 
Company: 
Industry: 
Interview Number: 
688
Interview Date(s): 
16 Jul 2017
Interviewer/s: 
Duration (mins): 
146

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Interview
Biographical

British-born Director of Photography, Tony Pierce-Roberts, BSC, at the age of 11 emigrated with his parents to Central Africa where, on an impulse, he left school to join the Central African Film Unit.He enjoyed making game films and working freelance for visiting film crews, including units for the BBC. Within five years, he was in  London and joined the BBC as an assistant cameraman. He has won two BAFTA Awards for Best Film Cameraman for 'Tinker, Taylor, Soldier, Spy' and for 'Caught on a Train'. Among his work in television drama have been several distinguished films, including 'A Voyage Round My Father'.

 His first feature film, 'Moonlighting' was directed by Jerzy Skoliomowski. 'Made of Honor' was his second project this time with Paul Weiland, for whom he shot 'Time for Black Adder' which was shown in the theatre outside The Millennium Dome during the year it was opened..
Pierce-Roberts began a long collaboration with Merchant-Ivory Productions when he shot 'Slaves of New York'For his work on 'A Room With A View', he received The New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cinematography and The London Evening Standard Award for Outstanding Technical Achievement as well as BAFTA and Oscar nominations.He also received great personal acclaim for his cinematography on Merchant- Ivory Productions' 'Howards End' for which he received Oscar, BAFTA and ASC nominations for Best Cinematography, and 'Remains of the Day' for which he received a BAFTA nomination for Best Cinematography.
His feature credits include 'A Private Function', 'White Fang' in Alaska for Disney, 'The Dark Hall' for George Romero and 'Splitting Heirs' for Robert Young. He went to America to work with Joel Schumacher on John Grisham's 'The Client', Barry Levinson on 'Disclosure and other Hollywood directors.He also photographed 'Haunted' for Lewis Gilbert followed by 'Asterix et Obelix contre Cesar' for Claude Zidi in France.
His most recent credits include 'J'aurais votre un danseur' for Alan Berliner and Irwin Winkler's films 'Home of the Brave' and 'DeLovely'. He has photographed Julian Fellowes' 'Separate Lives' and 'The Importance of Being Earnest ' for Oliver Parker.
In addition to discussing his films, Pierce-Roberts has plenty to say about working conditions in England, France and America. A very lively and forthright interview.
 
Derek Threadgall