Image Makers: The Adventures of America's Pioneer Cinematographers (2019)

The epic tale we tell in IMAGE MAKERS-the saga of American cinematography-is the origin story of American movies. It's rooted in the fearless personalities of camera-cranking visionaries who saw possibilities for the art form that couldn't be contained in Thomas A. Edison's peepshows. Edison patented everything about movies, including the sprocket holes in the celluloid.
But a hardy bunch of photographic adventurers and innovators battled their way out of his control and enlarged his limited vision. They went West to film one- and two-reelers and then epic features in locations that to the rest of the globe looked like a brave new world. Because of them, it was.
Pioneer cinematographers spring to life in IMAGE MAKERS. Using every means at hand, including archival images and sound as well as new interviews with family members and great contemporary cinematographers, we bring texture and shadow to our portraits of virtuosos like Charles Rosher, Karl Struss, William Daniels, Gregg Toland, ...