Steven Poster

Steven Poster

Birth : 1944-03-01, Chicago, Illinois, USA

History

Steven Barry Poster, A.S.C, I.C.G. (born 1 March 1944) is an American cinematographer and photographer who is the former President of the International Cinematographers Guild. He is best known for his collaborations with Richard Kelly, including the director's 2001 cult classic Donnie Darko. Poster began his career as a creative assistant at 'The Film Group,' a commercial film production company based in Chicago, Illinois. After being promoted to director of photography due to his skill at lighting, he met Herschell Gordon Lewis and worked with him in various crew positions on a total of three films. Poster founded a production company with director Michael Mann and served as the cinematographer on numerous industrial and education films. He served as the second-unit director of photography on Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Poster joined the American Society of Cinematographers in 1987, relocating to Hollywood in the process. He shot the iconic music video to Madonna's "Like a Prayer", as well as commercials directed by Ridley Scott and Kinka Usher. In 1988, he was nominated for the ASC Award for Outstanding Achievement in Theatrical Releases for his work on Someone to Watch Over Me. Poster served as the President of the ASC between 2002-2003. In 2006, he received an Emmy nomination for Mrs. Harris. That same year, he was elected as the National President of the International Cinematographers Guild, a position he held until 2019. Source: Article "Steven Poster" from Wikipedia in english, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Profile

Steven Poster

Movies

'Round Miles: A Miles Davis Documentary
Director of Photography
Six Jazz legends gather at the Catalina Jazz club to discuss the style and personality of Miles Davis.
Who Is Bill Rebane?
Self
A feature-length documentary on the life and work of Wisconsin grindhouse cinema auteur Bill Rebane, featuring historians, critics, and filmmakers, plus cast and crew members who worked with Rebane himself.
It's a Madcap World: The Making of an Unfinished Film
Himself
Split into three parts and featuring interviews with the crew of SOUTHLAND TALES, including Richard Kelly, the story of how this film was made, screwed over in post-production and still technically is unfinished is told.
For Madmen Only: The Stories of Del Close
Director of Photography
Comedy guru Del Close, mentor to everyone from Bill Murray to Tina Fey, sets out to write his autobiography for D.C. Comics. As he leads us through sewers, mental wards, and his peculiar talent for making everyone famous but himself, Close emerges as a personification of the creative impulse itself. He's a muse with BO and dirty needles, offering transcendence despite (or because of) the trail of wreckage behind him.
Amityville: The Awakening
Director of Photography
Belle, her little sister, and her comatose twin brother move into a new house with their single mother Joan in order to save money to help pay for her brother's expensive healthcare. But when strange phenomena begin to occur in the house including the miraculous recovery of her brother, Belle begins to suspect her Mother isn't telling her everything and soon realizes they just moved into the infamous Amityville house.
Walking with Dinosaurs: Prehistoric Planet 3D
Cinematography
In this journey through the seasons, you’ll experience a year in the life of hundreds of plant-eating dinosaurs. From the moment they hatch, these prehistoric giants face natural disasters and ferocious predators while hunting, feeding, playing, and undertaking epic migrations. Based on scientific data, the digital dinosaurs come to life against the backdrop of modern Alaska.
Flypaper
Director of Photography
A man caught in the middle of two simultaneous robberies at a bank desperately tries to protect the teller with whom he's secretly in love.
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore
Director of Photography
The ongoing war between the canine and feline species is put on hold when they join forces to thwart a rogue cat spy with her own sinister plans for conquest.
The Box
Director of Photography
Norma and Arthur Lewis, a suburban couple with a young child, receive a simple wooden box as a gift, which bears fatal and irrevocable consequences. A mysterious stranger delivers the message that the box promises to bestow upon its owner $1 million with the press of a button. However pressing this button will simultaneously cause the death of another human being somewhere in the world; someone they don't know. With just 24 hours to have the box in their possession, Norma and Arthur find themselves in the cross-hairs of a startling moral dilemma and must face the true nature of their humanity.
Spread
Director of Photography
In Los Angeles, Nikki is homeless, car-less and closing in on 30, but he's amoral, good-looking, and adept in the sack, moving from one wealthy woman of 35 or 40 to another, a kept boy-toy. His newest gig, with Samantha, an attorney whose house overlooks L.A., is sweet, although it's unclear how long she'll put up with him. Then Nikki meets Heather, a waitress. Is the player being played, or might this be love? What will Nikki discover?
No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos
Self
The artistry, triumph and lifelong friendship of the great cinematographers Laszlo Kovacs and Vilmos Zsigmond. With film school equipment, they shoot the Soviet crackdown of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. As refugees they struggle in Hollywood, finally breaking into the mainstream with their pivotal contribution to the "American New Wave."
The Light That Burns: Remembering Jordan Cronenweth
Self
Cinematographer Jordan Cronenweth's work on Blade Runner is remembered by friends, colleagues and relatives.
Southland Tales
Director of Photography
Set in the futuristic landscape of Los Angeles on July 4, 2008, as it stands on the brink of social, economic and environmental disaster. Boxer Santaros is an action star who's stricken with amnesia. His life intertwines with Krysta Now, an adult film star developing her own reality television project, and Ronald Taverner, a Hermosa Beach police officer who holds the key to a vast conspiracy.
Daddy Day Care
Director of Photography
Two men get laid off and have to become stay-at-home dads when they can't find jobs, which inspires them to open their own day-care center.
Stuart Little 2
Director of Photography
Stuart, an adorable white mouse, still lives happily with his adoptive family, the Littles, on the east side of Manhattan's Central Park. More crazy mouse adventures are in store as Stuart, his human brother, George, and their mischievous cat, Snowbell, set out to rescue a friend.
Donnie Darko
Director of Photography
After narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a large bunny rabbit that manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.
The Rage: Carrie 2
Second Unit Director of Photography
After the suicide of her only friend, Rachel has never felt more on the outside. The one person who reached out to her, Jessie, also happens to be part of the popular crowd that lives to torment outsiders like her. But Rachel has something else that separates her from the rest, a secret amazing ability to move things with her mind. Sue Snell, the only survivor of Carrie White's rampage twenty-two years ago, may hold the key to helping Rachel come to terms with her awesome, but unwanted power. But as Rachel slowly learns to trust, a terrible trap is being laid for her. And making her angry could prove to be fatal.
Half a Chance
Director of Photography
Alice Tomaso gets out of jail, and goes looking for Léo and Julien, one of whom, it appears, is her father. On the way, she steals the wrong car - one belonging to the Russian mafia, and arrives at her destination with a gang of thugs out looking for her and the car.
American Experience: A Midwife's Tale
Director of Photography
A docudrama adaptation of Ulrich's Pulitzer-winning book, which was based on thousands of entries in the journal of Martha Ballard, a Maine midwife, in the late 1700's and early 1800's. The movie intercuts between reenactments of Ballard doing her Maine midwifery and related tasks, and Ulrich in her eight years of research on her book; in the end, clear comparisons are made between the work of the two women.
RocketMan
Director of Photography
Fred Z. Randall is geeky and obnoxious spacecraft designer, who gets the chance to make his dream come true and travel to Mars as a member of the first manned flight there.
Color of Justice
Director of Photography
Four young black men kill a white woman. Now the D.A. is very cautious how to pursue this case because it might start a riot. And adding fuel to the fire is a bombastic and vocal black community leader, who's saying that they will not have a fair trial and that they were justified in their actions because they were in fear for their lives
Once You Meet a Stranger
Director of Photography
This television remake of Alfred Hitchcock's "Strangers on a Train" (1951) follows the same story, but has changed the genders of the lead characters from male to female. Sheila Gaines is a former child star whose first husband is unwilling to give her a divorce. A chance meeting with Margo Anthony on a train leads to a conversation where the mentally unstable Margo, who hates her mother, suggests that they swap murders, so as to solve their problems. Although she thinks nothing of the conversation, Sheila's life takes a surprising turn when her husband is murdered by Margo. Now Margo wants Sheila to do her part of "the deal." With the police on her tail and Margo constantly in her face, Sheila must find a way out of this tangled web.
Nunzio's Second Cousin
Director of Photography
As Sgt. Randozza, a beefy, gay Chicago cop, leaves a bar with his lover, a gang of high-school punks decide to do some "fag-bashing". Tony's gun cools them off, and after giving them a brutal verbal dressing down, he forces the leader of the gang, Jimmy, to come to his house the next night for dinner. Jimmy soon gets a harsh lesson in sexual tolerance.
The Cemetery Club
Director of Photography
The story of three Pittsburgh widows who meet every year to visit their husband's graves and talk about perspectives in their lives.
Life Stinks
Director of Photography
A rich businessman makes a bet he can survive on the streets of a rough Los Angeles neighborhood for 30 days completely penniless. During his stay he discovers another side of life and falls in love with a homeless woman.
Rocky V
Director of Photography
A lifetime of taking shots has ended Rocky’s career, and a crooked accountant has left him broke. Inspired by the memory of his trainer, however, Rocky finds glory in training and takes on an up-and-coming boxer.
Madonna: The Immaculate Collection
Director of Photography
The Immaculate Collection is the first commercially released greatest videos compilation by singer Madonna. Released on November 13, 1990 to accompany the audio CD, it contained hits spanning 1983-1990. The collection won "Best Long Form Video" category at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards. Includes the following videos: 1. Lucky Star 2. Borderline 3. Like a Virgin 4. Material Girl 5. Papa Don't Preach 6. Open Your Heart 7. La Isla Bonita 8. Like a Prayer 9. Express Yourself 10. Cherish 11. Oh Father 12. Vogue 13. Vogue (1990 MTV Awards Show Performance)
Disneyland's 35th Anniversary Special
Director of Photography
Celebration of Disneyland's 35th Anniversary
Opportunity Knocks
Cinematography
Eddie and Lou are a couple of two-bit con men on the lam from a loan shark. They hide out in someone's house and they hear on the answering machine that (A) the owner of the house is out of the country for a month or two and (B) the housesitter supposed to watch the house for the absent owner won't be able to watch the house due to a new job in another part of the country. This provides for a pretty nifty arrangement for Eddie and Lou...until the relatives of the house owner drop by to visit. Eddie quickly adopts the guise of the person supposedly housesitting for the owner, and the shenanigans start from there.
Next of Kin
Director of Photography
Truman Gates, a Chicago cop, sets out to find his brother's killer. Meanwhile, another of his brothers, Briar (a hillbilly) decides to find the killer himself.
Big Top Pee-wee
Director of Photography
Paul Reubens stars as Pee-wee Herman in his second full-length film about a farmer who joins the circus after a storm drops a big tent in his front yard. Pee-wee, along with an outlandish cast of animals and circus performers, puts on the best show ever.
Aloha Summer
Director of Photography
It's the 60s and a bunch of crazy teenagers meet in the beautiful island of Hawaii during their summer holidays. Although they come from different backgrounds, they hang out together and shake up the island! They surf, dance, drink, fight and fall in love. As the summer approaches its end, they find themselves inseparable, friends for a lifetime...
Someone to Watch Over Me
Director of Photography
Claire Gregory, an upper class New York personality, witnesses a murder in a luxurious nightclub. Detective Mike Keegan, recently promoted, is assigned to protect her.
The Boy Who Could Fly
Director of Photography
Milly and Louis, and their recently-widowed mom, Charlene, move to a new neighborhood. Once there, they all deal with a variety of personal problems, but Milly finds a friend in Eric, her autistic next door neighbor. Eric has a fascination with flight, and as the story progresses, he exerts an enthralling force of change on all those around him.
Blue City
Director of Photography
Returning to the small Florida town where he grew up, Billy Turner learns that his father has been killed. With little help from the police, Billy will take matters into his own hands and go up against a ruthless local mob boss in a desperate search to find the killer.
The New Kids
Director of Photography
A brother and his young sister come to a small town to find out a local gang terrorizes the population.
Starman
Second Unit Director of Photography
When an alien takes the form of a young widow's husband and asks her to drive him from Wisconsin to Arizona, the government tries to stop them.
Testament
Director of Photography
It is just another day in the small town of Hamlin until something disastrous happens. Suddenly, news breaks that a series of nuclear warheads has been dropped along the Eastern Seaboard and, more locally, in California. As people begin coping with the devastating aftermath of the attacks — many suffer radiation poisoning — the Wetherly family tries to survive.
Strange Brew
Director of Photography
Something is rotten at the Elsinore Brewery. Bob and Doug McKenzie (as seen on SCTV) help the orphan Pam regain the brewery founded by her recently-deceased father. But to do so, they must confront the suspicious Brewmeister Smith and two teams of vicious hockey players.
The Cradle Will Fall
Director of Photography
Kathy DeMaio checks into the hospital and thinks she sees a body being loaded into the trunk of a car. When the body turns up later and the murderer, Dr. Highley, thinks that DeMaio can identify him, her life is put in jeopardy. Originally made for television and adapted from a novel by Mary Higgins Clark, the interesting twist to this thriller is that several cast members of the daytime soap opera "Guiding Light" play those same roles here.
Spring Break
Director of Photography
Two sets of two college guys spend a spring break together in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. There they have lots of fun in and out of the sun.
Blade Runner
Additional Photography
In the smog-choked dystopian Los Angeles of 2019, blade runner Rick Deckard is called out of retirement to terminate a quartet of replicants who have escaped to Earth seeking their creator for a way to extend their short life spans.
Mysterious Two
Director of Photography
Two Aliens visit the Earth in an effort to enlist converts to travel the universe with them.
Coward of the County
Cinematography
A lifelong yellow-belly who made a deathbed promise to his father to be a pacifist seeks bloody revenge on the men who gang-raped his wife.
Dead & Buried
Director of Photography
After a series of gory murders commited by mobs of townspeople against visiting tourists, the corpses appear to be coming back to life and living normally as locals in the small town.
Blood Beach
Director of Photography
Something or someone is attacking people one by one on the beach. Some of them are mutilated, but most of them are sucked into the sand, disappearing without a trace. What is the creature responsible? Where does it live, and where did it come from? And is there any chance of it reproducing? Meanwhile, David Huffman and Mariana Hill are once-almost-married old friends, reunited over the death of her mother on the beach, and searching for clues in the abandoned buildings where they used to play when they were young.
Beggarman, Thief
Cinematography
In this sequel to "Rich Man, Poor Man," moviemaker Gretchen Jordache, the until-now unseen sister, strives to pull the family together after the murder of brother Tom and the disappearance of brother Rudy by first reestablishing contact with her soldier son, and then patching things up with her sister-in-law, Kate, Tom's widow.
The Night Rider
Director of Photography
"The Mark of Zorro" was updated for this pilot for a prospective series that tells of a New Orleans gentleman who turns masked rider to fight for law and order and avenge his family's killing by four men who wanted their silver mine.
The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank
Director of Photography
A comedy-drama about a New York couple who decides to dump the hassle of the big city, pack up the kids and move to what they think is the easy life of suburbia.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Second Unit Director of Photography
After an encounter with UFOs, an electricity linesman feels undeniably drawn to an isolated area in the wilderness where something spectacular is about to happen.