Alexander Buono made the leap from hometown Portland, OR to Los Angeles in 1991 to attend the University of Southern California School of Cinema/Television, where he studied Film Production and Still Photography. The day after graduation, he drove 1500 miles to Ponca City, OK to join the crew of TWISTER (1996) as a camera intern -- his first real job in the film business. After a few years as an assistant cameraman on films such as HARD RAIN, CONSPIRACY THEORY, and ARMAGEDDON (all 1998), Buono had managed to train under a long list of excellent filmmakers, including directors William Friedkin, Richard Donner, Michael Bay, and Jan De Bont, and cinematographers Dean Cundey ASC, John Schwartzman ASC, Don Burgess ASC, Jack N. Green ASC, and Conrad Hall ASC. With the encouragement of these mentors, Buono would hang up his A.C. belt and commit to a career as a Director of Photography. With his film school training and big league inspiration, he shot his first feature film in 1997, a high school drama entitled THE OTHERS. Since then he has shot another half dozen feature films, including SNIPES (2001) and DEAD END (2003). He was the cinematographer for the "Saturday Night Live" Film Unit for three seasons and has shot over a dozen short films as well as many commercials and music videos. JOHNNY FLYNTON (2002) marked the second film on which Buono served as director of photography for director Lexi Alexander, after FOOL PROOF in 2001. Buono's recent d.p. credits include THE ORPHAN KING and HOOLIGANS (also co-producer) (both 2005), SHANGHAI KISS (2007), and BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER* (2008, also writer & producer).  Nominated for Achievement in Live Action Short Films 2002: JOHNNY FLYNTON - Producer (w. Lexi Alexander) 1 nomination