---
name: "David J. Thompson"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/david-j-thompson"
fi1m_id: "david-j-thompson"
imdb_id: "nm1250174"
tmdb_id: 1424696
roles: ["Steadicam operator"]
born: "1 October 1970"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 11
average_fi1m_score: 68
average_over: 11
updated: "2026-10-23T04:09:30.766980+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# David J. Thompson

## Identity

David J. Thompson

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/david-j-thompson
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** david-j-thompson
- **IMDb ID:** nm1250174
- **TMDB ID:** 1424696
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1250174/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1424696

Steadicam operator. Born 1 October 1970 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Steadicam operator
- **Born:** 1 October 1970, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- **Active:** 2003–present
- **Also known as:** Dave Thompson, David Thompson
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2000s 69 (3), 2010s 68 (4), 2020s 67 (4)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 68 to 66 across 11 titles
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 9 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 8, Action 3, Romance 3, Science Fiction 3, Thriller 3, Adventure 2
- **Screen time:** 22 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $3,253m across 11 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1250174/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1424696

## Coming up

- *The Man with the Bag* (2026-12-02), "A" Camera Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/the-man-with-the-bag.md)
- *Elden Ring* (2028-03-03), Director of Photography

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Warfare*](https://film.one/film/warfare.md) (76)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

David J. Thompson is an American cinematographer and camera operator. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, he began working in the camera department in the 1990s and has credits as a Steadicam and 'A' or 'B' camera operator on numerous feature films.

His operator work includes *Silver Linings Playbook* (2012), *The Devil Wears Prada* (2006), multiple entries in *The Hunger Games* series (2013–2015) and the *Divergent* trilogy (2014–2016). He served as director of photography on the 2025 war film *Warfare*, for which he received a nomination for Best Cinematography at the Film Independent Spirit Awards.

*Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org, filmindependent.org.*

## On Fi1m (11)

- *Song Sung Blue* (2025), Fi1m 68, Steadicam Operator, "A" Camera Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/song-sung-blue.md)
- *Warfare* (2025), Fi1m 76, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/warfare.md)
- *Civil War* (2024), Fi1m 70, "A" Camera Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/civil-war.md)
- *It Ends with Us* (2024), Fi1m 54, "A" Camera Operator, Steadicam Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/it-ends-with-us.md)
- *Fences* (2016), Fi1m 70, Steadicam Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/fences.md)
- *The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2* (2015), Fi1m 61, Steadicam Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/the-hunger-games-mockingjay-part-2.md)
- *The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1* (2014), Fi1m 60, Steadicam Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/the-hunger-games-mockingjay-part-1.md)
- *Silver Linings Playbook* (2012), Fi1m 80, Steadicam Operator, "A" Camera Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/silver-linings-playbook.md)
- *I Am Legend* (2007), Fi1m 65, "B" Camera Operator, Steadicam Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/i-am-legend.md)
- *The Devil Wears Prada* (2006), Fi1m 70, Camera Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/the-devil-wears-prada.md)
- *21 Grams* (2003), Fi1m 72, Steadicam Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/21-grams.md)

## Complete filmography (31)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Elden Ring* (2028), Director of Photography
- *The Man with the Bag* (2026), "A" Camera Operator, Steadicam Operator — coming soon, [page](https://film.one/film/the-man-with-the-bag.md)
- *Song Sung Blue* (2025), "A" Camera Operator, Steadicam Operator — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/song-sung-blue.md)
- *Warfare* (2025), Director of Photography — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/warfare.md)
- *It Ends with Us* (2024), "A" Camera Operator, Steadicam Operator — Fi1m 54, [page](https://film.one/film/it-ends-with-us.md)
- *Civil War* (2024), "A" Camera Operator — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/civil-war.md)
- *Causeway* (2022), "A" Camera Operator
- *What Men Want* (2019), "A" Camera Operator, Steadicam Operator
- *Second Act* (2018), Steadicam Operator, Camera Operator
- *Red Sparrow* (2018), Steadicam Operator
- *Fences* (2016), Steadicam Operator — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/fences.md)
- *Allegiant* (2016), "B" Camera Operator, Steadicam Operator
- *Joy* (2015), Steadicam Operator
- *The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2* (2015), Steadicam Operator — Fi1m 61, [page](https://film.one/film/the-hunger-games-mockingjay-part-2.md)
- *Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials* (2015), Steadicam Operator
- *Insurgent* (2015), "B" Camera Operator, Steadicam Operator
- *The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1* (2014), Steadicam Operator — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/the-hunger-games-mockingjay-part-1.md)
- *Divergent* (2014), Steadicam Operator, "B" Camera Operator
- *Odd Thomas* (2013), Camera Operator
- *Silver Linings Playbook* (2012), Steadicam Operator, "A" Camera Operator — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/silver-linings-playbook.md)
- *Premium Rush* (2012), "A" Camera Operator, Steadicam Operator
- *Limitless* (2011), Steadicam Operator, "A" Camera Operator
- *Just Wright* (2010), Steadicam Operator
- *Did You Hear About the Morgans?* (2009), Camera Operator
- *I Am Legend* (2007), "B" Camera Operator, Steadicam Operator — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/i-am-legend.md)
- *I Think I Love My Wife* (2007), "A" Camera Operator
- *The Devil Wears Prada* (2006), Camera Operator — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/the-devil-wears-prada.md)
- *Diary of a Mad Black Woman* (2005), Steadicam Operator
- *Melinda and Melinda* (2004), Steadicam Operator
- *21 Grams* (2003), Steadicam Operator — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/21-grams.md)
- *Anything Else* (2003), Steadicam Operator

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/david-j-thompson