Robert Richardson - 'Robert Richardson: The White Devil' [LIVE]

Summary

In this episode of Awards Chatter, host Scott Feinberg interviews legendary cinematographer Robert Richardson during the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The conversation serves as an intimate career retrospective, coinciding with the world premiere of the documentary Robert Richardson: The White Devil. Richardson reflects on his transition from a failed oceanography student to a filmmaker shaped by Ingmar Bergman’s body of work. He discusses his formative years at the Rhode Island School of Design and the American Film Institute, which paved the way for his career-defining collaborations with directors like Oliver Stone and Quentin Tarantino. Richardson offers insights into his unique creative process, specifically his preference for operating the camera himself—a choice he explains is driven by the desire to maintain an intimate connection with the actors’ performances. The discussion also touches on the technical evolution of his craft, from the challenges of lighting interior spaces to his innovative use of top-lighting and unconventional light sources, like flares, to create atmosphere. Despite his status as one of cinema’s most decorated cinematographers, Richardson remains characteristically humble, emphasizing the role of intuition over formal technical mastery in his creative journey.

Updated Jul 8, 2026