Oliver Wood, British cinematographer whose credits include Die Hard 2, Face/Off, The Other Guys, and the original Bourne trilogy, died Monday, Feb. 13, at his home in Hollywood following a battle with cancer. He was 80 years old.
in his career spanning over seventy years, Wood has worked across a wide and diverse variety of projects, working with directors such as John Woo, Adam McKay, Antoine Fuqua, Barry Sonnenfeld, and Larry Cohen. He was nominated for a BAFTA award for best cinematography for his work on 2007’s The Bourne Ultimatum, directed by Paul Greengrass.
His first project Was Leonard Kastle’s cult crime film The Honeymoon Killers in 1969. Wood filmed numerous B-movies and independent films throughout the late 1970s and ’80s, frequently collaborating with cinematographers Joseph Mangine and Fred Murphy. He also served as a camera operator on large-scale projects, including 1984’s Body Rock and the 1985 film To Live and Die in L.A.
Wood’s first major project was as the director of photography for 53 episodes of the hit crime series Miami Vice, serving as the series’ primary DP between 1987 and 1989.
In the 2000s, Wood brought his talents to the Bourne trilogy, popularizing a spontaneous, naturalistic visual style that often employed multiple handheld cameras. this style would be emulated by other action films and series and given the moniker of “shaky cam” by moviegoers. the style helped the Bourne franchise distinguish itself as the grounded, serious alternative to the other spy films of the era. Wood cited the film The Battle of Algiers as influencing his technique.
Before his passing, Wood collaborated with Daniel Espinoza on Sony’s Morbius, released in 2022.
he is survived by his wife, Rebecca Wood, and his daughters, Amber and Sabrina.
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