The cinematography race pits Joshua James Richards (“Nomadland”) against Erik Messerschmidt (“Mank”), Phedon Papamichael (“The Trial of the Chicago 7”), Dariusz Wolski (“News of the World”), and Sean Bobbitt (“Judas and the Black Messiah”).
Of the five, only Papamichael has been previously nominated (for “Nebraska”).
Although Messerschmidt won the coveted ASC award, Richards is the favorite for Chloé Zhao’s Best Picture frontrunner.The momentum has been with Richards for “Nomadland” ever since he won Camerimage’s prestigious Golden Frog last year.
In the recessionary road odyssey, the director’s go-to cinematographer offered a roving, naturalistic nod to Terrence Malick (with the Arri Alexa Mini), while capturing Frances McDormand’s journey through the landscapes of the American West in changing light.
Magic hour was the time to capture her long walks alone (with the camera placed on the Ronin 2 gimbal).In David Fincher’s “Mank,” Messerschmidt recreated a Golden Age of Hollywood in black-and-white.
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