Bradford Young
Bradford Young is the Oscar-nominated cinematographer of Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival (2016), the cinematographer for Solo: A Star Wars Story (Ron Howard, 2018), Ava DuVernay’s When They See Us (2019) and Selma (2014), and a three-time Sundance winner as the cinematographer of Andrew Dosunmu’s Mother of George (2013), David Lowery’s Ain’t Them Bodies Saints (2013), and Dee Rees’s Pariah (2011). Young has also provided cinematography for Untitled (Structures) (2012) in collaboration with installation artist Leslie Hewitt, and created multi-channel installations Bynum Cutler (2014) and REkONGIZE (2017). In 2016, Young directed two long-form music videos for Common’s 11th studio album— the award-winning “Black America Again” and “Letter to the Free,” which is featured in Ava DuVernay’s The 13th (2016).
About the Artist
Bradford Young is the Oscar-nominated cinematographer of Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival (2016), the cinematographer for Solo: A Star Wars Story (Ron Howard, 2018), Ava DuVernay’s When They See Us (2019) and Selma (2014), and a three-time Sundance winner as the cinematographer of Andrew Dosunmu’s Mother of George (2013), David Lowery’s Ain’t Them Bodies Saints (2013), and Dee Rees’s Pariah (2011). Young has also provided cinematography for Untitled (Structures) (2012) in collaboration with installation artist Leslie Hewitt, and created multi-channel installations Bynum Cutler (2014) and REkOGNIZE (2017). In 2016, Young directed two long-form music videos for Common’s 11th studio album— the award-winning “Black America Again,” and “Letter to the Free,” which is featured in Ava DuVernay’s The 13th (2016). Most recently, Young directed a docuseries for Facebook’s celebration of black history month featuring what he terms “Black Boy Joy,” which showcases black men dynamically related with and expressing moments of passion and creativity.
Studying at Howard University under Haile Gerima, the acclaimed director of both experimental and militant films such as Bush Mama (1975), Ashes and Embers (1982), and Sankofa (1993), Young is a critical contemporary voice in a lineage of artists and filmmakers such as Ernest Dickerson, Arthur Jafa, and Malik Sayeed, who are similarly invested in producing if not a black aesthetics, at least what Young calls a “black intentionality,” i.e. an image-making practice that is always explicit about coming from, expressing, and leading back to blackness.
Similarly to many of the visual artists he claims as part of this lineage–not only those who were directly trained by Gerima but also those with whom Gerima worked and experimented with at UCLA such as Charles Burnett, Larry Clark, Ben Caldwell and Julie Dash among others—he too holds black music, and jazz in particular, as the pinnacle of black artistic achievement as well as a model of art-making that is at the same time a way of practicing new forms of sociality.
Still, Black America Again (2016). Direction and Cinematography by Bradford Young
In May 2019, Netflix released the four-part series When They See Us, based on the 1989 arrest and wrongful convictions of five young men Antron McCray, 15; Kevin Richardson, 14; Yusef Salaam, 15; Raymond Santana, 14; and Korey Wise, 16. Directed by DuVernay, with Young as cinematographer, When They See Us is termed as an act of restorative and social justice by the public and those who have been part of the project. When They See Us was nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Cinematography, Music Composition, Sound Editing, Writing, Directing, supporting actors/actress; with Jharrell Jerome winning Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series along with the film winning Outstanding Casting for a Limited Series. Other awards and nominations include: Camerimage 2019 nomination for Young’s cinematography, a Directors Guild of America award nomination, a GALECA nomination for TV Performance of the Year, an AFI nomination for TV Program of the Year, an American Cinema Editors nomination, Black Reel Awards for Television, the Freedom and Justice award from the 2019 Innocence project and three NAACP Image Awards. See updated list of awards here.
Young’s work seeks a visual aesthetic of black care. He is very conscious of working in a medium that has not been historically amicable to black subjects both in theory and in practice, and is committed to breaking this careless cycle. If as a cinematographer, what you see through the viewfinder is a stereotype, he has said, then change the lens. Decolonizing the lens worked to restore the exonerated five's dignity and create intimate moments of palpable empathy.
Consistently, his visual art of black care is an intentional articulation of values and concerns that express his sensibility and specific location in relation to filmmaking as an artform and an industry. Among them, there is the practice of strategically under-exposing black skin so that it can resonate with its own shine –a practice that builds on the legacy of studies in sensitometry begun with Clark, Caldwell, Jafa and Dash, among others– or a distinct comfort with “playing in the dark” he learned from Roy DeCarava, one of the still photographers he admires the most.
Young’s artistry extends beyond the film theater and the streaming device to the gallery space, as well. In addition to his short film Untitled (2019) commissioned for Somerset House’s Get Up, Stand Up Now exhibition, celebrating 50 years of black creativity, Young’s four-channel instillation “Back and Song” (in collaboration with Elissa Blount Moorhead) debuted at the Philadelphia Contemporary in 2019 and is headed to the Baltimore Museum of Art in March of 2020. The project explores care in the black American experience with health and wellness, as it confronts Western constraints. As Told To G/D Thyself by The Ummah Chroma.
The Ummah Chroma (“community of color”), a filmmaking collaborative, teaming Young with Terence Nance, Jenn Nkiru, Marc Thomas and Kamasi Washington, debuted As Told To G/D Thyself at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. The film’s exploration of divinity through the aesthetics of blackness exemplifies a practice inspired by the jazz ensemble, channeling black musicality to collectively advance black cinematic language.
liquid blackness in Conversation with Bradford Young
SELECT WORKS
Cinematographer
Survive (Short) (2020), dir. Miles Jay
When They See Us (TV Mini-Series, 4 Episodes) (2019), dir. Ava DuVernay
The New Normal (Short) (2019), dir. Spike Jonze
As Told To G/D Thyself (Short) (2019), dir. Ummah Chroma (Bradford Young, Terence Nance, & Jenn Nkiru)
James Reese Europe and the Harlem Hellfighters: The Absence of Ruin (2018), dir. Jason Moran
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), dir. Ron Howard
To Be Free (2017, dir. Adepero Oduye (short film)
Where Is Kyra? (2017), dir. Andrew Dosunmu
Arrival (2016), dir. Denis Villeneuve
Selma (2014), dir. Ava DuVernay
A Most Violent Year (2014), dir. J.C. Chandor
Pawn Sacrifice (2014), dir. Edward Zwick
Ain't Them Bodies Saints (2013), dir. David Lowery
Mother of George (2013), dir. Andrew Dosunmu
Middle of Nowhere (2012), dir. Ava DuVernay
Pariah (2011), dir. Dee Rees
Restless City (2011), dir. Andrew Dosunmu
White Lies, Black Sheep (2007), dir. James Spooner
Director
Written By (2021) docuseries for Facebook
As Told To G/D Thyself (Short) (as Ummah Chroma) (2019)
Untitled (commissioned by Somerset House - on Nipsy Hussel) (2019)
Black America Again (with Common) (2016)
Letter to the Free (with Common) (2016)
EXHIBITIONS AND INSTALLATIONS
Exhibitions
Somerset House, Get Up, Stand Up Now: Generations of Black Creative Pioneers,
London, United Kingdom, June 12 – September 15, 2019
Installations
Back and Song (2019), with Elissa Blount Moorhead
Baltimore Museum of Art, March 1 – June 28, 2020
Philadelphia Contemporary, October 5 – 27, 2019
REkOGNIZE (2017), 3-channel video, Carnegie Museum of Art
Bynum Cutler (2014), 3-channel video, Creative Time
Untitled (Structures) (2012), with Leslie Hewitt, 2-channel video, Menil Collection
SELECT REVIEWS
Lynne, Jessica. “Healing Planes: Artist Elissa Blount Moorhead and Cinematographer Brafdord Young.” Cultured Magazine. February 28, 2020. https://www.culturedmag.com/elissa-moorhead-and-bradford-young/
O’Falt, Chris. “Influencers: Cinematographer Bradford Young Embraces the Dark Side of Digital.” IndieWire, December 3, 2019. https://www.indiewire.com/influencers/solo-a-star-wars-story-cinematographer-bradford-young/
Tillet, Salamishah. “When They See Us’ Transforms Its Victims Into Heroes.” The New York Times, May 30, 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/30/arts/television/when-they-see-us-netflix.html%20May%2030,2019
SELECT INTERVIEWS
“Elissa Blount Moorhead and Bradford Young in conversation with Arthur Jafa, Part 2.” BMA Stories, November 11, 2020. https://stories.artbma.org/elissa-blount-moorhead-and-bradford-young-in-conversation-with-arthur-jafa-part-2/
“Upgrade Yourself: The Cinematographer’s Lens with Bradford Young.” Somerset House, August 20, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dZrhpQSAnY
Williams, David E. “Bradford Young, ASC: The Importance of Inspiration.” American Cinematographer, July 3, 2020. https://ascmag.com/articles/bradford-young-asc-the-importance-of-inspiration
“Bradford Young, ASC-Part 2: Arrival, directors Denis Villenueve, Ron Howard, and Ava DuVernay, Solo: A Star Wars Story, When They See Us, working on long form episodic vs. movies.” Cam Noir, June 10, 2020. https://www.camnoir.com/ep78/
“Filming short films | Bradford.” CookeOpticsTV, June 4, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92nL2EvEaYY
“Bradford Young, ASC-Part 1: Selma, directors Dee Rees and Ava DuVernary, Pariah, Mississippi Damned, A Most Violent Year, bringing his personal voice to filmmaking.” Cam Noir, June 3, 2020. https://www.camnoir.com/ep77/
“Elissa Blount Moorhead and Bradford Young in conversation with Arthur Jafa, Part 1.” BMA Stories, February 28, 2020. https://stories.artbma.org/elissa-blount-moorhead-and-bradford-young-in-conversation-with-arthur-jafa/
“Creative Process in Dialog: Charles Burnett, Julie Dash, and Bradford Young at Bard College,” February 4, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO_K7HMuN9g
“How to communicate your vision on a film set || Bradford Young.” CookeOpticsTV, October 17, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q3ZK6d-P9U
“Cinematography preparation || Bradford.” CookeOpticsTV, June 20, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rqnj7UeBDY
“How & Why I choose lenses || Bradford Young || Spotlight.” CookeOpticsTV, February 7, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKwMD_OmtAk
“Interview with Solo: A Star Wars Story Cinematographer Bradford Young.” Interview by ARRI Rental. May 24, 2018. https://www.fanthatracks.com/news/film-music-tv/interview-with-solo-a-star-wars-story-cinematographer-bradford-young/
Borrelli, Christopher. “How ‘Solo’ Cinematographer Found Light in his Chicago Childhood.” Chicago Tribune. Baltimore. May, 2018. https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/ct-ent-bradford-young-0527-story.html
Mock, Brentin. “Bradford Young Trains His Lens on Pittsburgh’s Hill District.” City Lab. June 19, 2017. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-06-19/pittsburgh-s-hill-district-through-the-eyes-of-bradford-young
Young, Bradford and Common. “Black America Again, Conversation With Bradford Young and Common.” Carnegie Museum of Art, June 16, 2017.
Sargent, Antwaun. “Decoding the Black Bodies and Black Spaces of the Hill District.” Storyboard, June 15, 2017. https://storyboard.cmoa.org/2017/06/decoding-the-black-bodies-and-black-spaces-of-the-hill-district/
Nord, Liz. “’Arrival’: How DP Bradford Young Deconstructed Sci-Fi.” No Film School. November 14, 2016. https://nofilmschool.com/2016/11/arrival-cinematographer-bradford-young-interview
“Bradford Young.” EFTI School of Photo and Cinema, October 27, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2H_riDu5bQ&list=PLXoXf0UIS0s3z9YNvWpagnea9Hsx9zcQN&index=14
DuVernay, Ava and Bradford Young. “Black Lives, Silver Screen: Ava DuVernay and Bradford Young in Conversation.” Aperture, February 23, 2016. https://aperture.org/editorial/black-lives-silver-screen-ava-duvernay-bradford-young-conversation/
Neyman, Yuri. “Exploring Visual Style with Bradford Young, ASC.” Global Cinematography Institute. January 28, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvMj_2I6ONY
Mumin, Nijla. “The Visual Aesthetic of ‘Pariah’ – An Interview with Cinematographer Bradford Young.” IndieWire. August 17, 2015.
“A Most Vibrant Year for Cinematographer Bradford Young.” All Things Considered. March 1, 2015. https://www.npr.org/2015/03/01/389481636/a-most-vibrant-year-for-cinematographer-bradford-young
Thompson, Patricia. “Bradford Young discusses the cinematography of Ava DuVernay’s Selma and J.C. Chandor’s A Most Violent Year.” American Cinematographer 96 no. 2, February 2015
Yamato, Jen. “‘Selma’s Bradford Young On The Politics Of Lensing Black Films.” Deadline Hollywood, December 21, 2014.
Salovaara, Sarah. “Bradford Young.” BOMB Magazine. October 23, 2014. https://bombmagazine.org/articles/bradford-young/
King, Jamilah. “Cinematographer Bradford Young on Lighting Dark Skin and the ‘Subversive’ Power of the Black Church.” Color Lines, October 10, 2014. https://www.colorlines.com/articles/cinematographer-bradford-young-lighting-dark-skin-and-subversive-power-black-church
Witmer, Jon D. “American Mythology.” American Cinematographer. September 2013.
Hewitt, Leslie. “Conversation on the Installation, The Menil Collection, Leslie Hewitt and Bradford Young.” The Menil Collection, January 25, 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv5ckf6X9ZM
Fiske, Courtney. “Leslie Hewitt.” Art Forum. December 15, 2012. https://www.artforum.com/interviews/leslie-hewitt-talks-about-untitled-structures-38369
“Bradford Young – In Conversation.” Youtube, uploaded by Array, April 27, 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wtZC8xVaUk
White, Michelle. “Untitled (Structures).” Menil Collection. https://cdn.filepicker.io/api/file/khiyQ7ELRcmImqZ0b4h1
SELECT NEWS
“Jason Moran: James Reese Europe and the Absence of Ruin.” Jazzwise, January 22, 2021. https://www.jazzwise.com/features/article/jason-moran-james-reese-europe-and-the-absence-of-ruin
“Serial Pictures welcomes filmmaker Bradford Young.” Shots News, October 23, 2020. https://www.shots.net/news/view/serial-pictures-welcomes-filmmaker-bradford-young
Leung, Gabrielle “The Ummah Chroma to Launch Spiritual & Meditative Installation at Het Nieuwe Instituut.” Hypebeast, January, 16. 2020.
Lee, Vivien. “Two Leading Filmmakers Team Up on an Experimental Work About African American Healing.” Observer, October 23, 2019.
Riefe, Jordan. “’Arrival’ Cinematographer Bradford Young Dives Into Fine Arts With ‘Back and Song.’” The Hollywood Reporter, October 3, 2019.
Crow, Kelly. “Cinematographer Bradford Young Creates a ‘Healing’ Work of Art.” The Wall Street Journal, September 22, 2019.
Marc, Christopher. “Solo: A Star Wars Story’ Cinematographer Bradford Young Expected To Shoot ‘Space Jam 2.’” April 10, 2019
McCabe, Bret. “Oscar-nominated cinematographer visits Johns Hopkins film program.” HUB, March 20, 2019.
Luers, Erik. “Ava DuVernay and Bradford Young Return with Four-Part Netflix Series ‘When They See Us.’” No Film School, March 1, 2019.
