Claudio Miranda was the acclaimed director of photography on countless music videos and commercials before successfully making the leap to director of photography for David Fincher on "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (2008). Miranda's air-soft lighting was ideal for both the emotionally sensitive drama of "Button" and more muscular work like music videos and commercials, which earned him numerous accolades. The torrent of award nominations that followed his work on "Button" was a clear indication that he had vaulted to the top of the international cinematography world.
The son of a Chilean architect and an interior designer, Miranda was born in South America but raised in California. Miranda's career began in music and advertising; he served as a lighting technician on the U2 concert film "Rattle and Hum" (1988) before lending his eye for lush visuals to videos for such superstars as Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Velvet Revolver and others. His work as a cinematographer on commercials for Nike, Motorola and American Airlines, among many others, brought him in contact with many of the directors with whom he would work in feature films, including Tom Dey and David Fincher, whom he met when the latter was a stage manager at SIR Studios in Hollywood. His work in both mediums was singled out for major awards and nominations, including a 2004 Clio for a spot for Xelibri and an AICP Honoree for his work with Fincher on a 90-second ad for Heineken.
Miranda was chief lighting technician on several major movies in the early and mid-1990s. He worked with cinematographer Darius Wolski – whom Miranda cited as a mentor – on "Crimson Tide" (1995) and Darius Khondji on "Se7en" (1995), his first full-length collaboration with Fincher. Future turns as gaffer and chief lighting technician on Fincher's "The Game" (1997) and "Fight Club" (1999) preceded his debut as a motion picture cinematographer on several shorts, including "Mute" (2003). Within three years, he had graduated to his first theatrical release, the romantic comedy "Failure to Launch" (2006).
The following year, Miranda provided additional photography for Fincher's chilling "Zodiac" (2007) before becoming the primary DP on the director's "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (2008). The film's visuals, captured on the director's favorite camera – the Thomson Viper FilmStream – and influenced heavily by the paintings of Andrew Wyeth, earned Miranda a slew of award nominations in 2008 and 2009, including Best Cinematography from both the Academy Awards and BAFTA Awards.