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Bradford Young

Bradford Young

Cinematographer · Born July 6, 1977 (49) · Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Oscar nominee · Primetime Emmy nominee · BAFTA Award nominee · 4 other major award bodies

Bradford Marcel Young, A.S.C (born July 6, 1977) is an American cinematographer. He is best known for his work on the films Selma, A Most Violent Year (both 2014), Arrival (2016)—which earned him a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography—and Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), as well as the Netflix miniseries When They See Us (2019). Description above from the Wikipedia article Bradford Young, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 6, 1977 (49)
From
Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Works as
Cinematographer
Titles
25 on Motif · 46 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 2% in 30 days

What are Bradford Young's films like?

Across their 24 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Society.

Genres

Documentary7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 78th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 87th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 81st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile
: browse their Crime movies

Their Motif 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
25%
Society
16%
Bonds
16%
Survival
14%
Ideas
12%
Morality
10%
Power
7%
Identity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt5 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition5 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 22 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 4 · Serious 3 · Dark 15

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 16 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 4

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 2 · Charged 9 · Intense 11

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

A split, not a type: Steady 12 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 18 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 15 · Even-paced 7 · 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 5 · Engaged 13 · Full focus 4

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

Easy watch 3 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 14

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

A split, not a type: Resolved 12 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
14
Tense
13
Contemplative
13
Hopeful
11
Warm
6
Other
13

How their films linger

Thought-provoking14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet17
  • Ambiguous4
  • 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 Bradford Young's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 16 of their 25 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Bradford Young's titles on Motif; 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

46 credits, 25 with a Motif page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Thomas Crown Affair (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2027)

    Cinematographer

  • Jay-Z in 8(2026)

    Show Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions(2025)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Number One on the Call Sheet(2025)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • 2073(2024)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Adam Sandler: Love You(2024)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • False Positive (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2024)

    Executive Producer

  • Kanye West: DONDA Experience Performance 2 22 22 (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2022)

    Cinematographer

  • When They See Us(2019)

    Show 4 episodes · Cinematographer · Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Kamasi Washington - As Told To G/D Thyself (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2019)

    Director · Cinematographer · Story

  • Untitled (M*A*S*H) (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2018)

    Cinematographer

  • Solo: A Star Wars Story(2018)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Where Is Kyra?(2017)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Corazon(2018)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • To Be Free (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2017)

    Cinematographer

  • Arrival(2016)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Letter to the Free (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2016)

    Director · Cinematographer

  • Black America Again (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2016)

    Director

  • I Called Him Morgan(2016)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Everything Is Copy(2015)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Pawn Sacrifice(2014)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • A Most Violent Year(2014)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Selma(2014)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • En Vogue (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2014)

    Cinematographer

  • Vara: A Blessing (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2014)

    Cinematographer

  • Six by Sondheim(2013)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Venice 70: Future Reloaded (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2013)

    Cinematographer

  • Mother of George(2013)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Ain't Them Bodies Saints(2013)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Door (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2013)

    Cinematographer

  • Boys On Film 9: Youth in Trouble (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2013)

    Cinematographer

  • Middle of Nowhere(2012)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Free Angela and All Political Prisoners(2012)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Restless City(2011)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Pariah(2011)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Model: Marcello in Limbo (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2010)

    Cinematographer

  • The Model: Oshun and the Dream (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2010)

    Cinematographer

  • My Mic Sounds Nice: A Truth About Women and Hip Hop(2010)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Eventual Salvation (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2009)

    Cinematographer

  • Colonial Gods (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2009)

    Cinematographer · Gaffer

  • Entre nos(2009)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Mississippi Damned(2009)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • If I Leap (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2009)

    Cinematographer

  • Pariah (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2007)

    Cinematographer

  • Mo (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2007)

    Cinematographer

  • REkOGNIZE (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 45 titles, 43 of them dated from 2007 to 2025.

Biggest box office

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

$393M worldwide

Highest rated

Arrival (2016)

Midcredits 97th

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing4 of 45: 2 only directing, 2 with another roleWriting1 of 45: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing2 of 45: 1 only producing, 1 with another roleCinematography42 of 45: 38 only cinematography, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score76thOther crew1 of 45: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

45 titles, 4 with more than one role — cinematography and directing overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

2000s7 · crew2010s30 · crew2020s6 · 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 Motif, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

3 major awards from 9 major nominations, 2011–2022.

WinNomination
  1. 2022
    • Directors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials
  2. 2019
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited Series or Movie
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Sundance award, nominated
  3. 2017
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Cinematography
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Cinematography
  4. 2016
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Cinematography
  5. 2015
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Cinematography
  6. 2013
    • Sundance award, won · Dramatic
  7. 2011
    • Sundance award, won · Dramatic

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 Bradford Young's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 76th percentile, the median of all 22; across their 22 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 78th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

78thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Approval · how many liked their films

73rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Reach · how many have seen their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Midcredits score across 25 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up12
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

10 of their 25 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Divisive3
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser10
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · cinematographer

My Mic Sounds Nice: A Truth About Women and Hip Hop (2010)

94th percentile spread · 50% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer, cinematographer

When They See Us (2019)

Midcredits 99th · 95% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 73/100 in their films, across 19 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 46. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; 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 Motif 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 Bradford Young's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 Motif titles with content scores, violence & gore runs heavier than most films and sex & nudity lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles11–76 · median 55 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles11–28 · median 21 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles31–73 · median 34 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs6 titles18–36 · median 30 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles24–76 · median 48 · 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 Bradford Young work with?

People who share at least 2 of Bradford Young's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Anthony Okungbowa shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles