---
name: "Stefan Czapsky"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/stefan-czapsky"
fi1m_id: "stefan-czapsky"
imdb_id: "nm0194356"
tmdb_id: 1919
wikidata_id: "Q1796276"
roles: ["Cinematographer"]
born: "15 December 1950"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 84
average_over: 5
updated: "2026-09-17T14:46:07.971871+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."
---

# Stefan Czapsky

## Identity

Stefan Czapsky

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/stefan-czapsky
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** stefan-czapsky
- **IMDb ID:** nm0194356
- **TMDB ID:** 1919
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1796276
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Czapsky, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1796276, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0194356/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1919

Cinematographer. Born 15 December 1950 in Oldenburg, Germany.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer
- **Born:** 15 December 1950, Oldenburg, Germany
- **Active:** 1985–1994
- **Frequently works with:** [Denise Di Novi](https://film.one/person/denise-di-novi.md), [Tim Burton](https://film.one/person/tim-burton.md), [Johnny Depp](https://film.one/person/johnny-depp.md)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 85 (2), 1990s 83 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 84 to 75 across 5 titles
- **Score spread:** 5 at 80+, 0 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 3, Comedy 2, Fantasy 2, Action 1, Crime 1, Documentary 1
- **Screen time:** 9 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $384m across 5 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Czapsky, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1796276, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0194356/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1919

## Streaming the US now

- **AMC+:** [*The Thin Blue Line*](https://film.one/film/the-thin-blue-line.md) (90)
- **Disney+:** [*Edward Scissorhands*](https://film.one/film/edward-scissorhands.md) (83)
- **HBO Max:** [*Batman Returns*](https://film.one/film/batman-returns.md) (81)

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

## Biography

Stefan Czapsky is an American cinematographer. Born on 15 December 1950 in Oldenburg, West Germany, to Ukrainian parents, his family emigrated to the United States while he was an infant and settled in Cleveland, Ohio.

He graduated from Case Western Reserve University with a BFA emphasising film history and criticism, then attended a graduate film studies programme at Columbia University. He began working in film production in New York as an assistant cameraman, gaffer and key grip on productions including *After Hours* and *Matewan*. His first feature as cinematographer was *On the Edge* (1985).

Czapsky is best known for his collaborations with director Tim Burton on *Edward Scissorhands* (1990), *Batman Returns* (1992) and *Ed Wood* (1994). For the latter he received Best Cinematography awards from the National Society of Film Critics, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the New York Film Critics Circle and the Boston Society of Film Critics. Other credits include *Matilda* (1996) and *Child's Play 2* (1990).

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

## On Fi1m (5)

- *Ed Wood* (1994), Fi1m 84, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/ed-wood.md)
- *Batman Returns* (1992), Fi1m 81, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/batman-returns.md)
- *Edward Scissorhands* (1990), Fi1m 83, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/edward-scissorhands.md)
- *The Thin Blue Line* (1988), Fi1m 90, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-thin-blue-line.md)
- *After Hours* (1985), Fi1m 80, Gaffer — [page](https://film.one/film/after-hours.md)

## Complete filmography (37)

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

- *Christmas with You* (2022), Director of Photography
- *DC's Stargirl* (2020), series, Director of Photography
- *Quantico* (2015), series, Director of Photography
- *Max* (2015), Director of Photography
- *Safe* (2012), Director of Photography
- *Fighting* (2009), Director of Photography
- *Blades of Glory* (2007), Director of Photography
- *The Making of 'Last Exit to Brooklyn'* (2006), Actor
- *Bulletproof Monk* (2003), Director of Photography
- *Matilda* (1996), Director of Photography
- *Ed Wood* (1994), Director of Photography — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/ed-wood.md)
- *Prelude to a Kiss* (1992), Director of Photography
- *Batman Returns* (1992), Director of Photography — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/batman-returns.md)
- *The Dark Wind* (1992), Director of Photography
- *A Brief History of Time* (1991), Director of Photography
- *Edward Scissorhands* (1990), Director of Photography — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/edward-scissorhands.md)
- *Child's Play 2* (1990), Director of Photography
- *Flashback* (1990), Director of Photography
- *Sons* (1990), Director of Photography
- *Fear, Anxiety and Depression* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Last Exit to Brooklyn* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Vampire's Kiss* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Sesame Street: 20 Years & Still Counting! 1969-1989* (1989), Director of Photography
- *The Thin Blue Line* (1988), Director of Photography — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/the-thin-blue-line.md)
- *Matewan* (1987), Key Grip
- *At Close Range* (1986), Gaffer
- *After Hours* (1985), Gaffer — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/after-hours.md)
- *Reckless* (1984), as Chief Lighting Technician
- *Baby It's You* (1983), Gaffer
- *Q* (1982), Gaffer
- *Blank Generation* (1980), Gaffer
- *Lightning Over Water* (1980), Gaffer
- *Union City* (1980), Gaffer
- *Nocturna* (1979), Gaffer
- *The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover* (1977), Assistant Camera
- *Nanook Taxi* (1977), First Assistant Camera
- *God Told Me To* (1976), Assistant Camera

---
© 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/stefan-czapsky