Camera
Thomas E. Ackerman
EN cinema · 45 credits
Born
14 September 1948 (age 78)
Birthplace
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA
Also known as Thomas Ackerman
Cinematographer Thomas Ackerman was born on 14 September, 1948 at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and enrolled in the University of Iowa, where he took a cinema course. He was hired by the university to shoot football games and training films for its School of Dentistry. In 1968 he went to work for Oscar-winning filmmaker Charles Guggenheim, who became his mentor. After a stint in the US Air Force he went back to work for Guggenheim in Washington, DC. He moved to Los Angeles in 1973, hooked up with his Air Force buddy Mike Robeand was hired as a camera operator on a succession of Hollywood films, includingFrancis Ford Coppola's One from the Heart (1981). He was director of photography onBeetlejuice (1988) for director Tim Burton (for whom Ackerman had previously shotFrankenweenie (1984)). In addition to cinematographer, he has also served as a second-unit director, notably onAlvin and the Chipmunks (2007) and Furry Vengeance (2010).
Known for
Filmography
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip
Second Unit Director
Night of the Living Deb
Director of Photography
Mardi Gras: Spring Break
Director of Photography
Hop
Second Unit Director, Second Unit Director of Photography
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked
Director of Photography
Infestation
Director of Photography
Fired Up!
Director of Photography
Superhero Movie
Director of Photography
Balls of Fury
Director of Photography
Scary Movie 4
Director of Photography
The Benchwarmers
Director of Photography
Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World
Director of Photography
Are We There Yet?
Director of Photography
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Director of Photography
Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie
Director of Photography
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
Director of Photography
The Battle of Shaker Heights
Director of Photography
Los Zafiros: Music from the Edge of Time
Producer, Cinematography
Snow Dogs
Director of Photography
Rat Race
Director of Photography
The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle
Director of Photography
Beautiful Joe
Director of Photography
The Muse
Director of Photography
My Favorite Martian
Director of Photography
George of the Jungle
Director of Photography
The Eighteenth Angel
Director of Photography
Jumanji
Director of Photography
Baby's Day Out
Director of Photography
Dennis the Menace
Director of Photography
True Identity
Director of Photography
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Director of Photography
Beetlejuice
Director of Photography
Moonwalker
Director of Photography
Inside Out
Second Unit Director of Photography
Back to School
Director of Photography
Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Director of Photography
Roadhouse 66
Director of Photography
Frankenweenie
Director of Photography
Foxfire Light
Director of Photography
The Gift of Life
Camera Operator
One from the Heart
Camera Operator
Talmage Farlow
Cinematography
The Man Who Saw Tomorrow
Camera Operator
New Year's Evil
Director of Photography
The Great Smokey Roadblock
Camera Operator