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Sean Van Hales

Cinematographer

Works as
Cinematographer
Titles
12 on MovieCove · 28 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 13% in 30 days

What are Sean Van Hales' films like?

Across their 11 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
29%
Self
25%
Society
14%
Morality
13%
Ideas
8%
Power
6%
Survival
5%
Identity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 5 · Serious 2 · Dark 0

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

Grounded 6 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 4 · Charged 3 · Intense 0

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

Steady 6 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 3

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 6 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 7 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
7
Joyful
6
Tense
3
Dread
3
Contemplative
3
Other
6

How their films linger

Feel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet5
  • Ambiguous1

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 Sean Van Hales' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 8 of their 12 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Sean Van Hales' 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

28 credits, 12 with a MovieCove page.

  • Christmas on Mistletoe Farm(2022)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Nativity Rocks! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Cinematographer

  • Timewasters(2017)

    Show Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • Paranoid(2016)

    Show Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Nativity 3: Dude, Where's My Donkey?!(2014)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Prey(2014)

    Show Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger!(2012)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Nativity!(2009)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Boy Meets Girl(2009)

    Show 4 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all shows

  • French Film(2008)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Sparkle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Cinematographer

  • A for Andromeda(2006)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Making Waves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 6 episodes · Cinematographer

  • Hustle(2004)

    Show 2 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Cutting It (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

  • Touch and Go (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Cinematographer

  • In Your Dreams (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Cinematographer

  • Different for Girls(1996)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Cruel Train (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Cinematographer

  • Oliver's Travels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 5 episodes · Cinematographer

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

    Cinematographer

  • Maria's Child (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Cinematographer

  • Lipstick on Your Collar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 6 episodes · Cinematographer

  • Lupus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Cinematographer

  • Conquest of the South Pole (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Cinematographer

  • Perfect Image? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Cinematographer

  • Shoreleave (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Cinematographer · as Comedian

  • Cuban Breeze (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Camera Operator

Career shape

A full career of 25 titles from 1986 to 2022.

Biggest box office

Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger! (2012)

$14M worldwide

Highest rated

Different for Girls (1996)

Midcredits 77th

Most popular right now

Prey (2014)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 25: 0 only acting, 1 with another roleCinematography24 of 25: 23 only cinematography, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score35thOther crew1 of 25: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1980s4 · 1 acting · 4 crew1990s9 · crew2000s8 · crew2010s3 · crew2020s1 · 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.

How do Sean Van Hales' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 35th percentile, the median of all 7; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 38th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

38thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

32ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

82ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 12 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 12 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Crowd Pleaser3
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · cinematographer

Nativity 3: Dude, Where's My Donkey?! (2014)

74th percentile spread · 60% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

Hustle (2004)

Midcredits 92nd · 89% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 34/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles; fans 46, detractors 20. 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 Sean Van Hales' work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 13 · minimalMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 31 · mildMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 24 · mildMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 20 · mildMedian of all films: 33

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Sean Van Hales work with?

People who share at least 2 of Sean Van Hales' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Debbie Isitt shares the most, 4.

Directors

Actors

Composers

Producers