Harris Savides ASC (; Greek: Χάρης Σαββίδης; September 28, 1957 – October 9, 2012)Weber, Bruce Harris Savides, Visual Poet, Dies at 55 New York Times, October 12, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2012. was an American cinematographer.
He was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography for the Ridley Scott crime thriller American Gangster (2007).
Early life Savides was born in New York City, to parents of Greek Cypriot origin, Eleni, a clerical worker, and Savas Savides, a short-order cook.Joanna Varikos, Cinematographer Harris Savides, 55, Passes Away, http://hollywood.greekreporter.com/2012/10/11/cinematographer-harris-savides-55-passes-away/
He graduated with a degree in photography and film from the School of Visual Arts.
Career Savides started as a key grip in the documentary Fist of Fear, Touch of Death from the 1980.
On TV, Savides served as a cinematographer on a short film entitled The Investigator (1994) directed by Matthew Tabak and a TV movie Lake Consequence (1993) directed by Rafael Eisenman.
His first solo job as a cinematographer was on the thriller Heaven's Prisoners (1996).Jay A. Hernandez, 'Zodiac,' 'Milk' and 'American Gangster' Cinematographer Harris Savides Has Died at Age 55, http://www.indiewire.com/article/zodiac-milk-and-american-gangster-cinematographer-harris-savides-dies
Savides was a frequent collaborator of Gus Van Sant, working in six of his films.
After working in the opening title sequence of Seven,The Essentials: The Works of Harris Savides, http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/the-essentials-our-favorite-work-by-cinematographer-harris-savides-20121011 Savides worked two more times with David Fincher, in The Game and Zodiac, which the latter was shot mostly with digital cameras.
Savides worked on a short film directed by Wong Kar Wai for BMW's "The Hire" film series, entitled The Follow. Savides also worked on Martin Scorsese's champagne commercial The Key to Reserva, an homage to Alfred Hitchcock.The Key to Reserva, Official Film Page, http://www.scorsesefilmfreixenet.com/video_eng.htm
With director John Hillcoat, Savides worked in a series of Levi's commercials for their "To Work" advertising campaign.
In 2010, Savides was attached to Stephen Daldry's Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, but dropped out after the diagnosis of his brain cancer was made. He was then replaced by Chris Menges
Savides also worked on two films directed by Sofia Coppola, with The Bling Ring his final project before his death.
Music videos Savides was the cinematographer on a number of well-known music videos directed by Mark Romanek, including Michael Jackson's "Scream", Madonna's "Rain" and "Bedtime Story", Fiona Apple's "Criminal", and Nine Inch Nails' "Closer."
He has also served as cinematographer on the music videos for The Rolling Stones' "Like A Rolling Stone", Chris Isaak's "Blue Spanish Sky", and R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts".
Savides is the only person to date that has won three MTV Video Music Awards for Best Cinematography in a Music Video (for Madonna's "Rain", Fiona Apple's "Criminal" and R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts") and the only person to win two in a row (for "Rain" by Madonna and "Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M.)
Style Savides was known for the very delicate images that he created for The Yards and Birth. In both instances he underexposed the filmstock by several stops in order to break up the colors and give the blacks a purplish and brownish tint. This non-conventional approach leads to a look that resembles the paintings of Georges de La Tour and Caravaggio.Chiaroscuro – From Caravaggio to Harris Savides, http://cdn.halcyonrealms.com/film/chiaroscuro-from-carravagio-to-harris-savides/
For the visual style of Somewhere, Sofia Coppola discussed Bruce Weber's Hollywood portraits and Helmut Newton's of models at the Chateau Marmont, and Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975), the film by Chantal Akerman about the routine of a Belgian housewife, with Savides. Savides said, "The main thing was to tell the story really simply and let it play out in long beats and have the audience discover the moment."Lim, Dennis It’s What She Knows: The Luxe Life New York Times, December 10, 2010. Retrieved January 10, 2011. Coppola used the lenses that her father had filmed Rumble Fish (1983) with in an effort to give the film a more period look, although it is set in the present.
Personal life and death Savides lived in Manhattan with his wife Medine, and daughter Sophie.
He died from brain cancer at age 55.
Filmography TV movies Year Title Director 1993 Lake Consequence Rafael Eisenman 1994 The Investigator Matthew Tabak
Feature film Year Title Director 1996 Heaven's Prisoners Phil Joanou 1997 The Game David Fincher 1998 Illuminata John Turturro2000 The Yards James Gray Finding ForresterGus Van Sant 2002 Gerry 2003 Elephant 2004 Birth Jonathan Glazer 2005 Last Days Gus Van Sant2007 Zodiac David Fincher Margot at the Wedding Noah Baumbach American Gangster Ridley Scott 2008 Milk Gus Van Sant 2009 Whatever Works Woody Allen2010 Greenberg Noah Baumbach Somewhere Sofia Coppola 2011 Restless Gus Van Sant 2013 The Bling Ring* Sofia Coppola * Posthumous release (Shared credit with Christopher Blauvelt)
Short film Year Title Director Notes 2001 The Follow Wong Kar-wai Segment of The Hire 2007 The Key to Reserva Martin Scorsese
Music video Year Title Artist Director1990 "Something New" Grand Daddy I.U. Barry Michael Cooper "I Go to Extremes" Billy Joel Paula Greif 1991 "Blue Spanish Sky" Chris Isaak Bruce Weber1992 "Goin' Out West" Tom Waits Jesse Dylan "Sometimes Salvation" The Black Crowes Stephane Sednaoui "What You Do to Me" Teenage FanclubMark Romanek "Wicked as It Seems" Keith Richards1993 "Everybody Hurts" R.E.M. Jake Scott "Rain" MadonnaMark Romanek "Jump They Say" David Bowie1994 "Closer" Nine Inch Nails "Take a Bow" Madonna Michael Haussman1995 "Violet" Hole Mark SeligerFred Woodward "Bedtime Story"Madonna Mark Romanek "Human Nature" Jean-Baptiste Mondino "Scream" Michael JacksonJanet Jackson Mark Romanek "Like a Rolling Stone" The Rolling Stones Michel Gondry1996 "Little Trouble Girl" Sonic Youth Mark Romanek "Twenty Foreplay" Janet Jackson Keir McFarlane "Let It Flow" Toni Braxton Herb Ritts 1997 "Criminal" Fiona Apple Mark Romanek1998 "Weird" Hanson Gus Van Sant "If You Can't Say No" Lenny KravitzMark Romanek 1999 "I Try" Macy Gray2001 "From a Lover to a Friend" Paul McCartney Kate Miller "I Might Be Wrong" Radiohead Sophie Muller 2002 "Die Another Day" Madonna Mats LindbergPontus LöwenhielmOle Sanders2005 "Speed of Sound" Coldplay Mark Romanek "Someday (I Will Understand)" Britney Spears Michael Haussman "All Because of You" U2 Phil Joanou 2007 "Desecration Smile" Red Hot Chili Peppers Gus Van Sant 2011 "Otis" Jay-ZKanye West Spike Jonze
Awards and nominations BAFTA Awards Year Category Title Result Ref. 2007 Best Cinematography American Gangster
Independent Spirit Awards Year Category Title Result Ref. 2002Best Cinematography Gerry 2004 Elephant 2005 Last Days 2008 Milk 2010 Greenberg 2012Special Distinction Award
New York Film Critics Circle Year Category Title Result Ref. 2002Best Cinematography Gerry 2003 Elephant
International Cinephile Society Year Category Title Result2004Best Cinematography Elephant Birth
National Society of Film Critics Year Category Title Result 2004Best Cinematography Elephant 2010 Somewhere
Other awards Year Association Category Title Result Ref. 2003 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Cinematography Elephant 2007 Satellite Award Best Cinematography Zodiac Clio Award Beverages / Alcohol The Key to Reserva 2008 Houston Film Critics Society Best CinematographyMilk St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Best Cinematography 2011 Camerimage Cinematographer-Director Duo Award (Shared with Gus Van Sant)
References
External links
Museum of the Moving Image interview