David Moxness
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Director
David was born in Jasper, Alberta and moved to British Columbia's
beautiful Okanagan Valley at the age of three.
His start in the film industry came, as he likes to say, "at age 11; no, not as a child actor promoting the latest cereal or fancy new toy, but with his father's 8mm camera". David made all kinds of home movies growing up. Many "productions" were very involved requiring scores of neighborhood kids and "raiding" his mother's makeup cabinet to acquire the necessary materials to fake a black eye or mix a jar of "stage blood". No one will ever forget the day the dummy was thrown from the cliff and the "neighbour lady" called the authorities thinking someone had fallen! As everyone got older it became more difficult to convince friends to be actors on screen. Inspired by many animators working for The National Film Board of Canada, David turned to making animated films. With friends, David made a plastacine animation called "The Salesman". Their hard work paid off and in 1978 were awarded first place in the British Columbia Student Film Festival.
After completing high school David worked for a year to decide what road to take next. He moved to St. Catharines, Ontario and attended Brock University where he studied theatre and film. During the summer between his first and second university years he obtained work as a local production assistant for Atlantis productions, now famed Alliance Atlantis Communications. David enthusiastically jumped into the local film industry. He was soon hired full time as a production assistant at Schultz productions, a top ranking very busy commercial house. David worked for 18 months on many television commercials: McDonalds, Gm, Ford, Molson, Labatt's to name a few. With the advent of music videos, David had the opportunity to explore this new craze extensively. Working with several bands of the day, David was able to hone his skills in the camera, grip and lighting departments.
In 1985 he applied and was accepted into the Association of Canadian Film Craftspeople starting as a trainee with the electric and grip department on the long running, dramatic, Nelvana television show The Edison Twins. This gave David a "hands on" opportunity to work on set with professional actors and technicians on a dramatic show. In the fall of 1985 David joined the lighting team of renowned Canadian cinematographer Rene Ohashi on the Atlantis mini series production of Philip Marlowe Private Eye. In 1988 Rene hired David to be his Gaffer (Chief Lighting Technician) on the critically acclaimed, award winning, film Where The Spirit Lives. Over the next 11 years David worked with his mentor, Rene, on numerous films many of which received both Genie and Gemini awards and nominations. In 1993, while working with Rene on the film Kissinger and Nixon starring Beau Bridges, David was accepted into I.A.T.S.E. Local 873. The International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees is the largest film technicians union in the world.
Projects on the forefront of technology and vision seemed to find their way to David. In 1986 David was the Gaffer on the television series, Captain Power and the Soldiers Of The Future. Funded largely by Mattel Toys this show allowed the viewer to interact with the characters on screen using toys manufactured by Mattel. This was long before the video games of today. The series was very expensive to produce costing more than 20 million dollars for twenty-two 1/2 hour shows. This size of budget was unheard of in the television market. Ultimately the show was ahead of its time and lasted only one season. David has had the opportunity to work on many productions with award winning Director's and Cinematographer's including, David Cronenberg, Atom Egoyan, Ann Wheeler, Fred Murphy ASC, Robert Richardson ASC, Paul Sarossy BSC CSC to name a few.
Many projects have given David the opportunity to travel and work around the globe including almost every province in Canada, the Yukon, Europe, New York, New Jersey, California and Kenya. A highlight came in 1990 while working in Luxembourg on Dracula: The Series David's son was born.
In 1999 after shooting many commercials and short films, David was given the opportunity to shoot the television series Gene Rodenberry's Earth: Final Conflict. David had climbed yet another rung in the ladder and could now put all his years of learning to the test. 1999 also saw David gain full membership into the Canadian Society of Cinematographers. He could now put csc behind his name in the credit roll. This honor was truly a sign of acceptance by his peers to a list of elite Canadian cinematographers.
In 2000 the producers of Earth: Final Conflict decided to shoot that season on 24p High Definition video. This would be the first episodic television series in the world to use 24p HD Technology. Never being shy to explore new technology David took on the task with increased enthusiasm. Comparing notes with the team preparing to shoot Star Wars with George Lucas in 24p HD David learned the system inside and out. The season went off without a hitch and David was involved in yet another first.
In 2001 David won a Kodak Spectrum Award and a Gemini Nomination for Best Cinematography for his innovative work on Earth: Final Conflict.
2002 -2003 saw David film the critically acclaimed series Witchblade for Warner Bros./TNT also in High Definition. He followed that by shooting Veritas: The Quest for Disney/Touchstone Productions.
2003 - 2004 David was back shooting on film the series Tru Calling for FOX.
2004 - 2005 David completed the UPN series Kevin Hill produced by Icon Production and Mel Gibson. Nominated for a CSC award for Cinematography 2006.
2005 David shot Reunion a series with Warner Bros./FOX in Vancouver
2006-2007 David lensed Smallville for Warner Bros. and the CW Network in Vancouver. This adventure earned David the prestigious 2006 ASC Award for Outstanding Cinematography in a Regular Series, a CSC nomination for Best Cinematography in a Television Series and a LEO nomination for Best Cinematography in a Dramatic Series.
In the fall of 2007 David went back in time to shoot the feature film Alien Trespass. A 1950s styled sci-fi picture produced and directed by Robert Goodwin (X-Files and Fugitive television series) staring Eric McCormack (Will & Grace), Jenni Baird (4400), Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgment Day) and Dan Lauria (The Wonder Years).
Shooting in 2008 started immediately for David shooting the television pilot The Cody Rivers Show collaborating once again with Robert Goodwin. David followed that shooting the television movie Spectacular for Nickelodeon directed by Robert Iscove. David's 2008 summer was filled with dragons, humans, goblins and elves shooting a 4-hour medieval mini series for RHI Entertainment titled Dragons Of Black Roc (Knights Of Bloodsteel) directed by Philip Spink. David's busy year finished with him in Toronto shooting 5 episodes of The Listener for NBC.
His start in the film industry came, as he likes to say, "at age 11; no, not as a child actor promoting the latest cereal or fancy new toy, but with his father's 8mm camera". David made all kinds of home movies growing up. Many "productions" were very involved requiring scores of neighborhood kids and "raiding" his mother's makeup cabinet to acquire the necessary materials to fake a black eye or mix a jar of "stage blood". No one will ever forget the day the dummy was thrown from the cliff and the "neighbour lady" called the authorities thinking someone had fallen! As everyone got older it became more difficult to convince friends to be actors on screen. Inspired by many animators working for The National Film Board of Canada, David turned to making animated films. With friends, David made a plastacine animation called "The Salesman". Their hard work paid off and in 1978 were awarded first place in the British Columbia Student Film Festival.
After completing high school David worked for a year to decide what road to take next. He moved to St. Catharines, Ontario and attended Brock University where he studied theatre and film. During the summer between his first and second university years he obtained work as a local production assistant for Atlantis productions, now famed Alliance Atlantis Communications. David enthusiastically jumped into the local film industry. He was soon hired full time as a production assistant at Schultz productions, a top ranking very busy commercial house. David worked for 18 months on many television commercials: McDonalds, Gm, Ford, Molson, Labatt's to name a few. With the advent of music videos, David had the opportunity to explore this new craze extensively. Working with several bands of the day, David was able to hone his skills in the camera, grip and lighting departments.
In 1985 he applied and was accepted into the Association of Canadian Film Craftspeople starting as a trainee with the electric and grip department on the long running, dramatic, Nelvana television show The Edison Twins. This gave David a "hands on" opportunity to work on set with professional actors and technicians on a dramatic show. In the fall of 1985 David joined the lighting team of renowned Canadian cinematographer Rene Ohashi on the Atlantis mini series production of Philip Marlowe Private Eye. In 1988 Rene hired David to be his Gaffer (Chief Lighting Technician) on the critically acclaimed, award winning, film Where The Spirit Lives. Over the next 11 years David worked with his mentor, Rene, on numerous films many of which received both Genie and Gemini awards and nominations. In 1993, while working with Rene on the film Kissinger and Nixon starring Beau Bridges, David was accepted into I.A.T.S.E. Local 873. The International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees is the largest film technicians union in the world.
Projects on the forefront of technology and vision seemed to find their way to David. In 1986 David was the Gaffer on the television series, Captain Power and the Soldiers Of The Future. Funded largely by Mattel Toys this show allowed the viewer to interact with the characters on screen using toys manufactured by Mattel. This was long before the video games of today. The series was very expensive to produce costing more than 20 million dollars for twenty-two 1/2 hour shows. This size of budget was unheard of in the television market. Ultimately the show was ahead of its time and lasted only one season. David has had the opportunity to work on many productions with award winning Director's and Cinematographer's including, David Cronenberg, Atom Egoyan, Ann Wheeler, Fred Murphy ASC, Robert Richardson ASC, Paul Sarossy BSC CSC to name a few.
Many projects have given David the opportunity to travel and work around the globe including almost every province in Canada, the Yukon, Europe, New York, New Jersey, California and Kenya. A highlight came in 1990 while working in Luxembourg on Dracula: The Series David's son was born.
In 1999 after shooting many commercials and short films, David was given the opportunity to shoot the television series Gene Rodenberry's Earth: Final Conflict. David had climbed yet another rung in the ladder and could now put all his years of learning to the test. 1999 also saw David gain full membership into the Canadian Society of Cinematographers. He could now put csc behind his name in the credit roll. This honor was truly a sign of acceptance by his peers to a list of elite Canadian cinematographers.
In 2000 the producers of Earth: Final Conflict decided to shoot that season on 24p High Definition video. This would be the first episodic television series in the world to use 24p HD Technology. Never being shy to explore new technology David took on the task with increased enthusiasm. Comparing notes with the team preparing to shoot Star Wars with George Lucas in 24p HD David learned the system inside and out. The season went off without a hitch and David was involved in yet another first.
In 2001 David won a Kodak Spectrum Award and a Gemini Nomination for Best Cinematography for his innovative work on Earth: Final Conflict.
2002 -2003 saw David film the critically acclaimed series Witchblade for Warner Bros./TNT also in High Definition. He followed that by shooting Veritas: The Quest for Disney/Touchstone Productions.
2003 - 2004 David was back shooting on film the series Tru Calling for FOX.
2004 - 2005 David completed the UPN series Kevin Hill produced by Icon Production and Mel Gibson. Nominated for a CSC award for Cinematography 2006.
2005 David shot Reunion a series with Warner Bros./FOX in Vancouver
2006-2007 David lensed Smallville for Warner Bros. and the CW Network in Vancouver. This adventure earned David the prestigious 2006 ASC Award for Outstanding Cinematography in a Regular Series, a CSC nomination for Best Cinematography in a Television Series and a LEO nomination for Best Cinematography in a Dramatic Series.
In the fall of 2007 David went back in time to shoot the feature film Alien Trespass. A 1950s styled sci-fi picture produced and directed by Robert Goodwin (X-Files and Fugitive television series) staring Eric McCormack (Will & Grace), Jenni Baird (4400), Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgment Day) and Dan Lauria (The Wonder Years).
Shooting in 2008 started immediately for David shooting the television pilot The Cody Rivers Show collaborating once again with Robert Goodwin. David followed that shooting the television movie Spectacular for Nickelodeon directed by Robert Iscove. David's 2008 summer was filled with dragons, humans, goblins and elves shooting a 4-hour medieval mini series for RHI Entertainment titled Dragons Of Black Roc (Knights Of Bloodsteel) directed by Philip Spink. David's busy year finished with him in Toronto shooting 5 episodes of The Listener for NBC.
Photos
