BIO
Cinematographer Ward Russell’s “Days of Thunder” and “X-Files: The Movie” established his reputation for stylish action pictures. His contemporary film noir “The Last Boy Scout” has become a cult film studied in many film schools. He has brought his big film look to smaller independents such as “Cruel World”, “Lawnmower Man II” and “Unstoppable”.
In addition to feature work, Ward has photographed over 500 television commercials all over the world. He has shot for most of the major automobile companies and every other type of commercial imaginable. From the stylistic world of Tony Scott, he then became known as a car shooter, and then went on to spend four years photographing people and lifestyles in the humorous commercials of Jeff Gorman.
The last three years have seen Ward splitting his time between running his camera rental business Brite Lite Productions, LLC-Camera in Santa Fe, New Mexico, lecturing on cinematography and lighting at the University of Kansas, College of Santa Fe, Santa Fe Community College, 
CCNM in Albuquerque, and the Institute of American Indian Arts and finally being able to live and work at home on the many productions taking advantage of the New Mexico State Tax Incentives.
Ward and his wife Mary Cay Hollander-Russell, a former Hollywood production coordinator with over thirty film credits, continue to run Brite Lite Productions, LLC producing promotional and educational videos and documentaries.
Ward Russell is a graduate of the Theatre Department of the University of Kansas and worked as a theatrical lighting designer at ACT and the San Francisco Opera before shifting his lighting talents into motion pictures.
He is a member of IATSE Local 600, The Professional Advisory Board to the Theatre and Film Department of the University of Kansas, and a member of the Board of Directors of Silver Bullet Productions in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
