From The McDonald-Dunn Forest to Hollywood
Corvallis native brings The Invite to life...
Audiences across the country are heading to theaters to see The Invite. Gasp. The theater. Leaving your house to watch a movie... we get it. But one of this summer's top-performing films at the box office (currently trending at number six nationally) has a principal artist whose roots began here in town.
Adam Newport-Berra serves as the cinematographer for The Invite, a new film directed by Olivia Wilde, that stars Wilde alongside Penélope Cruz, Seth Rogen and Edward Norton. Newport-Berra is the artist responsible for much of what you actually see on screen.
We use the word artist, because that’s what a cinematographer is. Adam’s art and creative journey has roots in the forests and hills surrounding the city before reaching audiences around the world.
(Photo: ASC and Adam Newport-Berra)
Newport-Berra was born in Corvallis and raised in rural Benton County near the McDonald-Dunn Forest. When the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) welcomed Newport-Berra into its prestigious ranks earlier this year, it noted that “nature served as both the catalyst for his interest in photography and a continuing influence on his artistic approach.”
The towering Douglas firs, soft morning light, and winding forest roads that many locals take for granted became part of the visual vocabulary of a now successful Hollywood cinematographer.
The Newport-Berra family home was located on Jackson Creek Drive near the forest. Adam has said that growing up in rural Oregon, surrounded by natural landscapes, helped shape his artistic vision, a connection echoed by the American Society of Cinematographers, which noted that "nature served as the catalyst for his interest in photography."
Adam grew up with his brother, Alex Newport-Berra, a Crescent Valley High School graduate who later attended Oregon State University and became a local teacher.
Family records describe the Newport-Berra home near McDonald Forest, where the brothers spent much of their childhood exploring the surrounding woods.
Often called the Director of Photography, the cinematographer is responsible for creating the visual feel of a movie. Working closely with the director, Olivia Wilde in this case, they determine how every scene is photographed, choosing the lighting, camera movement, framing, lenses, color palette, and composition that shape the audience’s emotional experience.
It’s a role that blends engineering, photography, and fine art… making cinematography one of the most creative and influential jobs in filmmaking.
(Photo courtesy of Black Bear Pictures)
After leaving Corvallis, Newport-Berra studied film production at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts before building a career that has earned widespread recognition throughout Hollywood.
His credits now include acclaimed films such as The Last Black Man in San Francisco, Blink Twice, Splitsville, and now The Invite. Television audiences have also seen his work on acclaimed series including The Bear, Euphoria, Outer Range, and The Studio.
His artistic style has reached far beyond film as well, with music videos created for artists including Kendrick Lamar, Adele, and Miley Cyrus.
He also earned an Emmy Award for his cinematography on The Studio, recognition from his peers for excellence behind the camera.
We often celebrate painters, musicians, sculptors, and writers as local artists. Newport-Berra is a reminder that filmmaking is art as well. A hometown’s greatest contribution to the arts isn’t always found in front of the camera like Daveigh Chase.
Sometimes it’s the person standing behind it.
Darkside Cinemas is now playing the invite. Check their website for shows and times. Support local.
This article was written by Brian Lindensmith, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com
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