It is with great sadness that we inform members of the passing of past Victorian State President, David Muir ACS BSC, a highly respected cinematographer, educator, mentor, and tireless advocate for Australian film. David served the Australian Cinematographers Society with distinction for many decades, contributing at both state and national levels. He was a long-standing committee member in New South Wales and Victoria and served four terms as Victorian State President.
Beyond the Society, David also gave generously of his time as a board member of the Australian Film Institute, where he judged film festivals and awards, further supporting the growth of Australian screen culture.
An influential teacher and passionate educator, David’s teaching career spanned some of Australia’s most respected institutions, including Australian Film Television and Radio School, Macquarie University, La Trobe University, Footscray College, and the Victorian College of the Arts. His renowned six-day intensive cinematography course at the VCA attracted students from four continents and left a lasting impact on generations of filmmakers.
In an era before formal film schools existed in Melbourne, David’s own education came through film societies and practical experience. As a young art and photography student at Caulfield Technical College, his attendance at a screening by the Realist Film Association led to his first documentary assignment at just sixteen years of age. He later assisted legendary stills photographer Wolfgang Sievers, whose influence on David’s understanding of lighting and composition remained with him throughout his career.
In 1955, David moved to Sydney, and by the age of twenty was working as a cameraman at Ajax Films (later APA). Determined to understand the craft at the highest level, he took leave to work as a stills photographer on Smiley, observing Ross Wood ACS at work, and later on Cecil Holmes’ The City, with Ross as Director of Photography.
David’s rapidly expanding skills led to his recruitment by the Department of the Interior Film Unit, where he worked extensively across Australia and New Guinea. This experience — spanning everything from 16mm black-and-white training films to large-format 35mm anamorphic colour productions — prepared him for his move to London in 1964.
International recognition soon followed. David’s innovative work earned cinematography awards across Europe, the United States, and the United Kingdom, leading to a prolific career that included seven feature films, countless documentaries and television commercials, and work in 32 countries. He was invited to join the British Society of Cinematographers, becoming the youngest member at the time to receive that honour.
David was always generous in acknowledging the influence of fellow cinematographers such as Walter Lassally, Gianni Di Venanzo, and Raoul Coutard, noting that the greatest Directors of Photography are those who openly share their knowledge.
Returning to Australia in 1976, David continued to work on commercials and documentaries — his first and enduring passion — while maintaining his commitment to education. Through his production company, he continued to give emerging filmmakers opportunities, firmly believing that “doing is still the best way to learn.”
David achieved ACS Accreditation Certificate No. 49 in September 1964 and was inducted into the ACS Hall of Fame in 2012, recognising a lifetime of contribution to the art, craft, and community of cinematography.
David Muir’s influence on Australian and international cinematography, on film education, and on the lives of countless practitioners is profound and enduring. He will be remembered with great respect, admiration, and affection.
Our sincere condolences are extended to David’s family, friends, and colleagues.
To all ACS Members and Associates,
I read with great sadness this week about the passing of cinematographer David Muir ACS BSC. I first met David when he came into our class room at the AFTRS to run a course. I was studying Cinematography at the school in the early 1990s. I might suggest you all look up David’s extensive credits on IMDB in your own time. I hadn’t done too much research on his work and career at the time, but soon found out through old school methods about his career and incredible filmography.
From memory, he taught the class for two weeks so we all got to know him and respect his teaching methods. There was not one single member of the class that didn’t connect with David. The first day we met I knew we had a connection. That connection lasted a lifetime, David never treated me as a student but as a passionate, filmmaking colleague.
Back in “yonder years” at the AFTRS we were trained as filmmakers firstly and then specialists in our fields secondly. There was only 17 students back in the old days that were selected nationwide for the B.A course. Here is some fun facts we were paid to attend and we had our own full-time projectionist…
David never put on a show when he taught. He was a straight shooter, honest in his assessments of our clunky work but never in a bitter, you will never make it in this industry kind of way. He was always encouraging and the discussions we had personally over a durry and a coffee were enlightening.
When I graduated from the AFTRS we stayed in contact and my first feature film THE BOYS came into production soon after, at around 1996 from memory. I discussed the project with him and as always he wished me the best of luck with the kindest thoughts only he could dream up. When the film was released he was the first on the phone to say how powerful the film was and how it had moved him from a storytelling point of view.
This brings me to my point and why David Muir is a special man. He never went endlessly on about the technical side of being a cinematographer. He taught the emotive side, the story telling, where do I position the camera to get the story across creatively and effectively for an audience. I personally think this is missing today in the training of all film students. Position that camera and the lighting will follow…
David Muir had a special style in his language and thoughts he shared, for those of us smart enough to listen his wisdom was endless… RIP David.
Tristan Milani