about
bio & press
Bio
Garrett O’Brien’s most recent projects of note include, HULU's feature film CRUSH starring Megan Mullaly (Will & Grace, The Kings of SUmmer), Rowan Blanch (Snowpiercer, Girl Meets World) and Auli’i Cravalho (Moana, Ralph Breaks the Internet) . Which was just nominated for a GLAAD award. Another project is the 12 part series Golden Revenge produced by Conan O’Brien’s production company Conaco and Warner Brothers’ Blue Ribbon Content alongside Retrofit films. The live-action show centers on three pets out to get even with the jerks that left them for dead in a heartwarming animal tale that turns into a quest for bloody vengeance.
A recent feature O’Brien complete was, Adolescence starring Elizabeth Rohm (Joy, American Hustle), Tommy Flannigan (Gladiator, Sons of Anarchy) and India Eisley (Underworld Evolution, I am the Night) just received worldwide distribution. The dark coming of age drama that spirals into a love affair fueled by heroin addiction is available on demand - more info here.
Deserted is another feature that O’Brien shot that stars Mischa Barton (The Sixth Sense, The O.C), Winter Ave Zioli (Hellboy, Sons of Anarchy), Jake Busey (Enemy of the State, Starship Troopers) and Lance Henrikson (The Terminator, Aliens). It is a tale about survival in the most stunning, but unforgiving topographical terrain on the planet, Death Valley. It is now streaming on Amazon Prime - more info here.
Garrett’s first feature, Gone Doggy Gone was accepted into 15 film festivals, most notably San Diego Film Festival and Dances with Films. It has since received six audience choice awards and three grand jury awards. O'Brien has also shot many music videos and commercial campaigns including the latest music video, Rx for the band Theory of a Dead Man, which has received over 100 million views since it's release. He has shot commercials for such clients as, Alfa Romeo, Clorox, Nissan, HOKA, Foot Locker and many more.
Further online work includes the award winning web series Lowlife starring renowned Australian actress Claire Van Der Boom (Hawaii Five-O, HBO's The Pacific) for which O'Brien was nominated for Best Cinematography at the Bilboa Webfest and Raindance Film Webfest. He also recently won an award for his cinematography work on the short sci-fi film called, Anamnesis from the International Independent Film Festival.
Press
“Fortunately, because of the subject matter and the brutal, yet somehow sensitive honesty with which it was presented, not to mention the striking cinematography and a powerfully strong script, Page and Eftimoski (not just co-workers, but also best friends), had no shortage of champions.”
“The low-budget film looks terrific thanks to Garrett O’Brien’s crisp cinematography.”
“The cinematography by Garrett O’Brien takes full advantage of the location and lighting schemes in the desert sky, pulling images that look stunning and pull the viewer in. The way he frames the scenes and chooses the angles creates a look for the film that is soothing while being stunning.”
“The film is both stunning and unnerving much like the desert it takes place in. Honestly, the visuals are so appealing in this film it could have passed with even bad acting and sloppy writing. Fortunately, DESERTED isn’t weighed down by either... We are allowed to spend time with each of the characters and grow increasingly fond of them as the narrative reveals itself.”
“The photography is, nonetheless, beautiful, and I swoon to imagine what Deserted would have looked like on the cinema screen. In fact, Garrett O’Brien’s cinematography is so forbiddingly gorgeous that I was half way to planning my own trip to this deathly wonderland of purple skies and dramatic outcrops of rock, surely contradicting the narrative purpose of the film.”
“The movie spends almost all of its time in the desert, and as such, is beautifully photographed by Garrett O’Brien, who captures some impressive vistas and sets the oppressive, stranded sense of solitude the group faces.”
“The cinematographer makes sure to include several shots of the beauty of the landscape, which makes the irony all more evident: normally this is the type of place to enjoy and admire, but these characters want nothing more than to escape their surroundings. This juxtaposition of expectations and reality serves to make the premise of the film that much more sinister.”