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Roberto Schaefer

Roberto Schaefer

Cinematographer · White Plains, New York, USA

BAFTA Award nominee

Roberto Schaefer, A.S.C., is a BAFTA-nominated Cinematographer who began his film career in Europe working for Martin Scorsese, Joe Pykta and Nestor Almendros. He eventually moved to Los Angeles to shoot for Director Chris Guest. Schaefer shot classic films for Guest such as Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show and For Your Consideration. Soon thereafter, Schaefer and Director Marc Forster began an extensive collaboration, shooting nine films together including Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland, Stranger Than Fiction, Stay, The Kite Runner, Quantum of Solace, and Machine Gun Preacher. Schaefer has also collaborated with a variety of other directors including Lee Daniels for 2012's The Paperboy, Andrew Niccol for 2013's The Host, Don Cheadle for 2015's Miles Ahead, and Gideon Raff for 2019's Red Sea Diving Resort. Other recent credits include 2021's Creation Stories directed by Nick Moran for Burning Wheel Productions and 2019's Rattlesnake directed by Zak Hilditch for Netflix. Schaefer is fluent in Italian and resides in Los Angeles with his wife Caroline Eselin.

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Biography from IMDb.

From
White Plains, New York, USA
Works as
Cinematographer
Titles
27 on MovieCove · 37 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 156 days to Oct 27Down 26% in 30 days

What are Roberto Schaefer's films like?

Across their 22 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 38th percentile
: browse their Action 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
Morality
29%
Bonds
20%
Self
18%
Survival
15%
Power
9%
Society
6%
Ideas
2%
Family bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal5 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption3 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGuilt3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 21 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 4 · Serious 6 · Dark 11

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 11 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 2

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 5 · Charged 4 · Intense 12

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

Steady 6 · Shifting 11 · Whiplash 4

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 13 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 6

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 4

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

Casual 7 · Engaged 12 · Full focus 2

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 7 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 9

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 15 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 2

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
13
Melancholic
14
Absurd
8
Dread
5
Warm
5
Other
20

How their films linger

Bittersweet12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet15
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous2

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 Roberto Schaefer's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 18 of their 27 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Roberto Schaefer'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

37 credits, 27 with a MovieCove page.

  • Forelock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Cinematographer

  • The Fabulous Four(2024)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • The Peripheral(2022)

    Show 4 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Creation Stories(2021)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Rattlesnake(2019)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • The Red Sea Diving Resort(2019)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • What They Had(2018)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Geostorm(2017)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Term Life(2016)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Miles Ahead(2015)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Host(2013)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Family Tree(2013)

    Show Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • The Paperboy(2012)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Machine Gun Preacher(2011)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Leaves of Grass(2009)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Quantum of Solace(2008)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Kite Runner(2007)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Thick of It(2007)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • For Your Consideration(2006)

    "A" Camera Operator · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Stranger Than Fiction(2006)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Stay(2005)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Finding Neverland(2004)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Monster's Ball(2001)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Everything Put Together(2000)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Best in Show(2000)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Waiting for Guffman(1996)

    Camera Operator · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Loungers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Cinematographer

  • Just Your Luck(1996)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Cool and the Crazy(1994)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Roadracers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Cinematographer

  • Rebel Highway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 2 episodes · Cinematographer

  • Red Shoe Diaries (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 2 episodes · Cinematographer

  • Le mosche in testa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Cinematographer

  • La fine della notte (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Cinematographer

  • At Last (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Cinematographer

  • Byrd and the Bees (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Cinematographer

  • Everybody Here Wants You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Cinematographer

Career shape

A full career of 34 titles, 31 of them dated from 1989 to 2025.

Biggest box office

Quantum of Solace (2008)

$590M worldwide

Highest rated

Finding Neverland (2004)

Midcredits 93rd

Most popular right now

Quantum of Solace (2008)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Cinematography34 of 34: 32 only cinematography, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score58thOther crew2 of 34: 0 only other crew, 2 with another role

By decade

1980s1 · crew1990s7 · crew2000s10 · crew2010s9 · crew2020s4 · 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

Nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2005, 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 Roberto Schaefer's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 57th percentile, the median of all 25; across their 21 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 54th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Approval · how many liked their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Reach · how many have seen their films

94thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Midcredits score across 27 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 27 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · cinematographer

Cool and the Crazy (1994)

78th percentile spread · 56% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

The Thick of It (2007)

Midcredits 99th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 60/100 in their films, across 18 reviewed titles; fans 70, detractors 47. 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 Roberto Schaefer's work okay for kids?

Across up to 14 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 & Gore13 titles11–80 · median 62 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity14 titles17–69 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity13 titles22–84 · median 47 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs13 titles10–60 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense13 titles12–82 · median 62 · 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 Roberto Schaefer work with?

People who share at least 2 of Roberto Schaefer's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Marc Forster shares the most, 7.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles