Sandi Sissel
Sandra "Sandi" Sue Sissel (Born August 9, 1949)[1] is an American cinematographer, director and producer. Her interest in photography was apparent as early as high school, where she was a photojournalist for her school paper.[2] She is best known for documentaries such as Chicken Ranch, The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition [3], and Mother Teresa (1986) as well as TV shows like 60 Minutes, and feature films like Salaam Bombay!, Master and Commander Far Side of the World [4] and Mr. and Mrs. Smith.[1] She has been a member of the American Society of Cinematographers since 1994, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences [5] since 2004, and the Australian Cinematographers Society [6] since 2017.
Biography
She started college in 1967. She pursued her interests and desire to become a reporter by studying journalism and television.[2] While she still wanted to pursue journalism, she did contribute to a few small films during her time in college. After completing this degree, she moved to Wisconsin where she pursued a graduate degree and filmed for the University of Wisconsin.[2] After this she moved to New York City, where she soon got a job with both NBC and later ABC.[2] During this time, she contributed as cinematographer for "The Wobblies" and assisted in camera or electrical work for Best Boy, Paul Jacobs and the Nuclear Gang, Free Voice of Labor: The Jewish Anarchists, Fame, No Nukes and "Rush".[2] After working for ABC for a few years, she eventually decided to pursue a career that focused primarily on cinematography for documentaries and feature films[2] in Los Angeles. In her pursuit of this career she has gained a great deal of respect from her colleagues as a female working behind the camera. She taught "Advanced Cinematography Techniques" and "Advanced Cinematography Practicum" at Tisch School of the Arts.[5] from 2001 until 2015. Sissel adopted Raju Barnad (now known as Bernard Chamblis Sissel), one of the real-life street children who was cast in Salaam Bombay! [7] In 2005 she married Kelly Drummond Cawthon with whom she has two children Joshua Cawthon and Jack Thomas Cawthon.
Cinematography
Sandi is best known for her work as a cinematographer. She has a very impressive filmography that includes many well known, important documentaries. Her interest in being behind the camera may have originated from her father's career as a photographer during her childhood.[2]
Credits
- Paul Jacobs and the Nuclear Gang (documentary), 1977.
- The Wobblies (documentary), 1979.
- Americas in Transition, 1981.
- Anarchism in America (documentary), 1983.
- Chicken Ranch (documentary), 1983.
- The Making of Piscatory, 1983
- Seeing Red: Stories of American Communists (documentary), 1983.
- High Wire (documentary short), 1984.
- Before stonewall: The Making of a Gay and Lesbian, 1984.
- Broken Treaty at Battle Mountain, 1984.
- Witness to War: Dr. Charles Clements, 1984.
- Blood Circus, 1985
- Lilly Tomlin (documentary), 1985.
- The Global Assembly Line, 1985.
- Speaking Our Peace (documentary), 1985.
- Mother Teresa (documentary), 1986.
- Krik? Krak! Tales of a Nightmare, 1988.
- Salaam Bombay!, 1988.
- Calling the Shots (documentary), 1988.
- Heavy Petting (documentary), 1989.
- Fine Young Cannibals: The Concert, 1989.
- Russian Diary, 1989.
- To Protect Mother Earth: Broken Treaty II, 1991.
- Blood in Face, 1991.
- No Secrets, 1991.
- The People Under the Stairs, 1991.
- Roommates, 1993.
- Camp Nowhere, 1994.
- Barney's Great Adventure, 1998.
- The Reef, 1999.
- A Conversation with Gregory Peck (documentary), 1999.
- The Mod Squad, 1999.
- Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, 1999.
- Yellow Card, 2000.
- The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition (documentary), 2000.
- Exit Wounds, 2001.
- Rock Star, 2001.
- Black Knight, 2001.
- Stealing Harvard, 2002.
- Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, 2003.
- Cellular, 2004.
- Chisholm'72: Unsought 7 Unbossed (documentary), 2004.
- New York Minute, 2004.
- Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry (documentary), 2004.
- The Ballad of Jack and Rose, 2005.
- Roving Mars (documentary), 2006.
- The Lord God Bird (documentary), 2007.
- One Heartbeat: Bobby Bowden and the Florida State Seminoles (documentary), 2007.
Teaching
Sandi has had experience teaching at the University of Wisconsin,[1] and Tisch School of the Arts.[5] In both cases she has taught film related classes.
Awards
- Vision Award Nescens (1998)
- Women in Film Crystal Awards (1998)
- Television Award, nominated (2001)
- Best photography, British Academy of Film and Television Awards (2001)
- Golden Satellite Award, nomination (2004)
- Best cinematographer, International Press Academy (2004)
References
- Sandi Sissel at IMDb
- "SANDI SISSEL". www.cinematographers.nl. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
- "The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition", Wikipedia, May 29, 2020, retrieved August 7, 2020
- "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World", Wikipedia, August 3, 2020, retrieved August 7, 2020
- "Sandra Sissel". tisch.nyu.edu. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
- "Australian Cinematographers Society", Wikipedia, June 23, 2020, retrieved August 7, 2020
- Bhowmick, Nilanjana (March 10, 2009). "What Will Happen to Slumdog's Child Stars?". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved June 10, 2020.