The Devon-born cinematographer behind some of the most acclaimed movies of all time has been celebrated alongside the achievements of more than 6,600 graduates at the University of Plymouth’s 2023 graduation ceremonies.
Sir Roger Deakins CBE BSC ASC is one of the greatest, most respected and influential cinematographers of all time.
He has received 16 Academy Award nominations, and the list of films on which he has been director of photography include 1984, A Beautiful Mind, No Country for Old Men, Skyfall, and the best rated film of all time on IMDB – The Shawshank Redemption. He has also worked as a visual consultant on animated films including WALL-E, Rango, all of the How to Train Your Dragon films and Vivo.
Born and raised in Torquay, Sir Roger’s first forays into film came in documentaries. He worked on dramas, music videos and rock concerts with musicians including Marvin Gaye, The Clash, Queen, Van Morrison, BB King, and Chuck Berry.
But it was in the early 1980s that he started shooting scripted television dramas and feature films, and since then his career has truly blossomed.
On top of his Academy awards, he has been nominated for 11 BAFTAs, and been awarded Lifetime Achievement Awards from the American Society of Cinematographers, the British Society of Cinematographers and the National Board of Review. He was appointed a CBE in 2013 and received a knighthood in 2021.
Professor Judith Petts CBE, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Plymouth, said: “Graduation is an important week for the whole University. It serves as a celebration of the hard work that has brought our graduates to this moment, and the support they have received from the University and their families along the way. It is also a week when we share our successes with the wider community and our former students, who will always be an integral part of our university.”
