Attila Szalay

Biography

Attila Szalay, born 9 April 1961 in Budapest, Hungary, is a Hungarian-Canadian cinematographer, director of photography, and television director. He immigrated to Canada with his parents as a child, where his interest in filmmaking developed. He studied film production and cinematography at Sheridan College in Ontario and began his career as a camera assistant.

Between 1990 and 1996, Szalay worked extensively as an A-camera operator, collaborating with cinematographer Laszlo George on numerous productions. He became a director of photography in the mid-1990s and built an impressive television career with credits including Smallville, Reaper, The Bridge, Tyrant, Get Shorty, The Society, Mayans M.C., and Ozark.

Szalay received major recognition for the miniseries Iron Road (2009), winning a Leo Award and the Canadian Society of Cinematographers Award for Best Cinematography. He was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or Movie for The Pillars of the Earth (2010).

In 2013, Szalay was invited by his peers to join the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC). He is also a member of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers (CSC) and Hungarian Society of Cinematographers (HSC). In addition to cinematography, he works as a television director and is a member of the Directors Guild of America.

His career spans cinematography, camera operation, and television directing, with notable work on The Pillars of the Earth, The Bridge, The Society, Ozark, and FBI: International.