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Robert Elswit

Robert Elswit

Cinematographer · Born April 22, 1950 (76) · California, USA

Oscar winner · Primetime Emmy winner · BAFTA Award nominee · 1 other major award body

Robert Christopher Elswit, ASC (born April 22, 1950) is an American cinematographer. He has collaborated with Paul Thomas Anderson from 1996 to 2014, winning the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for There Will Be Blood. Elswit has also collaborated with directors and screenwriters Tony and Dan Gilroy on all six films that either brother directed. Description above from the Wikipedia article Robert Elswit, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 22, 1950 (76)
From
California, USA
Works as
Cinematographer
Titles
71 on MovieCove · 90 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 32% in 30 days

What are Robert Elswit's films like?

Across their 58 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.

Genres

Drama19 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 52nd percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy16 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Crime8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 77th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Biography5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile
: browse their Biography movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
24%
Morality
24%
Bonds
21%
Power
13%
Survival
10%
Society
5%
Ideas
2%
Romantic love11 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds10 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity9 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception10 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption7 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition8 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival7 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice7 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 58 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 14 · Serious 17 · Dark 27

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 30 · Stylized 17 · Heightened 11

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 5 · Charged 30 · Intense 23

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 19 · Shifting 33 · Whiplash 6

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 36 · Some laughs 13 · Funny 9

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 23 · Even-paced 26 · Relentless 9

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 20 · Engaged 19 · Full focus 19

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 18 · Affecting 20 · Heavy 20

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 32 · Open-ended 16 · Ambiguous 10

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
44
Melancholic
18
Thrilling
13
Dread
12
Contemplative
16
Other
56

How their films linger

Bittersweet19 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 15 with a twist

  • Happy14
  • Bittersweet30
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous8
  • Cyclical1
  • Other1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Robert Elswit's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 45 of their 71 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Robert Elswit's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

90 credits, 71 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Animals(2026)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Punisher: One Last Kill(2026)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Ella McCay(2025)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Ripley(2024)

    Show 8 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Bob Marley: One Love(2024)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • King Richard(2021)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The King of Staten Island(2020)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Velvet Buzzsaw(2019)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Skyscraper(2018)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Write When You Get Work(2018)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Roman J. Israel, Esq.(2017)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Suburbicon(2017)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • The Night Of(2016)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Gold(2016)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Diary of a Teenage Girl(2015)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation(2015)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Inherent Vice(2014)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Nightcrawler(2014)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Bourne Legacy(2012)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol(2011)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Town(2010)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Salt(2010)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Men Who Stare at Goats(2009)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Duplicity(2009)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Burning Plain(2008)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Redbelt(2008)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Shine a Light(2008)

    Camera Operator · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • There Will Be Blood(2007)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Michael Clayton(2007)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • American Dreamz(2006)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Syriana(2005)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Good Night, and Good Luck.(2005)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Runaway Jury(2003)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Gigli(2003)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Behind the Red Door(2003)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Punch-Drunk Love(2002)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Impostor(2001)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Heist(2001)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Bounce(2000)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Magnolia(1999)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • 8MM(1999)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Richard Lester! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Cinematographer

  • Tomorrow Never Dies(1997)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Boogie Nights(1997)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Prince Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

  • Hard Eight(1996)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Boys(1996)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • The Pallbearer(1996)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The River Wild(1994)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • A Dangerous Woman(1993)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • A Murderous Affair: The Carolyn Warmus Story(1992)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Waterland(1992)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Human Target (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

  • The Hand That Rocks the Cradle(1992)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Paris Trout(1991)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Summer My Father Grew Up(1991)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Prison Stories: Women on the Inside(1991)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Opposites Attract (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Cinematographer

  • A Killing in a Small Town(1990)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Bad Influence(1990)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Heart of Dixie(1989)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • How I Got Into College(1989)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Margaret Bourke-White (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Cinematographer

  • Dream Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

  • Return of the Living Dead II(1988)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Cadillac Dreams (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Cinematographer

  • Into the Homeland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Cinematographer

  • Long Gone(1987)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Amazing Grace and Chuck(1987)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • A Different Affair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Cinematographer

  • Trick or Treat(1986)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Children of Times Square(1986)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Desert Hearts(1985)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Moving Violations(1985)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Sure Thing(1985)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Tiger Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Cinematographer

  • CBS Schoolbreak Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

  • Summerspell(1983)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi(1983)

    Visual Effects Camera

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Waltz Across Texas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Cinematographer

  • E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial(1982)

    Visual Effects Camera

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • All Summer in a Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Cinematographer

  • The End of August (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Cinematographer

  • Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back(1980)

    Visual Effects Lineup

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Star Trek: The Motion Picture(1979)

    Visual Effects Camera

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • CBS Library (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

  • Genesis: Four Billion Years in the Making (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Assistant Camera

  • Fraternity Row (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Camera Operator

  • Faster, Cheaper, Better (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Cinematographer

  • The Boys from Brazil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

Career shape

A full career of 90 titles, 88 of them dated from 1977 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)

$711M worldwide

Highest rated

There Will Be Blood (2007)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Animals (2026)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Cinematography83 of 90: 82 only cinematography, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score60thOther crew8 of 90: 7 only other crew, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score91st

By decade

1970s4 · crew1980s24 · crew1990s21 · crew2000s17 · crew2010s15 · crew2020s7 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

an Oscar, a Primetime Emmy and 1 other major award from 6 major nominations, 1998–2024.

WinNomination
  1. 2024
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
  2. 2008
    • Oscar, won · Best Achievement in Cinematography
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Cinematography
  3. 2006
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Cinematography
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best Cinematography
  4. 1998
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Cinematography

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Robert Elswit's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 60th percentile, the median of all 69; across their 58 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 56th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 58

Approval · how many liked their films

57thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 58

Reach · how many have seen their films

93rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 58

Midcredits score across 71 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up26
  • 50th to 74th20
  • 25th to 49th17
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

31 of their 71 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved14
  • Cult Classic4
  • Crowd Pleaser31
  • Broadly Agreed9
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · cinematographer

Summerspell (1983)

82nd percentile spread · 45% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

There Will Be Blood (2007)

Midcredits 99th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 68/100 in their films, across 46 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 53. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Robert Elswit's work okay for kids?

Across up to 38 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore35 titles23–82 · median 62 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity38 titles9–60 · median 35 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity35 titles33–92 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs33 titles20–69 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense32 titles26–76 · median 61 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Robert Elswit work with?

People who share at least 2 of Robert Elswit's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Paul Thomas Anderson shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles