Skip to content
MovieCove

Carl Elster

Cinematographer and producer

Works as
Cinematographer and producer
Titles
8 on MovieCove · 12 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 27% in 30 days

What are Carl Elster's films like?

Across their 7 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
31%
Bonds
26%
Morality
15%
Society
9%
Ideas
9%
Power
5%
Survival
4%
Romantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Wry: How sincerely it treats its story and characters, from ironic to earnest. Browse their wry movies.
Tone · Sincerity
ironicearnest

A split, not a type: Ironic 2 · Wry 1 · Earnest 4

Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 3 · Serious 1 · Dark 3

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 4 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 2 · Charged 3 · Intense 2

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

Steady 2 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 1

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 4 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 2 · Engaged 3 · 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 3 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 2

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

Resolved 2 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
5
Dread
2
Hopeful
2
Absurd
2
Warm
1
Other
6

How their films linger

Thought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet4
  • 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 Carl Elster's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 6 of their 8 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Carl Elster'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

12 credits, 8 with a MovieCove page.

  • Raptus(2025)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • It's All Sunshine and Rainbows(2023)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Trader(2022)

    Cinematographer · Producer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Christmas Spirit(2023)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Cherrypicker(2020)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Wasting(2017)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Cherry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Cinematographer

  • Full Out(2015)

    "B" Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Black Eve (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Cinematographer · Co-Producer

  • 30 Ghosts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Cinematographer

  • Moon Point(2011)

    Cinematographer · Producer

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Legend Of The Seven Bloody Torturers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Cinematographer

Career shape

A full career of 9 titles from 2008 to 2025.

Most popular right now

Raptus (2025)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Producing1 of 9: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleCinematography8 of 9: 7 only cinematography, 1 with another roleOther crew1 of 9: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

2000s1 · crew2010s4 · crew2020s4 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it.

How do Carl Elster's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 16th percentile, the median of all 8; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 15th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

15thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

14thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 8 titles, by percentile

  • 50th to 74th1
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

6 of their 8 titles are Mixed.

  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser1
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · cinematographer

It's All Sunshine and Rainbows (2023)

88th percentile spread · 72% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer, cinematographer

Trader (2022)

Midcredits 30th · 34% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 58/100 in their films, across 4 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 30. 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.

Who does Carl Elster work with?

People who share at least 2 of Carl Elster's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Bennet De Brabandere shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles