Teo Escamilla
Biography
Teodoro Escamilla Serrano; Seville, 1940 - Matanzas, Cuba, 1997 Spanish cinematographer. In contrast to directors of photography who were concerned above all with creating their own style, Teo Escamilla was always in favor of a patient craftsmanship in cinematographic lighting that allowed him to adapt it, scene by scene, to the director's vision and to the specific story. He began his professional career as a photojournalist for publications such as Cine en 7 días, El Caso, the Madrid newspaper and the magazine Sábado Gráfico, and later as a television operator. In 1964 he became assistant cameraman on Llegar a más (1964, Jesús Fernández Santos) and the regular second operator for Luis Cuadrado, his mentor and teacher, whom he succeeded after his retirement due to illness in 1976 as director of photography on the films produced by Elías Querejeta. He debuted as first operator in Las violentas (1974, Fernando Miranda), to later take over from Juan Antonio Ruiz Anchía in El desencanto (1976, Jaime Chávarri), and from then on developed an intense work that would make him one of the most outstanding operators in Spanish cinema. He frequently worked on films by filmmakers such as Carlos Saura, Jaime Chávarri, Jaime de Armiñán (with whom in 1979 he founded the production company A punto, later Serva Films), Víctor Erice, José Luis Borau and Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón, among others. For Carlos Saura's El amor brujo (1986), he received the Goya award for best cinematography. After directing two short films, Quiero ser mayor (1976) and an episode of the collective film Cuentos para una escapada (1979), in 1983 he debuted as a feature film director with Tú solo, a story set in the world of bullfighting, which received the Special Mention for best new director at the San Sebastian International Film Festival, although his career as first director did not continue.
Personal Details
Also Known As
Movies (49)
The Rats
Director of Photography (Camera)
1997
Robo en el cine Capitol
Cinematography (Crew)
1996
King of the River
Director of Photography (Camera)
1995
Felicidades, Tovarich
Producer (Production)
1995
La Lola se va a los puertos
Cinematography (Crew)
1993
The Dark Night of the Soul
Director of Photography (Camera)
1989
Berlin Blues
Director of Photography (Camera)
1988
El Dorado
Director of Photography (Camera)
1988
Mi general
Camera Operator (Camera)
1987
El amor brujo
Cinematography (Crew)
1986
Tata Mía
Director of Photography (Camera)
1986
The Witching Hour
Director of Photography (Camera)
1985
Beyond the Walls
Director of Photography (Camera)
1985
Stico
Director of Photography (Camera)
1985
On the Line
Director of Photography (Camera)
1984
You Alone
1984
A Summer in Hell
Director of Photography (Camera)
1984
Ferocious
Director of Photography (Camera)
1984
Dressed in Blue
Cinematography (Crew)
1983
Carmen
Director of Photography (Camera)
1983
Sweet Hours
Director of Photography (Camera)
1982
Trágala, perro
Director of Photography (Camera)
1981
Evening Performance
Director of Photography (Camera)
1981
Cuentos para una escapada
Director (Directing)
1981
Faster, Faster
Cinematography (Crew)
1981
Blood Wedding
Director of Photography (Camera)
1981
Maravillas
Cinematography (Crew)
1981
The Nest
Director of Photography (Camera)
1980
Dedicated to...
Director of Photography (Camera)
1980
F. E. N.
Director of Photography (Camera)
1980
Mama Turns 100
Director of Photography (Camera)
1979
Heart of the Forest
Director of Photography (Camera)
1979
Somnambulists
Cinematography (Crew)
1978
The Prodigious Life of Father Vincent
Director of Photography (Camera)
1978
Blindfolded Eyes
Director of Photography (Camera)
1978
Nunca es tarde
Director of Photography (Camera)
1977
To an Unknown God
Director of Photography (Camera)
1977
In Memoriam
Director of Photography (Camera)
1977
Elisa, My Life
Director of Photography (Camera)
1977
Caperucita y Roja
Director of Photography (Camera)
1977
Del amor y de la muerte
Director of Photography (Camera)
1977
The Burned City
Cinematography (Crew)
1976
The Disenchantment
Director of Photography (Camera)
1976
Cria!
Director of Photography (Camera)
1976
Viure sense Viure
Cinematography (Crew)
1976
Hard Times for Dracula
Director of Photography (Camera)
1976
B. Must Die
Camera Operator (Camera)
1975
The Love of Captain Brando
Camera Operator (Camera)
1974
Las violentas
Director of Photography (Camera)
1974
