Biography
John Rhode is a Los Angeles-based Cinematographer and Director renowned for his swift, artistic filmmaking style. Joining the International Cinematographer's Guild in the 1990s, he collaborated with esteemed DPs like Lazlo Kovacs, ASC, Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC, and John Seale, ASC. These connections led to roles on films such as Ghosts of Mississippi (1995), The American President (1996), City of Angels (1997), and Perfect Storm (2000), progressing from additional operator to "A" operator and then to 2nd Unit DP. Rhode has also shot over 30 independent films featuring stars like Faye Dunaway, William Sanderson, John Heard, and Debbie Mazar.
Transitioning into television, Rhode contributed to the camera departments of NightStalker (2006), The Hollow Men (2008), Heroes (2007-2009), and pioneered work on webisodes and their debuts for Prison Break (2006), Vanished (2007), Mr. Wrong (2008), and the award-winning Turbo Dating (2009-2012), created by Terry Rossio, writer of Shrek and Pirates of the Caribbean. This experience led to acclaimed documentaries with Spark Media and American Experience, including Partners of the Heart and Prince of Slaves, followed by Bill Brummel Productions' award-winning Bullied (2010) and Erasing Hate (2011), both supported by the Morris Dees Southern Poverty Law Center. Rhode's work has earned numerous first prizes at film festivals, Tellies, and Cine Eagles. Variety praised his cinematography as "beautifully photographed by John Rhode," and he has been featured in articles by the International Cinematographer Guild magazine.
Making his directorial debut with music videos and commercials, Rhode co-directed and was director of photography on the provocative short My Dinner With Ovitz, a satire targeting Michael Ovitz that stirred Hollywood production circles. Universal Pictures president Ron Meyer and David Geffen both called it "brilliant." Variety described it as "a gonzo short—the most buzzed-about underground project since Trey Parker and Matt Stone's The Spirit of Christmas." Rhode later accepted directing roles on feature films including the family and adventure movies Seeker & Fetch (2011), The Stray (2012), and Trooper and the Legend of the Golden Key (2012), alongside numerous shorts and commercials.
John Rhode continues to work across features, television, webisodes, documentaries, and commercials.
