Robert Murphy is an award-winning cinematographer, director and editor based in Los Angeles. He has worked as cinematographer on 14 feature films and as editor on 7 feature films, in addition to dozens of shorts, music videos, and commercials. He has also acted in several films as well, including “In Search of a Midnight Kiss” and “Rage.”
Murphy’s cinematography is influenced by gritty, moody 70’s films and his work has been praised as
“breathtaking” (Austin Chronicle) and “haunting”
(Film Journal).
Robert worked as the cinematographer and supporting actor in the feature film “In Search of a Midnight Kiss,” which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and won the John Cassavetes Independent Spirit Award for best feature film under $500,000. It was also named one of the top ten independent films of the year by the National Board of Review. It was directed by Alex Holdridge and starred Scoot McNairy and Sara Simmonds.
In 2011 Robert won the award for best cinematography at the Los Angeles Downtown Film Festival for the feature comedy “Carlos Spills the Beans,” directed by Brian McGuire.
Murphy's work as both cinematographer and co-editor was again featured at the Seattle International Film Festival in 2013 for the Amazon Prime feature film “9 Full Moons.” starring Amy Seimetz, Bret Roberts, Donal Logue, Harry Dean Stanton, Brian McGuire, Pamela Adlon, and Dale Dickey.
It was directed by Tomer Almagor.
In 2014 Robert worked as cinematographer on Alex Holdridge’s next film “Meet Me in Montenegro,” which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was distributed by The Orchard to arthouse theatres and Hulu.
In 2017, Robert shot the feature drama “Shah Bob” about a young Persian writer struggling with both family and love in Los Angeles. It was directed by Babak Shokrian and starring Reza Safai.
In 2021, Robert shot the feature comedy “Hollywood.con,”directed by Mika Boorem. It’s currently available on Amazon and stars Mika Boorem, Tom Arnold, Herbert Russell, and Paige Howard.
In 2022, Robert worked as cinematographer and co-editor on the feature film "Peridot," which was released to great reviews by Gravitas Pictures and Peccadillo Pictures in North America and the UK in the fall of 2022. Peridot is directed by Shayne Collins and produced by Shayne Collins, Lisa Hall, Bernadette Camus and Robert Murphy
.
In 2023, Robert worked as cinematographer for “Red Mountain,” a thriller feature set in the mountain town of Ojai. This film has just completed post-production and was directed by Brent Florence and produced by Bryan Bahari.
Also in 2023, Robert shot and edited the TV pilot “Idyllwild,” about a horse therapy ranch for military veterans. It was directed by Kate
Zenna and written by Paula Tiberius and Kate Zenna.
In
2024, Robert shot the feature comedy “The Great Nick D,” directed by Ansel Faraj. He also shot the feature horror film “Broomstick Avenue,” directed by Ben Barlow.
In 2025, Robert worked as cinematographer on the feature horror film “Klifhaus,” shot on location in Tbilisi, Georgia, and directed by Tomer Almagor.
Also in 2025, Robert shot and edited two short films by award-winning director Tamara Hernandez: “Adelaida,” a Nicaraguan-based action film based on a true story, and “Alienated,” a sci-fi horror film about a young woman who finds out that she might not be human.
Robert has also shot and co-edited several shorts for visionary comedic actor/director Malie Mason., comedian Merrell Molly, and horror director Lenox Myette.
Critical Reviews of Robert’s cinematography:
“Director of photography Robert Murphy deserves a Spirit Award of his own for his breathtaking and evocative lensing of ever-cinematic Berlin and Montenegro.”
—Marc Savlov, Austin Chronicle
“Robert Murphy’s cinematography is the movie’s highpoint, especially his shots of East Berlin’s graffiti-covered tenement walls and a small-time amusement park, with its revolving rides and festoons of light that are at once tawdry and haunting.”
—-Simi Horwitz, Film Journal
A graduate of the University of Texas film program, Robert now lives in Los Angeles. His cinematic inspirations are Stanley Kubrick, Julia Ducournau, Roger Deakins, Andrea Arnold, Vittorio Storaro, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Martin Scorsese, Ilana Glazer, Robert Richardson, Florence Pugh, Kate Winslet, Paul Thomas Anderson, Greta Gerwig, Sarah Polley, and Quentin Tarantino.
Robert would also like to give a big shout out to his parents, Bob and Carolyn Murphy, and his brother Billy, for their continued support and encouragement through the years.