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Lance Acord

Lance Acord

Producer, cinematographer and director, also actor · Born September 9, 1964 (62) · Fresno, California, USA

BAFTA Award nominee · 1 other major award body

Lance Acord (born September 9, 1964) is an American cinematographer. Acord was born in Fresno County, California. He attended Sir Francis Drake High School's School Within A School (S.W.A.S.) program and went on to study photography and filmmaking at the San Francisco Art Institute. He began his professional career with photographer/filmmaker Bruce Weber. Together they made documentaries, commercials and music videos. His breakthrough in the MTV music videos world came when director Stéphane Sednaoui offered him to work on Björk's Big Time Sensuality. Acord continued to work extensively in the commercials and music videos mediums. He earned the MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography for his work on Fatboy Slim’s “Weapon of Choice”, which featured Christopher Walken and was directed by Spike Jonze. He also worked with R.E.M. on a regular basis.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 9, 1964 (62)
From
Fresno, California, USA
Works as
Producer, cinematographer and director, also actor
Titles
38 on MovieCove · 58 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Up 55% in 30 days

What are Lance Acord's films like?

Across their 34 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy14 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 78th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 68th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile
: browse their Crime 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
30%
Bonds
22%
Society
16%
Power
12%
Morality
8%
Survival
7%
Ideas
6%
Family bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity8 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity6 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth5 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 34 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 12 · Serious 10 · Dark 12

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 20 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 5

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

Gentle 14 · Charged 16 · Intense 4

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

Steady 19 · Shifting 13 · Whiplash 2

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 16 · Some laughs 15 · Funny 3

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 25 · Even-paced 9 · Relentless 0

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 16 · Engaged 15 · Full focus 3

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

A split, not a type: Easy watch 13 · Affecting 12 · Heavy 9

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

A split, not a type: Resolved 18 · Open-ended 11 · Ambiguous 5

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
15
Contemplative
13
Hopeful
14
Bittersweet
12
Tense
10
Other
28

How their films linger

Bittersweet17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet19
  • Ambiguous11
  • 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 Lance Acord's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 24 of their 38 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Lance Acord'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

58 credits, 38 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Soul Patrol(2026)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Bird in Hand(2025)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Daughters(2024)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Late Bloomers(2023)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Flipside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Executive Producer

  • As We Speak(2024)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Earth Mama(2023)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Rule of Two Walls(2023)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Broadway Rising(2022)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • There There(2022)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Aisha(2022)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Independent(2022)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Long Weekend(2021)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Another Hayride (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Executive Producer

  • The Truffle Hunters(2020)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Last Shift(2020)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Born to Play(2020)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Heart Still Hums (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Executive Producer

  • Farewell Amor(2020)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • E.T.: A Holiday Reunion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Director

  • Lazy Susan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Executive Producer

  • HP: The Wolf - True Alpha(2018)

    Director · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Hearts Beat Loud(2018)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn(2018)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Sentence(2018)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Nice Girls Don't Stay for Breakfast(2018)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Hero(2017)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • The Wolf (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Director

  • Other People(2016)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The Rehearsal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Executive Producer

  • Cop Car(2015)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • God's Pocket(2014)

    Cinematographer · Producer

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Her(2013)

    Additional Photography

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Another Day, Another Time: Celebrating the Music of Inside Llewyn Davis(2013)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Wild in the Streets (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Cinematographer

  • Robot & Frank(2012)

    "B" Camera Operator · Producer

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • The New Tenants (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Executive Producer

  • Where the Wild Things Are(2009)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Marie Antoinette(2006)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Very Best of Sheryl Crow: The Videos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director

  • The Work of Director Michel Gondry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Cinematographer

  • Lost in Translation(2003)

    Camera Operator · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Adaptation.(2002)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Jackass: The Movie(2002)

    Second Unit Director of Photography

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys(2002)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Southlander(2001)

    Camera Operator · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Chop Suey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Cinematographer

  • Jackass(2000)

    Show 1 episode · Additional Camera

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • Eventual Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Cinematographer

  • Being John Malkovich(1999)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Lick the Star (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Cinematographer

  • Free Tibet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Cinematographer

  • Buffalo '66(1998)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Amarillo By Morning (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Cinematographer

  • How They Get There (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Cinematographer

  • The Teddy Boys of the Edwardian Drape Society (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Cinematographer

  • Gentle Giants (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Cinematographer

  • Billy Nayer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Camera Operator

Career shape

A full career of 57 titles from 1992 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Lost in Translation (2003)

$119M worldwide

Highest rated

Being John Malkovich (1999)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Lost in Translation (2003)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing4 of 57: 3 only directing, 1 with another roleProducing30 of 57: 28 only producing, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score65thCinematography21 of 57: 17 only cinematography, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score72ndOther crew7 of 57: 4 only other crew, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score89th

57 titles, 5 with more than one role — producing and cinematography overlap on 1 of them.

By decade

1990s9 · crew2000s13 · crew2010s16 · crew2020s19 · 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

6 major nominations and no wins, 2004–2025.

  1. 2025
    • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials
  2. 2017
    • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials
  3. 2013
    • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials
  4. 2012
    • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials
  5. 2004
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Cinematography
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials

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 Lance Acord's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 68th percentile, the median of all 37; across their 34 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 74th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

74thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 34

Approval · how many liked their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 34

Reach · how many have seen their films

85thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 34

Midcredits score across 38 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th14
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 38 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Divisive4
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · producer

Bird in Hand (2025)

95th percentile spread · 36% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

Being John Malkovich (1999)

Midcredits 97th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 67/100 in their films, across 23 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 51. 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 Lance Acord's work okay for kids?

Across up to 16 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore11 titles3–60 · median 35 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity16 titles4–61 · median 49 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity12 titles26–75 · median 59 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs10 titles26–58 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense9 titles5–64 · median 43 · moderatenear the median of all 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 Lance Acord work with?

People who share at least 2 of Lance Acord's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jackie Kelman Bisbee shares the most, 24.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles