Cinematographer
Thomas E. Ackerman
- Born September 14, 1948 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA
Cinematographer Thomas Ackerman was born on 14 September, 1948 at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and enrolled in the University of Iowa, where he took a cinema course. He was hired by the university to shoot football games and training films for its School of Dentistry. In 1968 he went to work for Oscar-winning filmmaker Charles Guggenheim, who became his mentor. After a stint in the US Air Force he went back to work for Guggenheim in Washington, DC.
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He moved to Los Angeles in 1973, hooked up with his Air Force buddy Mike Robeand was hired as a camera operator on a succession of Hollywood films, includingFrancis Ford Coppola's One from the Heart (1981). He was director of photography onBeetlejuice (1988) for director Tim Burton (for whom Ackerman had previously shotFrankenweenie (1984)). In addition to cinematographer, he has also served as a second-unit director, notably onAlvin and the Chipmunks (2007) and Furry Vengeance (2010).
Known for
Jumanji1995
Beetlejuice1988
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy2004
Scary Movie 42006
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation1989
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked2011
George of the Jungle1997
Superhero Movie2008
Filmography
- 2015Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road ChipFilmSecond Unit Director
- 2015Night of the Living DebFilmDirector of Photography
- 2011Alvin and the Chipmunks: ChipwreckedFilmDirector of Photography
- 2011HopFilmSecond Unit Director, Second Unit Director of Photography
- 2011Mardi Gras: Spring BreakFilmDirector of Photography
- 2009Fired Up!FilmDirector of Photography
- 2009InfestationFilmDirector of Photography
- 2008Superhero MovieFilmDirector of Photography
- 2007Balls of FuryFilmDirector of Photography
- 2006Scary Movie 4FilmDirector of Photography
- 2006The BenchwarmersFilmDirector of Photography
- 2006Looking for Comedy in the Muslim WorldFilmDirector of Photography
- 2005Are We There Yet?FilmDirector of Photography
- 2004Anchorman: The Legend of Ron BurgundyFilmDirector of Photography
- 2004Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost MovieFilmDirector of Photography
- 2003Dickie Roberts: Former Child StarFilmDirector of Photography
- 2003The Battle of Shaker HeightsFilmDirector of Photography
- 2003Los Zafiros: Music from the Edge of TimeFilmProducer, Cinematography
- 2002Snow DogsFilmDirector of Photography
- 2001Rat RaceFilmDirector of Photography
- 2000The Adventures of Rocky & BullwinkleFilmDirector of Photography
- 2000Beautiful JoeFilmDirector of Photography
- 1999My Favorite MartianFilmDirector of Photography
- 1999The MuseFilmDirector of Photography
- 1997George of the JungleFilmDirector of Photography
- 1997The Eighteenth AngelFilmDirector of Photography
- 1995JumanjiFilmDirector of Photography
- 1994Baby's Day OutFilmDirector of Photography
- 1993Dennis the MenaceFilmDirector of Photography
- 1991True IdentityFilmDirector of Photography
- 1989National Lampoon's Christmas VacationFilmDirector of Photography
- 1988BeetlejuiceFilmDirector of Photography
- 1988MoonwalkerFilmDirector of Photography
- 1987Inside OutFilmSecond Unit Director of Photography
- 1986Back to SchoolFilmDirector of Photography
- 1985Girls Just Want to Have FunFilmDirector of Photography
- 1984FrankenweenieFilmDirector of Photography
- 1984Roadhouse 66FilmDirector of Photography
- 1982One from the HeartFilmCamera Operator
- 1982Foxfire LightFilmDirector of Photography
- 1982The Gift of LifeFilmCamera Operator
- 1981The Man Who Saw TomorrowFilmCamera Operator
- 1981Talmage FarlowFilmCinematography
- 1980New Year's EvilFilmDirector of Photography
- 1978The Great Smokey RoadblockFilmCamera Operator