Dana Kupper
Documentary Camerawork
Curriculum Vitae
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Accomplished cinematographer freelancing on feature length documentaries, shorter corporate projects and commercials with a documentary style, and an associate of the respected company Kartemquin films
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Business owner of 1st Gear, Inc, a company that specializes in educational non- fiction videos
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Senior Professional Lecturer at DePaul University College of Computing and Digital Media teaching the art and science of cinematography, especially the cutting edge of digital technology and documentary camerawork
Professional ​
Profile
Awards and Honors
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2020 DePaul University - Women of Spirit and Action Award recipient
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2017 NewCity Film: One of Chicago’s 50 Screen Gems
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2015 IndieWire: Eight More Female Cinematographers You Should Know About
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2014 NewCity Film: One of Chicago’s 50 Screen Gems
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2003 ‘Excellence in Cinematography’ Feature Length Documentary
Sundance Film Festival “Stevie”
Filmography
Cinematographer Click here to see my IMDB!
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2018 Above and Beyond: NASA's Journey to Tomorrow Rory Kennedy, director TV Movie Documentary
2018 American Creed Feature Documentary PBS
2017 Grace Documentary Short Siskel/Jacobs Productions
2015 Hard Earned TV Series Documentary Al Jazeera America
2014 Life Itself Theatrical Release Documentary Steve James, director
Winner of 22 Awards, including a Cinema Eye Honors Award, National Board of Review, New York Film Critics, Producer’s Guild, Women Film Critics Circle Award
2014 “We The Economy” Episode 21: The Value of Work
(Paul G. Allen’s Vulcan Productions and Morgan Spurlock’s Cinelan web series)
2012 Head Games Feature Length Documentary
2010 The Calling Independent Lens PBS
2010 Trust: Second Acts in Young Lives Feature Length Documentary
2010 “Invitation to World Literature” TV Series documentary
2009 Do No Harm Feature Length Documentary
2009 Girls on the Wall Feature Length Documentary
2009 The Tiger Next Door Feature Length Documentary
2008 In The Family P.O.V. series PBS
2008 Election Day P.O.V. series PBS
2005 A Doula Story Feature Length Documentary
2004 The New Americans Independent Lens Series PBS
2002 Stevie Theatrical Release Documentary
'Excellence in Cinematography' Feature Length Documentary Sundance Film Festival
Camera Operator / Additional Cinematography
2018 NOVA TV Series Documentary - "Predication by the Numbers"
2018 America to Me Documentary Series
2014 Trials of Muhammad Ali Emmy Award Winner
2013 Kind Hearted Woman Frontline
2012 The Interrupters Feature Length Documentary
2011 Andrew Bird: Fever Year
2009 Joan Baez: How Sweet the Sound American Masters
2009 How to Live Forever
2009 What’s the Matter with Kansas?
2009 New Muslim Cool P.O.V. Series
2008 At the Death House Door
2007 Wrestling with Angels: Playwright Tony Kushner P.O.V. Series
Teaching Experience
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Senior Professional Lecturer- DePaul University College of Computing and Digital Media (Present)
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Adjunct Faculty – Columbia College 1988 – 2016
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Camera Seminar I
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Camera Seminar II
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Documentary Cinematography
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Intro to Digital Cinematography
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Digital Cinematography
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University of Chicago – Lighting and Camera Seminars 2001 -2003
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Chicago Filmmakers – Lighting and Camera Seminars 2003
Highlights of Professional Experience
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Worked at two Motion Picture equipment rental houses
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Member of IATSE camera union as a 1st Camera Assistant
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Traveled to over 12 different countries around the world to film, including Singapore, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Nepal and 3 trips to Africa
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Cinematographer for over 6 feature length documentaries on Independent Lens, POV and Frontline
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Cinematographer for three feature length documentaries with a theatrical release.
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Cinematographer for over 20 commercials, including a year long web series for Ford Trucks
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Cinematographer for corporate clients such as Chevron, Essence, BMW
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Cinematographer and Producer for over 30 videos for Chicago Public Schools, highlighting various curriculums such as the International Baccalaureate Programme.
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BA / Cinema Art & Science -- Columbia College Chicago
From NewCity Film, One of Chicago's 50 Screen Gems
2014