Eugen Schüfftan

Schüfftan was born on 21 July 1893 in Breslau, Silesia, German Empire (now Wrocław, Poland). He invented the Schüfftan process, a special effects technique that employed mirrors to insert actors into miniature sets. One of the early uses of the process was for Metropolis (1927), directed by Fritz Lang. The technique was widely used throughout the first half of the 20th century until it was supplanted by the travelling matte and bluescreen techniques.

Schüfftan began his career in Berlin as a painter of Impressionist paintings, then turned to Expressionism and then worked as an architect and decorative painter. The artist came to film via detours. In 1923, his fascination for the camera and camera techniques led him to the mirror animation process, which later became named after him, which became famous in 1924 with Fritz Lang's film epic Die Nibelungen (The Nibelungs) and was used on a large scale for the first time in Metropolis (1927). The arrangement of one or more partially transparent mirrors made it possible to depict miniature models behind actors as huge buildings. Eugen Schüfftan initially became technical director at Deutsche Spiegeltechnik GmbH & Co., but after a few years he handed over his post to the film architect Fritz Maurischat in order to devote himself again to his work as a cameraman. In 1930, Schüfftan was the cinematographer in charge of the documentary Menschen am Sonntag, directed by Robert Siodmak and Billy Wilder. As a result of the National Socialists' seizure of power, his work was soon massively restricted. Schüfftan emigrated to France, where he filmed with Marcel Carné (A Strange Case and Harbour in the Fog), among others. After the occupation of France, he emigrated to the USA, where he was able to continue his work. In the film Hitler's Madman 1942/1943, director Sierck wanted him as a cameraman, but Schüfftan did not get a work permit for the USA because the local cameramen's association A.S.C. refused him membership. Therefore, an American photographer named Jack Greenhalgh received credit, while Schüfftan was de facto solely responsible for photographing the film. In technical professions, the American trade unions were anxious to protect the interests of their members, which is why emigrated cameramen such as Schüfftan and Curt Courant found difficulty being employed in film productions.. His animation techniques were later used in the films The Voyages of Odysseus and Captain Sinbad, among others. Schüfftan won the 1962 Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White for his work on the film The Hustler. He died on 6 September 1977 in New York City.

• Year — Film — Director — Notes • 1924 — Die Nibelungen — Fritz Lang • 1927 — Metropolis — Fritz Lang • Napoléon — Abel Gance • 1930 — People on Sunday — Curt Siodmak, Robert Siodmak, Edgar G. Ulmer, Fred Zinnemann • Farewell — Robert Siodmak • The Stolen Face — Philipp Lothar Mayring, Erich Schmidt • 1931 — The Street Song — Lupu Pick • The Scoundrel — Eugen Schüfftan, Franz Wenzler • My Wife, the Impostor — Kurt Gerron • I'd Rather Have Cod Liver Oil — Max Ophüls • 1932 — Coeurs joyeux — Hanns Schwarz, Max de Vaucorbeil • The Mistress of Atlantis — Georg Wilhelm Pabst • Gypsies of the Night — Hanns Schwarz • L'Atlantide — Georg Wilhelm Pabst • Queen of Atlantis — Georg Wilhelm Pabst • The Faceless Voice — Leo Mittler • 1933 — The Oil Sharks — Rudolf Katscher • Du haut en bas — Georg Wilhelm Pabst • Läufer von Marathon — Ewald André Dupont • Invisible Opponent — Rudolf Katscher • 1934 — The Scandal — Marcel L'Herbier • The Crisis is Over — Robert Siodmak • Irish Hearts — Brian Desmond Hurst • 1935 — The Invader — Adrian Brunel • Children of the Fog — John Quin and Leopold Jessner • La Tendre ennemie — Max Ophüls • 1936 — The Robber Symphony — Friedrich Feher • Komedie om geld — Max Ophüls • María de la O — Francisco Elías — With Carmen Amaya and Pastora Imperio • 1937 — Bizarre, Bizarre — Marcel Carné • The Cheat — Marcel L'Herbier • Yoshiwara — Max Ophüls • 1938 — The Novel of Werther — Max Ophüls • Port of Shadows — Marcel Carné • Mollenard — Robert Siodmak • 1944 — It Happened Tomorrow — René Clair • 1950 — The Hunted — Borys Lewin • 1952 — The Road to Damascus — Max Glass • 1953 — The Venus of Tivoli — Leonard Steckel • 1954 — A Parisian in Rome — Erich Kobler • 1955 — Ulysses — Mario Camerini • 1958 — Head Against the Wall — Georges Franju • 1960 — Eyes Without a Face — Georges Franju • 1961 — The Hustler — Robert Rossen • Something Wild — Jack Garfein • 1963 — Captain Sindbad — Byron Haskin • 1964 — Lilith — Robert Rossen