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IMDbPro

Thomas E. Ackerman

  • Cinematographer
  • Camera and Electrical Department
  • Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Cinematographer Thomas Ackerman was born on 14 September, 1948 at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and enrolled in the University of Iowa, where he took a cinema course. He was hired by the university to shoot football games and training films for its School of Dentistry. In 1968 he went to work for Oscar-winning filmmaker Charles Guggenheim, who became his mentor.

After a stint in the US Air Force he went back to work for Guggenheim in Washington, DC. He moved to Los Angeles in 1973, hooked up with his Air Force buddy Mike Robe and was hired as a camera operator on a succession of Hollywood films, including Francis Ford Coppola's One from the Heart (1981). He was director of photography on Beetlejuice (1988) for director Tim Burton (for whom Ackerman had previously shot Frankenweenie (1984)).

In addition to cinematographer, he has also served as a second-unit director, notably on Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007) and Furry Vengeance (2010).
BornSeptember 14, 1948
BornSeptember 14, 1948
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
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Photos

Joe Johnston and Thomas E. Ackerman in Jumanji (1995)

Known for

Pamela Anderson, Leslie Nielsen, Simon Rex, Drake Bell, Craig Bierko, Regina Hall, and Tracy Morgan in Superhero Movie (2008)
Superhero Movie
4.6
  • Cinematographer
  • 2008
John Cleese, Rowan Atkinson, Whoopi Goldberg, Cuba Gooding Jr., Seth Green, Jon Lovitz, Breckin Meyer, and Amy Smart in Rat Race (2001)
Rat Race
6.4
  • Cinematographer(as Thomas Ackerman)
  • 2001
John Cleese, Brendan Fraser, Scooper, Binx, Tookie, Zakery, Emely, and Hopper in George of the Jungle (1997)
George of the Jungle
5.5
  • Cinematographer(as Thomas Ackerman)
  • 1997
Back to School (1986)
Back to School
6.6
  • Cinematographer
  • 1986

Credits

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IMDbPro

Cinematographer

  • Venom Therapy (2015)
    Venom Therapy
    • Cinematographer
    • Short
    • 2015
  • Maria Thayer and Michael Cassidy in Night of the Living Deb (2015)
    Night of the Living Deb
    • director of photography
    • 2015
  • Justin Long, Jesse McCartney, and Matthew Gray Gubler in Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011)
    Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked
    • director of photography (as Thomas Ackerman)
    • 2011
  • Carmen Electra, Nicholas D'Agosto, Bret Harrison, and Josh Gad in Mardi Gras: Spring Break (2011)
    Mardi Gras: Spring Break
    • Cinematographer
    • 2011
  • Christopher Rodriguez Marquette and Brooke Nevin in Infestation (2009)
    Infestation
    • Cinematographer (as Thomas Ackerman)
    • 2009
  • Fired Up! (2009)
    Fired Up!
    • Cinematographer (as Thomas Ackerman)
    • 2009
  • Pamela Anderson, Leslie Nielsen, Simon Rex, Drake Bell, Craig Bierko, Regina Hall, and Tracy Morgan in Superhero Movie (2008)
    Superhero Movie
    • director of photography
    • 2008
  • Balls of Fury (2007)
    Balls of Fury
    • director of photography
    • 2007
  • Marilyn Reloaded (2007)
    Marilyn Reloaded
    • director of photography
    • Short
    • 2007
  • Carmen Electra, Craig Bierko, Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Shaquille O'Neal, and Phil McGraw in Scary Movie 4 (2006)
    Scary Movie 4
    • Cinematographer
    • 2006
  • Rob Schneider, David Spade, and Jon Heder in The Benchwarmers (2006)
    The Benchwarmers
    • Cinematographer
    • 2006
  • Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World (2005)
    Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World
    • Cinematographer
    • 2005
  • Ice Cube, Aleisha Allen, and Philip Bolden in Are We There Yet? (2005)
    Are We There Yet?
    • director of photography (as Thomas Ackerman)
    • 2005
  • Wake Up, Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Wake Up, Ron Burgundy
    • Cinematographer (as Thomas Ackerman)
    • Video
    • 2004
  • Christina Applegate, Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, David Koechner, and Paul Rudd in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
    • director of photography (as Thomas Ackerman)
    • 2004

Camera and Electrical Department

  • Justin Long, Jesse McCartney, and Matthew Gray Gubler in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015)
    Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip
    • director of photography: second unit (as Thomas Ackerman)
    • 2015
  • Hank Azaria and Russell Brand in Hop (2011)
    Hop
    • director of photography: second unit (as Thomas Ackerman)
    • 2011
  • Brendan Fraser in Furry Vengeance (2010)
    Furry Vengeance
    • additional photographer: second unit (as Tom Ackerman)
    • 2010
  • Justin Long, Jesse McCartney, and Matthew Gray Gubler in Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
    Alvin and the Chipmunks
    • director of photography: second unit
    • 2007
  • Richard Pryor in Moving (1988)
    Moving
    • director of photography: second unit (as Tom Ackerman)
    • 1988
  • Inside Out (1986)
    Inside Out
    • director of photography: second unit (as Thomas Ackerman)
    • 1986
  • The Making of Liberty (1986)
    The Making of Liberty
    • camera operator
    • 1986
  • The Gift of Life (1982)
    The Gift of Life
    • camera operator (as Thomas Ackerman)
    • TV Movie
    • 1982
  • The Gangster Chronicles (1981)
    The Gangster Chronicles
    • camera operator (1981)
    • TV Mini Series
    • 1981
  • One from the Heart (1981)
    One from the Heart
    • camera operator (as Thomas Ackerman)
    • 1981
  • The Man Who Saw Tomorrow (1981)
    The Man Who Saw Tomorrow
    • cameraman (as Tom Ackerman)
    • 1981
  • The Great Smokey Roadblock (1977)
    The Great Smokey Roadblock
    • additional photographer (as Tom Ackerman)
    • 1977
  • Moonchild (1972)
    Moonchild
    • camera operator
    • 1972

Second Unit or Assistant Director

  • Justin Long, Jesse McCartney, and Matthew Gray Gubler in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015)
    Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip
    • second unit director (as Thomas Ackerman)
    • 2015
  • Hank Azaria and Russell Brand in Hop (2011)
    Hop
    • second unit director (as Thomas Ackerman)
    • 2011
  • Brendan Fraser in Furry Vengeance (2010)
    Furry Vengeance
    • second unit director
    • 2010
  • Justin Long, Jesse McCartney, and Matthew Gray Gubler in Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
    Alvin and the Chipmunks
    • second unit director
    • 2007

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative names
    • Thomas Ackerman
  • Born
    • September 14, 1948
    • Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA

Did you know

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  • Trivia
    Was educated at the University of Iowa.

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