Freddie Francis Biography

Fast Facts

• Honored by the American Society of Cinematographers in 1997 with an international achievement award
• Served in the Britich Army for seven years, working with their film unit during WWII
• Quote: "I still photograph things in black and white, but the fact that it's colour stock means they come out in colour․ I know that sounds rather facetious ․․․ but I prefer to think in terms of light and shade than in colour․"
• An avid cinematographer in his later years, he would often voice his dislike for special effects, as he thought it diminshed a cinematography's artistic vision
• After working in big budget dramas as director of photography, he would gravitate toward low-budget productions in the horror or thriller genres after becoming a director
• Initially served as an apprentice to photographer Stanley Lupino and worked as a camera operator before taking over directorial duties in 1962
• Frequent collaborator of cinematographers, Christopher Challis and Oswald Morris
• Completed work on his autobiography only weeks before suffering a stroke in 2006