He also served as the cinematographer for David Fincher's The Game (1997), and Zodiac (2007); Woody Allen's Whatever Works (2009); Jonathan Glazer's Birth (2004); Sofia Coppola's Somewhere (2010) and The Bling Ring (2013); Noah Baumbach's Margot at the Wedding (2007), and Greenberg (2009).

Savides first solo job as a cinematographer was on the thriller Heaven's Prisoners (1996), directed by Phil Joanou and starring Alec Baldwin.

[4] Savides was the cinematographer for a total of six films directed by Gus Van Sant: Gerry, Elephant, Last Days, Milk, Finding Forrester, and Restless.

For the visual style of Somewhere, she discussed Bruce Weber's Hollywood portraits and Helmut Newton's of models at the Chateau Marmont, and Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975), the film by Chantal Akerman about the routine of a Belgian housewife, with Savides.

In both instances he underexposed the filmstock by several stops in order to break up the colors and give the blacks a purplish and brownish tint.

[8] Savides was the cinematographer on a number of well-known music videos directed by Mark Romanek including Michael Jackson's Scream, Madonna's Rain and Bedtime Story, Fiona Apple's Criminal, and Nine Inch Nails' Closer.

[11] Savides was also the director of photography on a short film directed by Martin Scorsese as a homage to Alfred Hitchcock (and also sponsored by Freixenet Cava champagne) entitled The Key to Reserva.