Philip Gries

Philip Richard Gries (born February 2, 1943) is an American cinematographer known for his work on over one thousand union (IATSE Local 600) and non-union projects, including documentaries, commercials, advertising, and adult films.

His work spans over four decades including the Emmy Award-winning documentary Vermeer: Master of Light (2001), the PBS Frontline documentary 88 Seconds in Greensboro (1983), the PBS series The World of Ideas with Bill Moyers (1988), and the 13-part documentary series Mafia's Greatest Hits (2012).

Early life and education
Gries was born in Jewish Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, to Nathan Gries (b. 1902) and Lillian K. Gries (b. 1905).

Gries attended various educational institutions including P.S. 206, Yeshiva Rambam, Shell Bank Junior High School, and James Madison High School. Gries pursued higher education at Farmingdale State College, where he obtained an associate degree in Agronomy. He earned a bachelor's degree in film production from the City College of New York and a master's degree in fine arts in Film and Television from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Career
In the Fall of 1970, Gries began his freelance cinematography career in Los Angeles, joining the N.A.B.E.T cameraman's union. He later accepted a staff position as a cinematographer/editor at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay & WPNE, the Public Television Station affiliate, where he worked from 1974 to 1978.

One of the highlights of Gries' career has been his association with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), for which he photographed 183 documentary productions over a period of twenty years. He has worked on documentary projects for PBS, including "The World of Ideas with Bill Moyers," "Frontline," and "American Masters."

Gries is the founder and owner of Archival Television Audio, Inc., which was accredited by Guinness World Records in 2002 for approaching 1 million visitors. Gries has appeared over 35 times on TV CONFIDENTIAL.

Selected filmography

 * Vermeer: Master of Light (2001)
 * Ginevra's Story
 * The World of Ideas with Bill Moyers (series)
 * The Story of English with Robert MacNeil (pilot)
 * Biography
 * 20/20
 * Mister Abbott's Broadway
 * Showboat Story
 * Television Makers
 * Oscars (series)
 * Carols for Christmas
 * Britain at War
 * The Search for Mind
 * Bogart: The Untold Story
 * The Survivors of the Shoah (Claude Lanzmann interviews for PBS)
 * American Masters (including Maurice Sendak: Mon Cher Papa and Plácido Domingo: A Musical Life)
 * Frontline (including "Secret File" and "88 Seconds in Greensboro")
 * NOVA
 * Wide Angle
 * Medicine at the Crossroads
 * Infinite Voyage
 * American Experience