Libin is Brooklyn based, born and raised on Manhattan’s West 100th Street. Recent work includes cinematography for Jim McKay’s En el Séptimo Día, a 2019 Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award winner and one of both Hollywood Reporter's and ArtForum's 10 Best Films of the year. "Breathtakingly beautiful widescreen cinematography that deserves to be seen on a big screen", Sight & Sound Magazine, describes Charles Libin's work on Byamba Sakhya's dramatic feature debut Remote Control, a 2014 Camerimage Selection and winner of the 2013 Busan IFF New Current Award. A romantic comedy he shot on the East End of Long Island, Amy Miller Gross’ Sister of the Groom, starring Alicia Silverstone debuted streaming on Amazon in December 2020. Libin’s documentary work includes Bruce Springsteen’s Letter to You and The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash, directed by Thom Zimny and Jonathan Demme’s What’s Motivating Hayes. Over the years Libin’s love of music has led him to film many music videos as well as camerawork on Jonathan Demme films including his Neil Young Trilogy, and numerous other performance films including Spike Lee’s David Byrne’s American Utopia, Julian Schnabel’s Lou Reed: Berlin, and more recently Thom Zimny’s Bruce Springsteen on Broadway and Western Stars, co-directed by Springsteen. Libin studied film at SUNY Purchase. He worked as a NYC based gaffer on independent films, commercials and music videos in the nineties, soon transitioning into camerawork. He has operated and/or shot 2nd Unit for numerous DPs, working with some of his favorite filmmakers including Jonathan Demme, Martin Scorsese, Barry Levinson, Todd Haynes, Nicole Holofcener, Michel Gondry, Spike Lee, Paul Greengrass, Rebecca Miller, and David Fincher. Libin invented and co-designed with gaffer David Skutch the patented Ruby 7, a film & TV lighting fixture distributed by Arri. Libin’s recent work includes the upcoming documentary B-52’s Cosmic Things directed by Craig Johnson.
Director of Photography - Features & Television
2020: Sister of the Groom, Dir: Amy Miller Gross, Prod: Andrew Carlberg, Amy Miller Gross, Tim Harms, Exec. Prod: Alicia Silverstone
Bend, *short, Dir: Susan Misner, Prod: Zori Davidkova, Wes Hager, Best Short Winner, 2020 Dance on Camera Film Festival, Film Lincoln Center
Bruce Springsteen’s Letter to You, Dir: Thom Zimny, Co-DoPs: Joe DeSalvo, Antonio Rossi
2019: The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash, Dir: Thom Zimny, Co-DoP: Nicola Marsh, Prod: Sean M. Stuart, Thom Zimny, Dan Friedkin, Ryan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas, Glen Zipper, Exec. Prod: Frank Marshall, 2019 SXSW Film Festival, 2019 Telluride Film Festival
2017: En el Séptimo Día, Dir: Jim McKay, Prod: Jim McKay, Alex Bach, Lindsey Cordero, Caroline Kaplan, Michael Stipe, Exec Prod: John S. Johnson. 2019 Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award Winner, 2017 Golden Leopard Nominee Locarno International Film Festival
2015: What's Motivating Hayes, Dir: Jonathan Demme, Prod: Alex Gibney, Best Conservation Hero Award, 2016 New York WILD Film Festival
2014: Remote Control, Dir: Byamba Sakhya, Prod: Ariyunaa Tserenpil, Innbo Shim, 2014 Camerimage Official Selection, 2014 New Currents Award, Busan IFF
2013: HairBrained, Dir: Billy Kent, Prod: Sarah Bird
2012: Enzo Avitabile, Dir: Jonathan Demme, co-DoP: Vincenzo Pascolo, Prod: Davide Azzolini
2010: Sufjan Stevens Adz, performance film, Co-Dir: Sufjan Stevens - Prod: Rocco Caruso
2008: Able Danger, Dir: Dave Herman, Prod: Martina Neverman
2006: Mathew Barney, No Restraint, Dir: Alison Chernick, co-DoPs: Toshiaki Ozawa, Robert Leacock, Prod: Nadja Romain
2003: Rise: Rave Outlaw Disco Donnie, Dir: Julie Drazen, Prod: Summer Forest-Hoeckel
Director of Photography - Tandem Unit - Television
2021: Halston, Netflix, Dir: Daniel Minahan
Pose, F/X, Dir: Steven Canals
Invasion, Apple TV, Dir: Jamie Payne
2019: Fosse/Verdon, F/X, Dir: Jessica Yu
2013: (Backstage DP) Another Day, Another Time: Celebrating the Music of Inside Llewyn Davis, Showtime, Dir: Christopher Wilcha,
Director of Photography 2nd Unit - Features & Television
2019: Lost Girls, Dir: Liz Garbus, DP: Igor Martinovic
2018: Escape at Dannemora, Showtime, Dir: Ben Stiller, DP: Jessica Lee Gagné
Eating Animals, Dir: Christopher Dillon Quinn, DP: Mott Hupfel
2016: The Night of, HBO, Dir: Steve Zaillian, DP: Robert Elswit, ASC (pilot) 2016 Camerimage Winner Golden Frog Best Pilot, 2017 Emmy Cinematography For a Limited Series or Movie DP: Fred Elmes, ASC, 2017 ASC Winner Cinematography, DP Igor Martinovic
2014: The Cobbler, Dir: Thomas McCarthy, DP: Mott Hupfel
2012: Mildred Pierce, HBO, Dir: Todd Haynes, DP: Ed Lachman, ASC, 2011 Emmy Nom Cinematography, 2012 ASC Nom Cinematography
Not Fade Away, Dir: David Chase, DP: Eigil Bryld
2011: Boardwalk Empire, pilot, HBO, Dir: Martin Scorsese, DP: Stuart Dryburgh, ASC, 2011 Emmy Nom Cinematography
Neil Young Journeys, Dir: Jonathan Demme, DP: Declan Quinn, ASC
Too Big to Fail, HBO, Dir: Curtis Hanson, DP: Kramer Morgenthau, ASC, 2011 Emmy Nom Cinematography
2009: Taking Chance, HBO, Dir: Ross Katz, DP: Alar Kivilo, ASC, CSC, ESC, 2010 ASC Award Winner Cinematography
Private Lives of Pippa Lee, Dir: Rebecca Miller, DP: Declan Quinn, ASC
Neil Young Trunk Show, Dir: Jonathan Demme, DP: Declan Quinn, ASC
Camera Operator
2021: Pretend It’s a City, Netflix, Dir: Martin Scorsese, DP: Ellen Kuras, ASC
2020: David Byrne’s American Utopia, HBO, Dir: Spike Lee, DP: Ellen Kuras, ASC, Libin among camera operators nominated for 2021 Emmy
2018: Springsteen on Broadway, Netflix, Dir: Thom Zimny, DP: Joe DeSalvo
2014: Rikki and the Flash, Dir: Jonathan Demme, DP: Declan Quinn, ASC
2013: House of Cards, pilot, Netflix, Dir: David Fincher, DP: Eigil Bryld, 2103 Emmy Winner Cinematography
The Normal Heart, HBO, Dir: Ryan Murphy, DP: Danny Moder, 2014 Emmy Nom Cinematography
Captain Phillips, Dir: Paul Greengrass, DP: Barry Ackroyd, BSC, 2014 BAFTA Nom Cinematography, 2014 ASC Nom Cinematography
2012: The Miraculous Year, pilot, HBO, Dir: Kathryn Bigelow, DP: Barry Ackroyd, BSC
2010: You Don't Know Jack, HBO, Dir: Barry Levinson, DP: Eigil Bryld, 2010 Emmy Nom Cinematography
Henry's Crime, Dir: Malcolm Venville, DP: Paul Cameron, ASC
2009: Precious, Dir: Lee Daniels, DP: Andrew Dunn, BSC
2008: Rachel Getting Married, Dir: Jonathan Demme, DP: Declan Quinn, ASC
Be Kind, Rewind, Dir: Michel Gondry, DP: Ellen Kuras, ASC
2007: Berlin, Dir: Julian Schnabel, DP: Ellen Kuras, ASC
Then She Found Me, Dir: Helen Hunt, DP: Peter Donahue
2006: Neil Young Heart of Gold, Dir: Jonathan Demme, DP: Ellen Kuras, ASC
1999: Entropy, Dir: Phil Joanou, DP: Caroline Chen
1996: Trees Lounge, Dir: Steve Buscemi, DP: Lisa Rinzler
INSPIRATION
I like futility of effort. The uphill road to failure is a very human thing. – J.P. Melville
Those boys are always on the side of the underdog. – Jack Warner referring to the Epstein Brothers (writers of Casablanca) naming them to HUAC
My life was saved by rock 'n roll. – Wim Wenders
Make your interactions with people transformational, not just transactional. – Patti Smith
There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time. – Malcom X
I like finding a great shot and then just staying with it for a long time, not trying to pump things up with some kind of artificial energy by cutting… I often find myself feeling that filming music is somehow the purest form of filmmaking. This crazed collision of sound and images, the intense collaboration, these incredibly cinematic performances. And for the nights you're filming, a non-player like me gets to feel somehow part of the band. – Jonathan Demme
Your must go on. I can't go on. I'll go on. – Samuel Becket
Keep on rockin’ in the free world. – Neil Young
I love America more than any other country in the world, and , exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually. – James Baldwin
The Road to Paradise is Paradise. – Spanish proverb
We as filmmakers, are privileged. We can make people cry or laugh. We can make them think and feel. It is a great privilege and a great responsibility. - Haskell Wexler