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Martin Schäfer

Cinematographer · Died April 11, 1988, aged 44 · Munich, Germany

Born
July 6, 1943
Died
April 11, 1988 (aged 44)
From
Munich, Germany
Works as
Cinematographer
Titles
9 on MovieCove · 43 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 7% in 30 days

What are Martin Schäfer's films like?

Across a limited sample of 3 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Society
26%
Self
20%
Survival
20%
Ideas
20%
Morality
14%

What they feel like to watch

their average across 3 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 0 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 1 · Charged 2 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 3 · Shifting 0 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 0 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 1 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 1

Ambiguous: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their ambiguous movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 0 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 2

Moods and endings

endings shown from 5 titles

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Contemplative
3
Melancholic
2
Tense
1
Cold
1
Bittersweet
1
Other
1

How their films linger

Thought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Martin Schäfer's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 6 of their 9 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Martin Schäfer's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

43 credits, 9 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • The Complaint of an Empress (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Cinematographer

  • Blood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Cinematographer

  • The Microscope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Cinematographer

  • The Cat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Cinematographer

  • Die Freitreppe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Cinematographer

  • Devil's Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Cinematographer

  • Bibos Männer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Cinematographer

  • Tarot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Cinematographer

  • Seven Women, Seven Sins(1986)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Chain Letters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Cinematographer

  • Tschechow in meinem Leben (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Cinematographer

  • Strawberry Fields (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Cinematographer

  • Zwei Bilder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Cinematographer

  • Paris, Texas(1984)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Tausend Augen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Cinematographer

  • Paris Seen By... 20 Years After (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Cinematographer

  • Flight to Berlin(1984)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Love Is the Beginning of All Terror (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Cinematographer

  • Closed Circuit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Cinematographer

  • The State of Things(1982)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Cinematographer

  • Soeur Anne ne vois-tu rien venir? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Cinematographer

  • The World of Gilbert & George (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Cinematographer

  • Der subjektive Faktor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Cinematographer

  • Hast du Lust, mit mir einen Kaffee zu trinken? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Cinematographer

  • Berlin Chamissoplatz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Cinematographer

  • Lightning Over Water (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Camera Operator · Cinematographer · as Self

  • Radio On(1979)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • ...als Diesel geboren (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Cinematographer

  • Die Nacht mit Chandler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Second Assistant Camera

  • I Am My Films: A Portrait of Werner Herzog (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Cinematographer

  • Der Stromtreiber - Der Mann im roten Kahn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Cinematographer

  • The Left-Handed Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Assistant Camera

  • The American Friend(1977)

    Assistant Camera

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Festa de São João no Interior da Bahia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Cinematographer

  • Kings of the Road(1976)

    Assistant Camera · Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Diary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Cinematographer

  • Wrong Move(1975)

    Camera Operator · Still Photographer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Made in Germany and USA (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Cinematographer

  • Alice in the Cities(1974)

    Assistant Camera · Still Photographer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Die Eltern (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Camera Operator

  • CAN: The Free Concert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Cinematographer

  • Strange City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Cinematographer

Career shape

A full career of 43 titles from 1972 to 1990.

Biggest box office

The State of Things (1982)

$3.7K worldwide

Highest rated

The State of Things (1982)

Midcredits 77th

By role

only this rolewith another role
Cinematography35 of 43: 34 only cinematography, 1 with another roleOther crew9 of 43: 8 only other crew, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score95th

By decade

1970s16 · crew1980s26 · crew1990s1 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Martin Schäfer's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 77th percentile, the median of all 9; across a limited sample of 3 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 63rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Approval · how many liked their films

58thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Reach · how many have seen their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Midcredits score across 9 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th1
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

4 of their 9 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Mixed2

Most divisive · cinematographer

Flight to Berlin (1984)

55th percentile spread · 37% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

The State of Things (1982)

Midcredits 77th · 69% liked

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Martin Schäfer work with?

People who share at least 2 of Martin Schäfer's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Renée Gundelach shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Editors

Producers