Alumni Spotlight: Chris Teague '06
Alumni Spotlights is a place to hear from the School of the Arts alumni community about their journeys as artists and creators.
Chris Teague '06 is cinematographer who is perhaps most widely recognized for his work on the hit Netflix series Russian Doll, which earned him an Emmy. Most recently Chris was nominated for a second Emmy for his work on the wildly popular Hulu series Only Murders in the Building, and he also directed two episodes of the second season. Prior to that, Chris was a DP on the critically acclaimed FX on-Hulu limited series Mrs. America, starring Cate Blanchett. Chris was awarded Best Cinematography at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival for his work on the 16mm feature drama Love after Love, starring Andie MacDowell. Six of the feature films Chris has shot have premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and his work has been showcased consistently at festivals around the world, including New Directors/New Films, The New York Film Festival, Cannes, SXSW, and Karlovy Vary. Most recently Chris worked as the lead cinematographer for a new Star Wars series called The Acolyte, which releases in June 2024. Chris graduated with an MFA in screenwriting and directing from Columbia University, where he directed a number of award-winning shorts.
Was there a specific faculty member or peer who especially inspired you while at the School of the Arts? If so, who and how?
I had many excellent professors at Columbia. Eric Mendelsohn and Tom Kalin were two of the most influential. Eric was the first person to open my eyes to how you can use a camera to help tell a story, and Tom encouraged me to take risks and explore the medium from different perspectives.
How did attending the School of the Arts impact your work and career as an artist?
Attending the School of the Arts gave the me the opportunity to work with many phenomenally talented peers who pushed me to develop my own skills and broaden my understanding of cinema. It also allowed me an intense, focused, and extensive period of time in which I could explore my own interests in storytelling and take chances in a supportive environment.
What were the first steps you took after graduating?
While I was still in school and doing my thesis work I was able to pay my rent as a cinematographer on industrials, documentaries, and web videos etc. I was able to work with many alumni on these kinds of bread and butter gigs (and I still do) and at the same time I could take time to shoot short films and features that were meaningful projects to me.
What advice would you give to recent graduates?
For some directors it can take a long time to find directing work that pays well enough to get by, so it's not a bad idea to have a secondary skill as a shooter, editor, producer, etc. that can pay your rent and allow you the flexibility to develop your own work and also stay close to the filmmaking community.