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Rachel Morrison

FilmmakerPhotographer

American·b. 1978·Website ↗

Known for:

First woman nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography (Mudbound, 2017). Shot Black Panther and Fruitvale Station.

Education:

Concord Academy; New York University (BA, Film and Photography); AFI Conservatory (MFA, Cinematography, 2006)

Rachel Morrison is an American cinematographer and director who grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She studied film and photography at NYU before earning her MFA from the AFI Conservatory in 2006. Her breakthrough came with Fruitvale Station (2013), shot on Super 16mm, followed by Mudbound (2017), which made her the first woman nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. She then shot Black Panther (2018), the first Marvel film photographed by a woman. Morrison has since moved into directing, with credits including episodes of The Mandalorian and The Morning Show and the feature film The Fire Inside (2024).

Rachel Morrison's Gear List(10)

ARRI ALEXA Mini

ARRI

Connection Source

ArriInterview

Connection note

Primary camera on Mudbound (2017). Chosen for tight plantation home interiors; shot ARRIRAW open gate 4:3.

Product description

ARRI's compact digital cinema camera, announced in February 2015. Uses the same ALEV III Super 35 CMOS sensor as other ALEXA cameras in a body weighing approximately 2.3 kg (5 lbs). Supports frame rates from 0.75 to 200 fps with a maximum resolution of 3424 x 2202. Succeeded by the ALEXA Mini LF and ALEXA 35.

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ARRI ALEXA XT

ARRI

Connection Source

BritishcinematographerInterview

Connection note

Primary camera on Black Panther (2018), sourced from Panavision. Shot ARRIRAW open gate.

Product description

The ALEXA XT, introduced in 2013, added in-camera ARRIRAW recording via the XR Module, internal ND filtration, and a native 4:3 Super 35 sensor to the ALEXA platform. It supports ARRIRAW capture up to 120 fps onto XR Capture Drives and includes integrated CDL capture and anamorphic de-squeeze.

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ARRI 416

ARRI

Connection Source

NofilmschoolInterview

Connection note

Donated camera body used on Fruitvale Station (2013). Compact size enabled documentary-style handheld Super 16mm work.

Product description

ARRI's Super 16mm production camera, introduced in 2006. Built with PL mount compatibility shared with ARRI's 35mm cameras, it supports frame rates from 1 to 75 fps (up to 150 fps in the HS variant) and runs below 20 dB(A) at 24 fps for sync-sound work. The viewfinder and video assist operate independently, allowing fast changeovers for Steadicam or remote operation.

Panavision C Series Anamorphic Lenses

Panavision

Connection Source

PanavisionInterview

Connection note

Used on Mudbound and Seberg. Morrison: "I fell in love with Panavision's C Series on Mudbound."

Product description

Panavision's C Series 2x anamorphic primes have been in continuous use since their introduction in 1968. Available in focal lengths from 35mm to 100mm, they are compact and lightweight, making them well suited for handheld and Steadicam work. The lenses produce a pronounced anamorphic flare and organic bokeh with graduated depth of field.

Panavision PVintage Lenses

Panavision

Connection Source

DeepfriedmoviesInterview

Connection note

Vintage Super Speed and Ultra Speed sphericals from the 1960s-70s, rehoused by Panavision. Used on Mudbound for night work.

Product description

The PVintage series, introduced in 2013, rehouses glass elements from Panavision's Ultra Speed lenses (originally debuted in 1976) into modern barrels with a consistent 113mm front diameter. All lenses open wider than T2 and most focus down to 24 inches. The rehousing retains the soft, organic rendering of the original Ultra Speeds while standardizing size, weight, and front diameter across the set.

Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL2

Panavision

Connection Source

PanavisionInterview

Connection note

Primary camera on Seberg (2019). Chosen for ergonomic handheld shooting on 35mm film.

Product description

The Panaflex Millennium XL2 is a 35mm sync-sound film camera introduced by Panavision in 2004 as an update to the original Millennium XL. It features crystal-controlled speeds from 3 to 50 fps with in-shot speed ramping, a variable shutter adjustable from 11.2 to 180 degrees, dual registration pins, and dual pull-down claws. The camera converts between studio, handheld, and Steadicam configurations and is available in 3-perf or 4-perf pulldown.

ARRI SkyPanel S60

ARRI

Connection Source

ArriInterview

Connection note

Approximately 3 SkyPanels on Mudbound, approximately 300 on Black Panther. Controlled wirelessly via iPad.

Product description

ARRI's full-color LED soft light panel with a 645 x 300 mm aperture, producing the equivalent output of a 2000W tungsten soft light while drawing a maximum of 450W. Offers adjustable color temperature from 2,800K to 10,000K, achieving a CRI of 95 and TLCI of 90. Controllable via onboard knobs, DMX, or LAN. Replaced by the SkyPanel S60 Pro in 2024.