Donald McAlpine | |
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Born | Quandialla, New South Wales, Australia |
Years active | 1972–present |
Donald McAlpine ACS, ASC is an Australian cinematographer.
Donald McAlpine was born in Quandialla, New South Wales.[1]
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]
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]
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 |
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 |
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
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 |