BIO
Stuart Dryburgh, ASC, Cinematographer
Stuart Dryburgh is a British born, New York based cinematographer.
His credits include ‘The Great Wall’, ‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’, ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’, ‘The Piano’ (AAN 1994) and ‘An Angel at my Table’.
Stuart Dryburgh was born in the UK in 1952, and migrated with his family to New Zealand in 1961, where he spent most of his childhood and young adult life. He earned a Bachelor of Architecture from Auckland University in 1977.
Stuart started out working on early NZ films such as ‘Middle Age Spread’ and ‘Good-Bye Pork Pie’ and ‘Smash Palace’.
He was employed as a gaffer from 1979 – 1985, working on many NZ and international feature films and commercials. From 1985 on he has worked only as a cinematographer, at first shooting short films, music videos, and tv commercials.
In 1989 he shot the 3 part TV mini series ‘An Angel at my Table’ for director Jane Campion. This led to another Dryburgh/ Campion collaboration, ‘The Piano’. For this film he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography in 1994.
His next project, ultimately his last in New Zealand for many years, was ‘Once Were Warriors’ with New Zealand director Lee Tamahori.
In 1994 Dryburgh shot his first US feature film, the ‘Peres Family’, for director Mira Nair,and moved permanently to the US in 1996.
