Paul Atkins
From Antarctica to the tropical Pacific, Paul Atkins, ASC has filmed the world's wildlife and cultures for National Geographic, Disney, the BBC including such acclaimed series as Planet Earth, for IMAX screens and feature films. His cinematography and directing have earned numerous awards including Emmys, British Academy Awards and a prestigious Telluride Film Festival Tribute. Paul's passion for the ocean brought him to Hawaii in 1974, where he pursued a Ph.D in marine biology at University of Hawaii and began working in the film business as an underwater and wildlife cinematographer. With his wife and producing partner, Grace Atkins, Paul filmed and directed groundbreaking documentaries that challenged our myths and inspired protection of the natural world, including the Emmy-winning Hawaii: Strangers in Paradise (Nat Geo/BBC), Great White Shark (BBC/Nat Geo) and Dolphins: The Wild Side (Nat Geo). Paul was director of photography on Jean-Michel Cousteau's Voyage to Kure, the film that persuaded President George W. Bush to declare the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands a National Monument in 2006. More recently, his work includes Disneynature's Dolphin Reed and Nat Geo's America's National Parks. Paul's narrative filmmaking spans numerous commercials, television series and feature films and he has worked with some of the world's most renown directors including Peter Weir on Master and Commander, Alejandro Inarritu on The Revenant, and Terrence Malick on The Tree of Life and other features. On a 40-day epic voyage around Cape Horn, he filmed for Master and Commander, which won the 2004 Academy Award for cinematography for Russell Boyd, ASC. His 2nd Unit shooting on The Tree of Life contributed to an Oscar nomination for cinematography, and Paul has continued to work with Malick on To the Wonder, Knight of Cups and as director of photography on his IMAX documentary about the evolution of the universe, The Voyage of Time.
Known for
CameraGender
MaleKnown Movie Credits
22Cast credits
Crew credits
Dolphins: The Wild Side
DirectorVoyage of Time: Life's Journey
Director of PhotographyThe Revenant
Second Unit Cinematographer, Second Unit Director of PhotographyPoint Break
Camera OperatorKnight of Cups
Second Unit Director of PhotographyHeatstroke
Director of PhotographyThe Land Has Eyes
Director of PhotographyGreat White Shark
Director, Producer, CinematographySharks vs. Dolphins: Blood Battle
DirectorAztec Rex
Director of PhotographyTsunami - Killer Wave
Director of PhotographyNational Geographic: The Filmmakers
Director of PhotographyNight Orchid
Director of PhotographyTides of War
Director of PhotographyHawaii: Sharks of the Fire Goddess
Writer, ProducerVoyage of Time: The IMAX Experience
Director of PhotographySharks of Hawaii
ProducerThe Tree of Life
Second Unit DirectorThe Trials of Life
Director of PhotographyMay December
"A" Camera OperatorIn the Wild: Dolphins With Robin Williams
Director of Photography