Erik Messerschmidt, ASC (born October 23, 1980)^[1] is an American cinematographer. He is best known for his collaborations with director David Fincher on the films Mank and The Killer (as director of photography) and Gone Girl (as gaffer), and on the Netflix series Mindhunter. He has also shot episodes of the TV series Fargo, Legion, and Raised by Wolves.^[2] His work has been nominated for an Emmy. In April 2021, he won the top ASC Award and the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for Mank.^[3]

After relocating to Los Angeles, Messerschmidt served as a gaffer on TV series such as Bones, Everybody Hates Chris, and Mad Men. He also gained experience as a director of photography during this time, shooting commercials, short films, and documentaries. Messerschmidt had a working relationship with cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth, who recommended him to director David Fincher. Fincher hired Messerschmidt as a gaffer on Gone Girl and, later, as director of photography for most episodes of Mindhunter and Mank.^[4][5][6] With Mindhunter, Messerschmidt explained that the color palette, "has a desaturated green-yellow look... [it] helps give the show its period feel". He stated the effect is achieved through production design, costumes and filming locations—not necessarily through lighting used on set.^[7][8]

Messerschmidt was born in Portland, Maine, and grew up in Cape Elizabeth.^[9][10] He studied film production at Emerson College in Boston, where he was a classmate of filmmaker Jeremiah Zagar and served as co-director of photography on Zagar's award-winning indie documentary In a Dream (2008).^[11] In May 2020, he married Naiara Eizaguirre-Paulos.^[12][13]

Documentary film

Feature film

Television