---
name: "Don Burgess"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/don-burgess"
fi1m_id: "don-burgess"
imdb_id: "nm0121281"
tmdb_id: 36
wikidata_id: "Q484980"
roles: ["Cinematographer"]
born: "28 May 1956"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 22
average_fi1m_score: 67
average_over: 22
updated: "2026-10-05T14:21:19.183222+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."
---

# Don Burgess

## Identity

Don Burgess

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/don-burgess
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** don-burgess
- **IMDb ID:** nm0121281
- **TMDB ID:** 36
- **Wikidata ID:** Q484980
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Burgess_(cinematographer), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q484980, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0121281/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/36

Cinematographer. Born 28 May 1956 in Santa Monica, California, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer
- **Born:** 28 May 1956, Santa Monica, California, USA
- **Active:** 1992–present
- **Also known as:** Don Michael Burgess, Mike Burgess, Michael Burgess
- **Frequently works with:** [Robert Zemeckis](https://film.one/person/robert-zemeckis.md), [Steve Starkey](https://film.one/person/steve-starkey.md), [Jack Rapke](https://film.one/person/jack-rapke.md), [Tom Hanks](https://film.one/person/tom-hanks.md), [David Hoberman](https://film.one/person/david-hoberman.md), [Todd Lieberman](https://film.one/person/todd-lieberman.md), [Amber Heard](https://film.one/person/amber-heard.md), [Amy Adams](https://film.one/person/amy-adams.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar nomination
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 73 (3), 2000s 71 (8), 2010s 69 (7), 2020s 49 (4)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 67 to 63 across 22 titles
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 12 at 60–79, 6 under 60
- **Genres:** Adventure 8, Comedy 8, Action 7, Drama 7, Fantasy 7, Family 6
- **Screen time:** 44 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $8,536m across 21 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Burgess_(cinematographer), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q484980, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0121281/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/36

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*The Muppets*](https://film.one/film/the-muppets.md) (80), [*Spider-Man*](https://film.one/film/spider-man.md) (78), [*Enchanted*](https://film.one/film/enchanted.md) (76), [*Muppets Most Wanted*](https://film.one/film/muppets-most-wanted.md) (66)
- **Apple TV:** [*Wonder*](https://film.one/film/wonder.md) (68), [*Forrest Gump*](https://film.one/film/forrest-gump.md) (66), [*What Lies Beneath*](https://film.one/film/what-lies-beneath.md) (63)
- **HBO Max:** [*Aquaman*](https://film.one/film/aquaman.md) (72), [*Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom*](https://film.one/film/aquaman-and-the-lost-kingdom.md) (45)
- **Netflix:** [*13 Going on 30*](https://film.one/film/13-going-on-30.md) (67), [*The Thursday Murder Club*](https://film.one/film/the-thursday-murder-club.md) (57)

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

## Biography

Don Burgess is an American cinematographer. Born on 28 May 1956 in Santa Monica, California, he is a member of the American Society of Cinematographers.

He is best known for his long collaboration with director Robert Zemeckis. Their work together includes *Forrest Gump* (1994), for which Burgess received Academy Award and BAFTA Award nominations for cinematography, as well as *Contact* (1997), *Cast Away* (2000), *The Polar Express* (2004), *Pinocchio* (2022) and *Here* (2024).

Other credits include *Spider-Man* (2002), *The Conjuring 2* (2016), *Aquaman* (2018) and *Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom* (2023). In 2024 he received the ASC Lifetime Achievement Award.

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

## On Fi1m (22)

- *The Thursday Murder Club* (2025), Fi1m 57, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-thursday-murder-club.md)
- *Here* (2024), Fi1m 40, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/here.md)
- *Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom* (2023), Fi1m 45, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/aquaman-and-the-lost-kingdom.md)
- *Roald Dahl's The Witches* (2020), Fi1m 54, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/roald-dahls-the-witches.md)
- *Aquaman* (2018), Fi1m 72, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/aquaman.md)
- *Wonder* (2017), Fi1m 68, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/wonder.md)
- *Allied* (2016), Fi1m 57, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/allied.md)
- *Muppets Most Wanted* (2014), Fi1m 66, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/muppets-most-wanted.md)
- *The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1* (2014), Fi1m 60, Camera Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/the-hunger-games-mockingjay-part-1.md)
- *The Avengers* (2012), Fi1m 80, Additional Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-avengers.md)
- *The Muppets* (2011), Fi1m 80, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-muppets.md)
- *Enchanted* (2007), Fi1m 76, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/enchanted.md)
- *13 Going on 30* (2004), Fi1m 67, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/13-going-on-30.md)
- *The Polar Express* (2004), Fi1m 58, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-polar-express.md)
- *Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines* (2003), Fi1m 61, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/terminator-3-rise-of-the-machines.md)
- *Spider-Man* (2002), Fi1m 78, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/spider-man.md)
- *The Bourne Identity* (2002), Fi1m 83, Additional Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-bourne-identity.md)
- *Cast Away* (2000), Fi1m 81, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/cast-away.md)
- *What Lies Beneath* (2000), Fi1m 63, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/what-lies-beneath.md)
- *Contact* (1997), Fi1m 76, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/contact.md)
- *Forrest Gump* (1994), Fi1m 66, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/forrest-gump.md)
- *Death Becomes Her* (1992), Fi1m 76, Second Unit Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/death-becomes-her.md)

## Complete filmography (66)

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

- *The Thursday Murder Club* (2025), Director of Photography — Fi1m 57, [page](https://film.one/film/the-thursday-murder-club.md)
- *Here* (2024), Director of Photography — Fi1m 40, [page](https://film.one/film/here.md)
- *A Family Affair* (2024), Director of Photography
- *Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom* (2023), Director of Photography — Fi1m 45, [page](https://film.one/film/aquaman-and-the-lost-kingdom.md)
- *Pinocchio* (2022), Director of Photography
- *The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two* (2020), Director of Photography
- *Roald Dahl's The Witches* (2020), Director of Photography — Fi1m 54, [page](https://film.one/film/roald-dahls-the-witches.md)
- *Sextuplets* (2019), Director of Photography
- *Aquaman* (2018), Director of Photography — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/aquaman.md)
- *The Christmas Chronicles* (2018), Director of Photography
- *Wonder* (2017), Director of Photography — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/wonder.md)
- *Same Kind of Different as Me* (2017), Director of Photography
- *Monster Trucks* (2016), Director of Photography
- *Allied* (2016), Director of Photography — Fi1m 57, [page](https://film.one/film/allied.md)
- *The Conjuring 2* (2016), Director of Photography
- *Skateboarding's First Wave* (2015), Director
- *The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1* (2014), Camera Operator — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/the-hunger-games-mockingjay-part-1.md)
- *Muppets Most Wanted* (2014), Director of Photography — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/muppets-most-wanted.md)
- *Divergent* (2014), Camera Operator
- *42* (2013), Director of Photography
- *The Avengers* (2012), Additional Photography — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/the-avengers.md)
- *Flight* (2012), Director of Photography
- *The Muppets* (2011), Director of Photography — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/the-muppets.md)
- *Priest* (2011), Director of Photography
- *Source Code* (2011), Director of Photography
- *The Book of Eli* (2010), Director of Photography
- *Aliens in the Attic* (2009), Director of Photography
- *Fool's Gold* (2008), Director of Photography
- *Enchanted* (2007), Director of Photography — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/enchanted.md)
- *The Trap* (2007), Director of Photography
- *My Super Ex-Girlfriend* (2006), Director of Photography
- *Eight Below* (2006), Director of Photography
- *Christmas with the Kranks* (2004), Director of Photography
- *The Polar Express* (2004), Director of Photography — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/the-polar-express.md)
- *13 Going on 30* (2004), Director of Photography — Fi1m 67, [page](https://film.one/film/13-going-on-30.md)
- *Radio* (2003), Director of Photography
- *Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines* (2003), Director of Photography — Fi1m 61, [page](https://film.one/film/terminator-3-rise-of-the-machines.md)
- *The Bourne Identity* (2002), Additional Photography — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/the-bourne-identity.md)
- *Spider-Man* (2002), Director of Photography — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/spider-man.md)
- *Cast Away* (2000), Director of Photography — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/cast-away.md)
- *What Lies Beneath* (2000), Director of Photography — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/what-lies-beneath.md)
- *Deep Impact* (1998), Additional Camera
- *Contact* (1997), Director of Photography — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/contact.md)
- *The Evening Star* (1996), as Stage Manager · Director of Photography
- *Executive Decision* (1996), Additional Photography
- *Forget Paris* (1995), Director of Photography
- *Ri¢hie Ri¢h* (1994), Director of Photography
- *Forrest Gump* (1994), Director of Photography — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/forrest-gump.md)
- *Josh & S.A.M.* (1993), Director of Photography
- *Night Trap* (1992), Director of Photography
- *Death Becomes Her* (1992), Second Unit Director of Photography — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/death-becomes-her.md)
- *Mo' Money* (1992), Director of Photography
- *Two-Fisted Tales* (1992), Director of Photography
- *Nothing but Trouble* (1991), Second Unit Director of Photography
- *Breaking Point* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Blind Fury* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Tales from the Crypt* (1989), series, Director of Photography
- *Under the Boardwalk* (1989), Director of Photography
- *World Gone Wild* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Summer Camp Nightmare* (1987), Director of Photography
- *The Night Stalker* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Death Before Dishonor* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Playboy: Bedtime Stories* (1987), Cinematography
- *Runaway Train* (1985), Second Unit Director of Photography
- *Happy Birthday to Me* (1981), Camera Operator
- *Ruckus* (1980), Director of Photography

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- 1995: Best Cinematography (nominated)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© 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/don-burgess