Mikhail Kaufman

Mikhail Kaufman was a Soviet cinematographer and photographer of significant innovation. In the 1920s, following his return from the Russian Civil War, director Dziga Vertov offered him the opportunity to work as a cameraman on his newsreel series Kino-Pravda. Kaufman's cinematographic work is particularly notable for his contributions to Vertov's Man with the Movie Camera, which was built around innovative visual effects and meta-reference. In this landmark film, Kaufman is seen operating the camera in challenging conditions, including shooting from high bridges, hanging from moving trains, climbing smokestacks, and working underground with miners to achieve optimal cinematography. Kaufman subsequently directed three films: Moscow, In Spring, and An Unprecedented Campaign.