ABOUT

Michael Tessari - Adelaide Cinematographer & Director of Photography

Michael Tessari ACS is a cinematographer and director of photography based in Adelaide, South Australia. Accredited by the Australian Cinematographers Society, he has been fortunate to shoot six feature films and a Netflix original series, alongside television and commercial work across Australia.

His features include Monolith, directed by Matt Vesely, which received an ACS National Award of Distinction and a Grand Jury nomination for Best Cinematography at SXSW 2023. The road film With or Without You, directed by Kelly Schilling, was also recognised with a National Award of Distinction. Diabolic, his second collaboration with director Daniel J. Phillips, screened in cinemas and is now on VOD internationally, and The Run, a post-apocalyptic action feature directed by Stephen De Villiers, is due for release in late 2026.

Each of Tessari’s features has been honoured with a Gold ACS Award, something he credits to the directors and crews he has worked alongside. Many of those directors have returned for second and third projects, and that ongoing trust shapes how he works: thorough in prep, problem solving, and always in service of the story.

He is currently attached as director of photography on an international feature thriller shooting overseas in 2027.

Michael Tessari ACS works as a freelance cinematographer, shooting features, television and commercials, and brings feature-film cinematography to Adelaide, South Australia and the rest of Australia.