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Donald McAlpine

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Donald McAlpine
Born
Years active1972–present

Donald McAlpine ACS, ASC is an Australian cinematographer.

Early life and education

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Donald McAlpine was born in Quandialla, New South Wales.[1]

Career

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McAlpine was a physical education teacher in Parkes, New South Wales, Australia.[2] He began using a 16mm camera to film athletes preparing for the Melbourne Olympic Games.[2]

In 1962 he resigned from his teaching job and joined ABC Television as a camera assistant, and was promoted to cameraman in 1965. In 1968 he left the ABC to take up a position at the Commonwealth Film Unit (later Film Australia). There, he started to learn that there was art in cinematography and filmmaking, and was soon promoted to chief cameraman.[3]

In Australia, from 1972 to 1981, McAlpine collaborated with Bruce Beresford.[4] In 1974 he left Film Australia to work as a freelance DOP.[3] McAlpine filmed many of Beresford's early films, including The Adventures of Barry McKenzie,[5] Barry McKenzie Holds His Own, Don's Party, The Getting of Wisdom, Money Movers, Breaker Morant and The Club. McAlpine also worked with director Gillian Armstrong on My Brilliant Career.[citation needed]

Paul Mazursky offered McAlpine work on the film Tempest, released in 1982, and after that, his career took off.[3]

Recognition and awards

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McAlpine is a member of both the Australian Cinematographers Society (ASC) and the American Society of Cinematographers. In 1997, the ASC inducted him into its hall of fame, [3] and in 2009 honoured him with its International Achievement Award.[6]

In 2001, he was awarded the Australian Centenary Medal for his service to Australian society and Australian film production.[1] In the same year, he was nominated for an Academy Award for his work in Moulin Rouge!.[1]

In 2011, he was honoured with the AACTA Lifetime Achievement Award, the Longford Lyell Award.[7]

In 2016 McAlpine received an honorary doctorate in arts from Edith Cowan University in Perth, Western Australia.[4]

In October 2024, he received the Adelaide Film Festival's Don Dunstan Award.[1]

Filmography

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Short film

Year Title Director
1969 Leonard French's Stained Glass Screens Michael Thornhill
1970 No Roses for Michael Chris McGill
1973 Irrigation: The Ord River Scheme and the M.I.A. Oliver Howes
Meg Stewart

Feature film

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Year Title Director Notes
1972 The Adventures of Barry McKenzie Bruce Beresford
Gentle Strangers Cecil Holmes With Kerry Brown, Bruce Hillyard,
David Sanderson and Mick von Bornemann
1974 Barry McKenzie Holds His Own Bruce Beresford
1976 Surrender in Paradise Peter Cox
Don's Party Bruce Beresford
1978 The Getting of Wisdom
Patrick Richard Franklin
Money Movers Bruce Beresford
1979 The Odd Angry Shot Tom Jeffrey
My Brilliant Career Gillian Armstrong
The Journalist Michael Thornhill
1980 Breaker Morant Bruce Beresford
The Earthling Peter Collinson
The Club Bruce Beresford
1981 Puberty Blues
1982 Don't Cry, It's Only Thunder Peter Werner
Tempest Paul Mazursky
1983 Now and Forever Adriane Carr
Blue Skies Again Richard Michaels
1984 Harry & Son Paul Newman
Moscow on the Hudson Paul Mazursky
1985 King David Bruce Beresford
My Man Adam Roger L. Simon
1986 Down and Out in Beverly Hills Paul Mazursky
The Fringe Dwellers Bruce Beresford
1987 Predator John McTiernan [8]
Orphans Alan J. Pakula
1988 Moving Alan Metter
Moon over Parador Paul Mazursky
1989 See You in the Morning Alan J. Pakula
Parenthood Ron Howard
1990 Stanley & Iris Martin Ritt
1991 The Hard Way John Badham With Robert Primes
Career Opportunities Bryan Gordon
1992 Medicine Man John McTiernan
Patriot Games Phillip Noyce
1993 The Man Without a Face Mel Gibson
Mrs. Doubtfire Chris Columbus
1994 Clear and Present Danger Phillip Noyce
1995 Nine Months Chris Columbus
1996 Romeo + Juliet Baz Luhrmann
1997 The Edge Lee Tamahori
1998 Stepmom Chris Columbus
2001 Moulin Rouge! Baz Luhrmann
2002 The Time Machine Simon Wells
2003 Anger Management Peter Segal
Peter Pan P. J. Hogan
2005 The Chronicles of Narnia:
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Andrew Adamson
2009 X-Men Origins: Wolverine Gavin Hood
2010 Main Street John Doyle
2012 Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu Shakun Batra With David MacDonald
Mental P. J. Hogan
2013 Ender's Game Gavin Hood
2015 The Dressmaker Jocelyn Moorhouse
2016 Kapoor & Sons Shakun Batra With Jeffery F. Bierman
2017 Ali's Wedding Jeffrey Walker
2018 Rajma Chawal Leena Yadav
2022 A Stitch in Time Sasha Hadden
Black Site Sophia Banks
2023 The Portable Door Jeffrey Walker

Television

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TV movie

Year Title Director Notes
1980 The Children of An Lac John Llewellyn Moxey
2009 Mega Piranha Eric Forsberg
Stuart Gillard
With Bryan Olinger

TV series

Year Title Director Notes
2019 Lambs of God Jeffrey Walker Episode "The Devil into Paradise"
2022 Savage River Jocelyn Moorhouse Mini-series

Documentary works

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Film

Year Title Director Notes
1970 Or Forever Hold Your Peace
1974 Whatever Happened to Green Valley? Peter Weir With Nick Ardizzone

Short film

Year Title Director
1974 Play Safe Dennis Hill

Television

  • Our Asian Neighbours: Indonesia (1973)

Awards and nominations

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Academy Awards

Year Category Title Result
2001 Best Cinematography Moulin Rouge! Nominated

BAFTA Awards

Year Category Title Result
2001 Best Cinematography Moulin Rouge! Nominated

Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts

Year Category Title Result
1979 Best Cinematography My Brilliant Career Won
1980 Breaker Morant Won
2001 Moulin Rouge! Won

Satellite Awards

Year Category Title Result
1996 Best Cinematography Romeo + Juliet Nominated
2001 Moulin Rouge! Nominated

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "AFF 2024 Don Dunstan Award". Adelaide Film Festival. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Don McAlpine". cinematographers.nl. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d "Don McAlpine ACS ASC". Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS). 14 March 2024. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Cinematographer Don McAlpine on his life behind the lens". Australia: ABC News. 4 February 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Donald Mcalpine". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Cinematographers honor 'Slumdog': Anthony Dod Mantle wins big at ASC Awards". Winnipeg Free Press. 16 February 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2010.
  7. ^ Bulbeck, Pip (22 November 2011). "Don McAlpine Wins Australian Academy Lifetime Achievement Award". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  8. ^ "Predator Dispenses Invisible Terror". American Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
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