Person

Paul Atkins

Multiple people share this name — showing the most well-known match (Camera).

Camera

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.

6.3
Crowd average · 14 titles
30
Titles

Titles

The Revenant
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7.5

The Revenant

Dec 25, 2015
Second Unit Cinematographer, Second Unit Director of Photography
The Tree of Life
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6.7

The Tree of Life

May 17, 2011
Second Unit Director
Point Break
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6.0

Point Break

Dec 3, 2015
Camera Operator
May December
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6.6

May December

Nov 16, 2023
"A" Camera Operator
Knight of Cups
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5.7

Knight of Cups

Sep 10, 2015
Second Unit Director of Photography
Voyage of Time: Life's Journey
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6.3

Voyage of Time: Life's Journey

Mar 10, 2017
Director of Photography
Bride Hard
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5.6

Bride Hard

Jun 19, 2025
"C" Camera Operator
Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience
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6.9

Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience

Oct 7, 2016
Director of Photography
The Life of Mammals
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8.4

The Life of Mammals

Nov 20, 2002
Director of Photography
Tyrannosaurus Azteca
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4.8

Tyrannosaurus Azteca

May 5, 2007
Director of Photography
Natural World
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7.4

Natural World

Oct 30, 1983
Director
Tides of War
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4.6

Tides of War

Apr 1, 2005
Director of Photography
Heatstroke
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3.0

Heatstroke

May 31, 2008
Director of Photography
Trials of Life
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8.4

Trials of Life

Oct 4, 1990
Director of Photography
The Land Has Eyes
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5.8

The Land Has Eyes

Jan 15, 2004
Director of Photography
Wild Hawaii
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7.7

Wild Hawaii

Aug 20, 2014
Director of Photography
The Trials of Life
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9.2

The Trials of Life

Oct 3, 1990
Director of Photography
Night Orchid
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5.3

Night Orchid

Nov 3, 1997
Director of Photography
Sharks vs. Dolphins: Blood Battle
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7.5

Sharks vs. Dolphins: Blood Battle

Jul 27, 2020
Director
Tsunami - Killer Wave
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8.0

Tsunami - Killer Wave

Feb 22, 2005
Director of Photography
Dolphins: The Wild Side
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7.0

Dolphins: The Wild Side

Feb 13, 1999
Director
In the Wild: Dolphins With Robin Williams
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9.0

In the Wild: Dolphins With Robin Williams

Dec 25, 1994
Director of Photography
Great White Shark - The Silent Stalker
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9.0

Great White Shark - The Silent Stalker

Jan 1, 1995
Director, Producer, Cinematography
National Geographic: The Filmmakers
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National Geographic: The Filmmakers

May 11, 1999
Director of Photography
Hawaii: Sharks of the Fire Goddess
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Hawaii: Sharks of the Fire Goddess

TBA
Writer, Producer
Sharks of Hawaii
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Sharks of Hawaii

Apr 21, 2021
Producer
Aliens From Inner Space
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Aliens From Inner Space

Nov 17, 1983
Director of Photography
The Big Bend
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The Big Bend

Oct 22, 2021
Director of Photography
A Paradise Lost
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A Paradise Lost

Oct 19, 2025
Director of Photography
Secret Killers of Monterey Bay
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Secret Killers of Monterey Bay

Jan 1, 2002
Director, Writer, Producer, Cinematography