Ben Seresin

{{short description|New Zealand cinematographer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox person | name = Ben Seresin | image = | caption = | birth_name = Benjamin Paul Seresin | birth_place = Wellington, New Zealand | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1962|11|03}}<ref name=cinematographers/> | years_active = 1981–present | relatives = Michael Seresin (brother) | website = {{URL|https://www.benseresin.com/}} }} '''Benjamin Paul Seresin''', {{small|BSC, ASC}} (born 3 November 1962) is a New Zealand cinematographer, best known for his work in blockbuster action films.<ref name=nst>{{cite web|url=https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/groove/2017/06/245033/oddball-set|title=Oddball on the set|work=New Straits Times|date=2 June 2017|access-date=3 August 2017}}</ref>

==Background== His father, Harry Seresin, was a Jewish emigrant from Germany who became a prominent figure in the hospitality and café industry in Wellington.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Harry Seresin's coffee gallery {{!}} NZ History |url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/harry-seresins-coffee-gallery |access-date=2026-02-06 |website=nzhistory.govt.nz}}</ref>

He is the younger brother of Michael Seresin, who is also a cinematographer.{{citation needed|date=October 2018}}

==Career== At the age of 18, he moved to Australia to enter the film industry. After serving as a camera assistant, he moved to the United Kingdom, where he has lived since 1992.<ref name=cinematographers>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.cinematographers.nl/PaginasDoPh/seresin-ben.htm|title=Ben Seresin|encyclopedia=Internet Encyclopedia of Cinematographers|access-date=3 August 2017}}</ref>

Seresin described his approach to his work as "detached". "As a DP, you have to learn to both trust your eye and to be brave enough to say to the director 'This is the wrong decision'".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nycppnews.com/12556/|title=New York Film Academy: Making Its Name Step by Step|website=Nycppnews.com|date=6 August 2013 |accessdate=7 November 2017}}</ref>

He has been a member of the British Society of Cinematographers (BSC) since 2010, and the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) since 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |title='Broken City' Director of Photography Chats at NYFA Union Square - New York Film Academy Blog |url=https://www.nyfa.edu/film-school-blog/broken-city-director-photography-chats-nyfa-union-square/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170426053553/https://www.nyfa.edu/film-school-blog/broken-city-director-photography-chats-nyfa-union-square/ |archive-date=26 April 2017 |access-date=7 February 2017}}</ref>

During the tumultuous production of ''World War Z'', Seresin replaced the cinematographers Robert Richardson and Newton Thomas Sigel, who declined to return for extensive reshoots. Richardson was the original cinematographer, but major logistic problems and delays made him leave principal photography, with Siegel serving as replacement before Seresin took over. In the end, Seresin received sole credit for the film.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=The Playlist |last2=Jagernauth |first2=Kevin |date=2016-02-03 |title=Watch: Robert Richardson Explains Why He Took His Name Off 'World War Z' And More In 58-Minute Cinematographer Talk |url=https://theplaylist.net/watch-robert-richardson-explains-why-he-took-his-name-off-world-war-z-and-more-in-58-minute-cinematographer-talk-20160203/ |access-date=2026-02-06 |website=The Playlist |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-07-25 |title=World War Z (2013) - DP: Ben Seresin |url=https://www.sheldonwalker.com/posts/2014/7/25/world-war-z-2013-dp-ben-seresin |access-date=2026-02-06 |website=Sheldon J. Walker {{!}} Cinematographer |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Filmography== ===Film === {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Director ! Notes |- | 1997 | ''The James Gang'' |rowspan=2|Mike Barker | |- | 1999 | ''Best Laid Plans'' | |- | 2000 | ''Circus'' | Rob Walker | |- | 2004 | ''A Good Woman'' | Mike Barker | |- | 2007 | ''Gone'' | Ringan Ledwidge | |- | 2009 | ''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' | Michael Bay | |- | 2010 | ''Unstoppable'' | Tony Scott | |- |rowspan=3|2013 | ''Broken City'' | Allen Hughes | |- | ''Pain & Gain'' | Michael Bay | |- | ''World War Z'' | Marc Forster | |- | 2017 | ''The Mummy'' | Alex Kurtzman | |- |rowspan=2|2021 | ''Chaos Walking'' | Doug Liman | |- | ''Godzilla vs. Kong'' | Adam Wingard | |- | 2023 | ''The Mother'' | Niki Caro | |- | 2024 | ''Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire'' | Adam Wingard | |- |} <!-- '''Short film''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Director |- | 2015 | ''Hearts & Arrows'' | Benjamin Millepied |- | 2024 | ''Sicker than the Patients'' | Henry Hobson |- | 2025 | ''A Disney Holiday Short: Best Christmas Ever'' | Taika Waititi |}

'''Documentary film''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Director ! Notes |- | 2019 | ''And We Go Green'' | Fisher Stevens<br>Malcolm Venville | Shared credit with Lucas Bielan, Daniel Carter, Damien Drake,<br>Adam Kimmel, Tobias A. Schliessler and Jean-Michel Tibi |} --> === Television === {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Director ! Notes |- | 1990 | ''He-Play'' | Mike Cuff | Episode "Keeper" |- | 1996 | ''Dalziel and Pascoe'' | Maurice Phillips | Episode "An Advancement of Learning" |- | 2003 | ''Keen Eddie'' | Simon West | Episode "Pilot" |}

'''TV movies''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Director |- | 1995 | ''Go Back Out'' | Mike Barker |- | 1997 | ''The Grimleys'' | Declan Lowney |- | 2009 | ''Free Agents'' | Richard Laxton |}

'''Documentary series''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Director ! Notes |- | 2019 | ''The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann'' |rowspan=2|Chris Smith | With Josep M. Civit, Geoffrey Sentamu, Patrick Smith,<br>James Watson and Benjamin Michael Wearing |- | 2022 | ''Branson'' | With Tim Cragg and Geoffrey Sentamu |}

==Accolades== {| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Award ! Category ! Title ! Result ! Ref. |- | 2010 | Satellite Awards | Best Cinematography | ''Unstoppable'' | {{nom}} | <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thewrap.com/satellite-awards-nominate-inception-and-everything-else-22937/|title=Satellite Awards Nominate 'Inception' (and Everything Else)|work=TheWrap|date=1 December 2010|access-date=3 August 2017}}</ref> |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.benseresin.com/}} * {{IMDb name|0785026}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Seresin, Ben}} Category:1962 births Category:Living people Category:New Zealand cinematographers Category:New Zealand people of German-Jewish descent Category:New Zealand expatriates in the United Kingdom Category:21st-century New Zealand Jews Category:20th-century New Zealand Jews