Richmond Honored by BSC with Lifetime Award

Veteran cinematographer Anthony B. Richmond, ASC, BSC’s career has spanned decades and features an impressive line of credits and collaborations, making it no surprise that the British Society of Cinematographers selected him for their annual Lifetime Achievement Award.

The following biography was prepared by Phil Méheux, BSC:

Anthony B. Richmond is an accomplished cinematographer whose career spans well over six decades. His most recent credits include Good Luck Chuck; The Comebacks; Shade; Havana Nights; Legally Blond; Ravenous; Men Of Honor; The Sweetest Thing; Someone Like You; Just Friends; John Tucker Must Die; Autopsy; Sex and Lies in Sin City; The Rocker; Alvin the Squeakquel; Coffee Town; The Assets for Peter Medak. As well as Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dog Days and The Long Haul both for David Bowers

Born and raised in London, Richmond literally worked his way up through the ranks to his current position of director of photography. He began at the age of 16 as a messenger with Associate British Cinemas and later with Pathe-News, where he was promoted to the camera department. He next worked as assistant cameraman on such films as: Call Me Bwana; From Russia with Love; Devil-Ship Pirates; The Gorgan; A Funny Thing Happened on The Way to The Forum; Truffaut’s Fahrenheit 451 and David Lean’s Dr. Zhivago.

Richmond served as focus-puller on Casino Royale (1967), and on Far From the Madding Crowd for director John Schlesinger — whom he also later served as cinematographer of the documentary Israel: A Right To Live, made just days after the Six-Day War. Shortly afterwards, Richmond began to work as director of photography on feature films; his first in 1967 on Only When I Larf directed by Basil Dearden.

This award-winning cinematographer has had numerous collaborations with director Nicolas Roeg, lensing five of his films: Don’t Look Now — for which Richmond won the prestigious BAFTA award; The Man Who Fell to Earth; Bad Timing; Heart Of Darkness; and Full Body Massage for Showtime. Some of Richmond’s other credits include: The Sandlot; Candyman; Stardust for Michael Apted; Playing God; Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights; Rough Riders for John Milius; Silver Bears for Ivan Passer, That’s Life and Sunset for Blake Edwards; The Eagle Has Landed for John Sturges; and The Greek Tycoon for J. Lee Thompson and Alan Kline. He also served as DP on Tony Goldwin’s directorial debut Walk on the Moon, Sean Penn’s directorial debut Indian Runner, and Anjelica Houston’s directorial debut Bastard Out of Carolina, and collaborated again with her on: Agnes Brown and Riding the Bus With My Sister.

Richmond was also responsible for photography on the seminal British music scene of the late ’60s. He shot the Rolling Stones classic Sympathy for The Devil for Jean-Luc Godard, with which he then collaborated with Michael Lindsey Hogg on The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus and the Beatles Let It Be. His other rock and roll credits include: the Who’s The Kids Are Alright, as well as the documentary Glastonbury Fayre.

Between films, he has served as the Chair of the Cinematography Department at the New York Film Academy, Anthony has taught the next generation of cinematographers and frequently collaborates with vendors and the outside community to development lasting relationships between his students and industry professionals. He relishes mentoring aspiring filmmakers and looks forward to meeting with students to discuss their needs on upcoming projects.

You’ll learn much more about Richmond’s career in this AC profile.

Méheux was honored with the ASC International Award in 2015.