---
name: "Thomas Townend"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/thomas-townend"
fi1m_id: "thomas-townend"
imdb_id: "nm1082643"
tmdb_id: 968858
roles: ["Cinematographer"]
reviewed_on_fi1m: 7
average_fi1m_score: 81
average_over: 7
updated: "2026-10-07T15:14:03.906310+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."
---

# Thomas Townend

## Identity

Thomas Townend

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/thomas-townend
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** thomas-townend
- **IMDb ID:** nm1082643
- **TMDB ID:** 968858
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1082643/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/968858

Cinematographer.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer
- **Active:** 1999–present
- **Also known as:** Tom Townend
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 88 (1), 2000s 78 (2), 2010s 83 (3), 2020s 73 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 81 to 75 across 7 titles
- **Score spread:** 5 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 6, Thriller 2, Action 1, Comedy 1, Crime 1, History 1
- **Screen time:** 12 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $41m across 5 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1082643/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/968858

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Attack the Block*](https://film.one/film/attack-the-block.md) (84), [*You Were Never Really Here*](https://film.one/film/you-were-never-really-here.md) (83)
- **Pluto TV:** [*The Unloved*](https://film.one/film/the-unloved.md) (74)

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

## Biography

Thomas Townend, also credited as Tom Townend, is a British cinematographer. He studied photography and film at Napier University in Edinburgh before training in cinematography at the National Film and Television School.

His feature credits as director of photography include *Attack the Block* (2011), *You Were Never Really Here* (2017) and *Hidden* (2015). He has also worked on David Hare projects including *Turks & Caicos* (2014) and *Salting the Battlefield* (2014), and contributed additional photography to *She Said* (2022). Earlier in his career he served as camera operator on films such as *Ratcatcher* (1999) and *Morvern Callar* (2002).

Townend received a BIFA nomination for best cinematography for *You Were Never Really Here*. He has also directed photography for music videos and commercials.

*Sources: imdb.com, britishcinematographer.co.uk, bifa.film.*

## On Fi1m (7)

- *She Said* (2022), Fi1m 73, Additional Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/she-said.md)
- *You Were Never Really Here* (2017), Fi1m 83, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/you-were-never-really-here.md)
- *Attack the Block* (2011), Fi1m 84, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/attack-the-block.md)
- *We Need to Talk About Kevin* (2011), Fi1m 81, Second Unit Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/we-need-to-talk-about-kevin.md)
- *The Unloved* (2009), Fi1m 74, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-unloved.md)
- *Morvern Callar* (2002), Fi1m 82, Camera Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/morvern-callar.md)
- *Ratcatcher* (1999), Fi1m 88, Camera Operator, Still Photographer — [page](https://film.one/film/ratcatcher.md)

## Complete filmography (19)

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

- *She Said* (2022), Additional Photography — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/film/she-said.md)
- *Brigitte* (2019), Cinematography
- *You Were Never Really Here* (2017), Director of Photography — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/you-were-never-really-here.md)
- *Hidden* (2015), Director of Photography
- *Salting the Battlefield* (2014), Director of Photography
- *Turks & Caicos* (2014), Director of Photography
- *Sea View* (2013), Director of Photography
- *We Need to Talk About Kevin* (2011), Second Unit Director of Photography — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/we-need-to-talk-about-kevin.md)
- *Attack the Block* (2011), Director of Photography — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/attack-the-block.md)
- *Harry Brown* (2009), Second Unit Cinematographer
- *The Unloved* (2009), Director of Photography — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/the-unloved.md)
- *Dog Altogether* (2007), Cinematography
- *Tracks* (2006), Cinematography
- *Spin* (2003), Director of Photography
- *Morvern Callar* (2002), Camera Operator — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/morvern-callar.md)
- *The Girl in the Lay-by* (2000), Director of Photography
- *Ratcatcher* (1999), Camera Operator, Still Photographer — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/ratcatcher.md)
- *Kill the Day* (1996), as Focus Puller
- *Stone Mattress*, Screenplay

---
© 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/thomas-townend