Vanlint served as cinematographer on the 1981 fantasy-adventure film '' Dragonslayer . '' Like '' Alien '' , the film utilized numerous effects shots , this time achieved with stop motion . Vanlint was initially approached by Scott to shoot his follow-up film '' Blade Runner '' , but he turned the offer down and was replaced by Jordan Cronenweth . Director James Cameron asked Vanlint to film '' Alien '' 's 1986 sequel , but Vanlint instead recommended his protege Adrian Biddle , whom had served as focus puller and camera operator on the original . Until his death in 2010 , Vanlint worked almost exclusively on commercials in his native Canada , though he briefly returned to feature films in the year 2000 , handling special effects photography for the '' X-Men '' and serving as DP and director on the horror thriller '' The Spreading Ground , '' starring Dennis Hopper . The film was entered into the 22nd Moscow International Film Festival
22nd Moscow International Film Festival
22nd Moscow International Film Festival
Derek Vanlint