Movies
TV Shows
People

Paul Atkins

Known For
Camera

Known Credits
2

Gender
Male

Birthday
Birthday not available

Place of Birth

Paul Atkins

Biography

From Antarctica to the tropical Pacific, Paul Atkins, ASC has filmed the world's wildlife and cultures for National Geographic, Disney, the BBC including such acclaimed series as Planet Earth, for IMAX screens and feature films. His cinematography and directing have earned numerous awards including Emmys, British Academy Awards and a prestigious Telluride Film Festival Tribute. Paul's passion for the ocean brought him to Hawaii in 1974, where he pursued a Ph.D in marine biology at University of Hawaii and began working in the film business as an underwater and wildlife cinematographer. With his wife and producing partner, Grace Atkins, Paul filmed and directed groundbreaking documentaries that challenged our myths and inspired protection of the natural world, including the Emmy-winning Hawaii: Strangers in Paradise (Nat Geo/BBC), Great White Shark (BBC/Nat Geo) and Dolphins: The Wild Side (Nat Geo). Paul was director of photography on Jean-Michel Cousteau's Voyage to Kure, the film that persuaded President George W. Bush to declare the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands a National Monument in 2006. More recently, his work includes Disneynature's Dolphin Reed and Nat Geo's America's National Parks. Paul's narrative filmmaking spans numerous commercials, television series and feature films and he has worked with some of the world's most renown directors including Peter Weir on Master and Commander, Alejandro Inarritu on The Revenant, and Terrence Malick on The Tree of Life and other features. On a 40-day epic voyage around Cape Horn, he filmed for Master and Commander, which won the 2004 Academy Award for cinematography for Russell Boyd, ASC. His 2nd Unit shooting on The Tree of Life contributed to an Oscar nomination for cinematography, and Paul has continued to work with Malick on To the Wonder, Knight of Cups and as director of photography on his IMAX documentary about the evolution of the universe, The Voyage of Time.

Known For

Camera

2025A Paradise Lost...Director of Photography
2025Bride Hard..."C" Camera Operator
2023May December..."A" Camera Operator
2021The Big Bend...Director of Photography
2017Voyage of Time: Life's Journey...Director of Photography
2016Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience...Director of Photography
2015The Revenant...Second Unit Director of Photography
2015Point Break...Camera Operator
2015Knight of Cups...Second Unit Director of Photography
2014Wild Hawaii...Director of Photography
2008Heatstroke...Director of Photography
2007Tyrannosaurus Azteca...Director of Photography
2005Tides of War...Director of Photography
2005Tsunami - Killer Wave...Director of Photography
2004The Land Has Eyes...Director of Photography
2002The Life of Mammals...Director of Photography
1999National Geographic: The Filmmakers...Director of Photography
1997Night Orchid...Director of Photography
1994In the Wild: Dolphins With Robin Williams...Director of Photography
1990Trials of Life...Director of Photography
1990The Trials of Life...Director of Photography
1983Aliens From Inner Space...Director of Photography

Production

2021Sharks of Hawaii...Producer
2002Secret Killers of Monterey Bay...Producer
1995Great White Shark - The Silent Stalker...Producer
Hawaii: Sharks of the Fire Goddess...Producer

Directing

2020Sharks vs. Dolphins: Blood Battle...Director
2011The Tree of Life...Second Unit Director
2002Secret Killers of Monterey Bay...Director
1999Dolphins: The Wild Side...Director
1995Great White Shark - The Silent Stalker...Director
1983Natural World...Director

Crew

2015The Revenant...Second Unit Cinematographer
2002Secret Killers of Monterey Bay...Cinematography
1995Great White Shark - The Silent Stalker...Cinematography

Writing

2002Secret Killers of Monterey Bay...Writer
Hawaii: Sharks of the Fire Goddess...Writer

Acting

2020Diving Deep: The Life and Times of Mike deGruyas Self
1990The Making Of The Trials Of Life - Once More Into The Termite Moundas Self