Brian Tufano


Brian Tufano is an English cinematographer, best known for his work on the films of Danny Boyle and Menhaj Huda. Tufano has been admitted to the British Society of Cinematographers and won the 2001 BAFTA Award for Outstanding Contribution to Film and Television. His most well-known works include Trainspotting, A Life Less Ordinary and Billy Elliot.

Career

Tufano began his career at the BBC as a projectionist, working his way up to become a cameraman with the BBC film department in 1963. During his time at the BBC, Tufano worked with directors including Stephen Frears and Alan Parker. In 1992 he was assigned to the series Mr. Wroe's Virgins and worked with director Danny Boyle.
Tufano went freelance in the mid-1970s - his first feature was the 1978 film The Sailor's Return with director Jack Gold.
During the 1980s, Tufano spent time working in the United States of America, including additional cinematography for Jordan Cronenweth on Blade Runner.
Boyle worked with Tufano on his feature debut, Shallow Grave, and continued to work with Tufano on the 1996 films Trainspotting and the 1997 film A Life Less Ordinary. Boyle and Tufano also worked together on the 2008 short film Alien Love Triangle.
Tufano worked with director Menhaj Huda on his first feature film, Jump Boy, in 1999, and they went on to work together on the 2006 feature film Kidulthood. Tufano also shot the 2008 sequel Adulthood, which was directed by Noel Clarke. Huda and Tufano worked together on the 2011 feature, Everywhere and Nowhere.
From 2003 to 2016, Tufano was Head of Cinematography at the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield. He is currently a Teaching Fellow at the school.

Awards and nominations

For his work on Late Night Shopping, Tufano was nominated for the Technical Achievement Award at the Evening Standard British Film Awards.
Tufano won the Special Jury Prize at the 2002 British Independent Film Awards. Tufano received the BSC ARRI John Alcott Memorial Award in 2015, and went on to receive the British Society of Cinematographers Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.

BAFTA Awards

Filmography

YearTitleDirectorNotes
1966A Few Castles in SpainKevin Billington
1967Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the WorldKen Russell
1968The Big SwitchPete Walker
1969Out of the UnknownPeter CregeenSeries 3, Episode 13: Get Off My Cloud
1969Take Three GirlsJohn MatthewsSeries 1, Episode 2: Avril: Devon Violets
1970Thirty-Minute TheatreMichael TuchnerSeries 5, Episode 22: All My Own Army
1971The Search for the NileFred BurnleyTV mini-series
1971The LieAlan Bridges
1976Three Men in a BoatStephen Frears
1978The Sailor's ReturnJack Gold
1979QuadropheniaFranc Roddam
1981Riding HighRoss Cramer
1982The WallRobert Markowitz
1982Blade RunnerRidley ScottAdditional Photographer
1983The Lords of DisciplineFranc Roddam
1984DreamscapeJoseph Ruben
1988War PartyFranc Roddam
1989WindprintsDavid Wicht
1993Mr. Wroe's VirginsDanny BoyleTV mini-series; first collaboration with Boyle
1994MiddlemarchAnthony PageBAFTA nomination
1994Shallow GraveDanny Boyle
1994Common As MuckMetin HüseyinSeries 1, Episode 1–3
1995The ChoirFerdinand FairfaxTV mini-series
1996TrainspottingDanny Boyle
1996Silent WitnessHarry Hook, Mike Barker, Noella SmithSeries 1, Episode 1-6
1996True BlueFerdinand Fairfax
1996Element of DoubtChristopher Morahan
1997The Life of StuffSimon Donald
1997A Life Less OrdinaryDanny Boyle
1998What Rats Won't DoAlastair Reid
1999East is EastDamien O'Donnell
1999Virtual SexualityNick Hurran
1999Women Talking DirtyCoky Giedroyc
1999Tube TalesVariousAlongside Sue Gibson and David Johnson
1999Jump BoyMenhaj HudaFirst collaboration with Huda
2000Billy ElliotStephen Daldry
2001Late Night ShoppingSaul Metzstein
2001Last OrdersFred Schepisi
2002Once Upon a Time in the MidlandsShane Meadows
2006KidulthoodMenhaj Huda
2007I Could Never Be Your WomanAmy Heckerling
2008Alien Love TriangleDanny Boyle
2008AdulthoodMenhaj Huda
2008My Zinc BedAnthony Page
2010Sex & Drugs & Rock & RollMat Whitecross
2011Everywhere and NowhereMenhaj Huda
2011GymnastAnthony Wonke