Wales has played a big part in Lol Crawley’s incredible journey to Oscar glory.
The celebrated cinematographer grew up in Powys and studied for a BTEC National Diploma in Audio Visual Studies at NEWI Cartrefle in Wrexham – now Coleg Cambria. He’s since expressed heartfelt thanks to the lecturers and classmates who helped shape his early steps in the industry.
Just a few weeks ago, Lol picked up an Academy Award for the sweeping period drama The Brutalist, after already nabbing a BAFTA and an award from the British Society of Cinematographers for the same film.
It’s the third time he’s teamed up with director Brady Corbet – and with a fourth project already in the pipeline, there’s clearly more magic to come. For now though, Lol is soaking up the praise and enjoying the spotlight.
“I had just the one year studying in Wrexham and it was a long time ago, but I have many fond memories,” said Lol.
“I did the foundation course and then worked that summer as a camera assistant on a movie called The Englishman Who Went up a Hill but Came down a Mountain in Wales before moving on to Northumbria University and later making short films.
“However, my first feature as a cinematographer was Ballast in 2008, for which I won an award at The Sundance Film Festival. After that I was on my way.”
He added: “It would be lovely to return home one day and do something in North and Mid-Wales, it’s a beautiful part of the world and to film there would be fantastic.”
The Brutalist stars Adrien Brody, who took home his second Best Actor Oscar for his role as a Hungarian-Jewish Holocaust survivor and architect. The story follows his journey from post-war Europe to the U.S., where he fights to realize the American Dream – until a wealthy client steps in and changes his path.
Lol was especially praised for choosing to shoot the film on VistaVision – the first English-language feature to do so since the early ‘60s – and he’s thrilled that the creative risk paid off.
“It’s been great, the whole build-up began last year, and I am so happy and grateful to receive these awards, it’s been quite remarkable,” he said.
“There has been a lot of buzz but funnily enough the next two movies to be released that I shot were completed before the Oscars, so they may not be what people expect after winning the award.
“But I am reading great scripts with great filmmakers, and I will be doing Brady’s next film so it’s a very exciting time, he’s as ambitious as ever so I’m looking forward to that.”
This isn’t Lol’s first brush with critically acclaimed work. He’s racked up an impressive list of credits, and a recent feature on The Playlist called out his “amazing filmmaking career” and said he’s “staking his claim at being one of the best in the world.”
Among the many titles he’s worked on are Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Four Lions, White Noise, Black Mirror, Vox Lux, The Childhood of a Leader, One Night in Turin, and Shadow Kingdom: The Early Songs of Bob Dylan.
As for advice to current students at Coleg Cambria or aspiring filmmakers across Wales?
“In a sense it’s probably an easier world now, as when I started it was very expensive and there was no real digital filmmaking, the technology has become more accessible and less elitist,” he said.
“I guess if they were going to take anything away from this it would be just to go out there and do it, to believe in themselves and crack on and work hard.
“It’s not easy but if you don’t get off the starting blocks because you believe it can’t happen then you’ve failed at the first hurdle.”
For the latest from Coleg Cambria, visit www.cambria.ac.uk.
To learn more about Lol Crawley, visit Lol Crawley, BSC | Director of Photography.
PIC CREDIT: ALAMY