About

Tim Palen is a Los Angeles-based award-winning fine-art photographer and film industry executive.  As an 18-year veteran of Lionsgate, Tim played a key role in building one of the most successful and innovative motion picture businesses in the entertainment industry. He was named AdWeek’s 2012 Brand Genius for his work on the mega-hit The Hunger Games. Tim has also been recognized in Fast Company’s "100 Most Creative People in Business" and Entertainment Weekly’s "50 Smartest People in Hollywood".  An in-depth profile piece by Tad Friend, titled “The Cobra”, was published in The New Yorker in 2009.

As a fine-art photographer, whose work encompasses editorial, advertising, fashion, portraiture and video portraiture, Tim’s photography has garnered much acclaim. His photography was the subject of an exhibition at the Fahey Klein Gallery in Los Angeles and was collected in the book GUTS (2007). His “Living Portraits” exhibit inspired by the film For Colored Girls ran at New York’s Lehmann Maupin Gallery in 2010. Other published monographs include, THE MEN OF WARRIOR (2011) and TIM PALEN – PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE HUNGER GAMES, published by Assouline (2015) with an exhibit held at Leica Gallery, Los Angeles.

Tim has personally photographed more than 50 theatrical film campaign posters that include the Academy Award winning film Precious, the Saw and Hostel film franchises, and Tyler Perry’s Madea films, among others. His work has appeared in such publications as Newsweek, Entertainment Weekly, Premiere, Movieline, Conde Nast Traveler, AdWeek, and Flaunt Magazine. He has received numerous Hollywood Reporter Key Art Awards, Clio Entertainment Awards and Golden Trailer Awards, which honor excellence in feature film previews, including trailers and posters.

Tim’s more esoteric portrait photography examines themes of desire, intimacy, homoeroticism and fetish. This personal, creative exploration challenges tropes on classical beauty and cultural stereotypes, which also informs much of Tim’s more commercial work.

Most recently, Tim has expanded his creative reach in the entertainment industry through his production company, Barnyard Projects, which develops film and television projects – always with his distinctive imprint.

Tim was elected to the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2008.