Three Academy Awards for Best Cinematography identify Vittorio Storaro as one of only three living practitioners to achieve this feat. Born in Rome in 1940, the son of a film projectionist began his technical training at age eleven. He later refined his skills at the Experimental Centre of Cinematography before embarking on a career spanning over five decades.
Early Professional Foundations
Storaro entered the Italian film industry with a background in photography and camera operation. His formal education took place at the Experimental Centre of Cinematography. This foundation supported a career that spanned diverse roles including cinematographer and photographer. His early work established a technical reputation that soon crossed international borders, marking a transition from local industry projects to global cinema productions.
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The collaborative nature of his practice involved partnerships with several prominent directors. He first worked with Bernardo Bertolucci on The Conformist in 1970 and contributed to Dario Argento’s feature The Bird with the Crystal Plumage the same year. Later, he worked with Francis Ford Coppola, Warren Beatty, Woody Allen, and Carlos Saura. His American debut arrived with Apocalypse Now, while his projects in the 1980s included Reds and The Last Emperor.
Theoretical and Technical Framework
Storaro integrates color theory into his process, drawing specifically from the work of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. This philosophy emphasizes the psychological impact of color on audience perception. In 2002, he published the first volume of a series detailing his approach to cinematography. He also collaborated with his son, Fabrizio, to develop the Univisium format, an attempt to standardize aspect ratios for theatrical and television screens to a 2.00:1 format.
Digital Transition and Recognition
While Storaro worked primarily with film for much of his career, he transitioned to digital capture with Woody Allen’s 2016 feature Café Society. His work has earned multiple accolades, including BAFTA and European Film Awards. He also received the George Eastman Award in 2017. Beyond feature films, his portfolio includes a 2010 BBC and RAI co-production of Verdi’s Rigoletto.
Fast facts
- Born: 1940, Rome, Italy
- Education: Experimental Centre of Cinematography
- Academy Award wins: 1980, 1982, 1988
- BAFTA Award: 1991
- European Film Award: 2000
- Digital debut: Café Society (2016)
- Univisium format aspect ratio: 2.00:1
- George Eastman Award: 2017
Questions readers ask
What is the Univisium format?
It is a system created by Storaro and his son Fabrizio to standardize film and television aspect ratios to a 2.00:1 format.
What color theory influences Storaro's work?
His approach is inspired by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's theory of colors, which examines the psychological effects of color on viewers.
Achievements
- Academy Award for Best Cinematography — 1988
- Academy Awards
- BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography — 1991
- Worked as cinematographer, camera operator and photographer
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