Dean Semler Explained

Dean Semler
Honorific-Suffix: ACS ASC
Birth Name:Dean William Semler
Birth Date:1943 5, df=yes
Birth Place:Renmark, South Australia, Australia
Nationality:Australian
Years Active:1971–present
Organization:Australian Cinematographers Society
American Society of Cinematographers
Known For:Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
Razorback
Dances with Wolves
Dead Calm
Apocalypto
Spouse:Anne Stockman

Dean William Semler ACS ASC (born 26 May 1943) is an Australian cinematographer and film director.[1] [2] Over his career, he has worked as a cinematographer, camera operator, director, second unit director, and assistant director. He is a three-time recipient of the AACTA Award for Best Cinematography and an Academy Award winner. He is a member of both the Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS) and the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC).[3] In 2002 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).[4]

Life and career

Early years

Semler was born in Renmark, South Australia. His first work in the production industry was as a camera operator at a local television station. Later, he began making documentary and educational films for Film Australia. He was the cinematographer for A Steam Train Passes (1974), Moving On (1974), Let the Balloon Go (1976), and A Good Thing Going (1978).

1980s

His first film was Stepping Out, in 1980. Allmovie praised his "stunning work" on the film Hoodwink (1981) with a screen play by Ken Quinnell. Semler was also the cinematographer for Mad Max 2 (1981). Semler's vast panoramic shots of the Australian Outback's deserts "...convincingly conveyed a parched, dusty, post-apocalyptic world"[5] and led to international attention for his work. Semler also acted as cinematographer for the follow-up film to The Road Warrior, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985). Semler was also a cinematographer for the acclaimed Australian miniseries Bodyline (1984).[6] In the late 1980s, Semler was the cinematographer for several popular films, such as Cocktail (1988) and Young Guns (1988).

1990s

In 1989, Semler was hired as cinematographer for Kevin Costner's Dances with Wolves (1990), for which he won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography. Semler lensed the comedy City Slickers (1991) and the action film Last Action Hero (1993) in the early 1990s. In 1995, Semler again worked with Costner on his film Waterworld.In 1992 Semler was the cinematographer of The Power of One.

2000s

In the 2000s, Semler was the cinematographer for a range of movies that included comedies ( from 2000, and Bruce Almighty from 2003), action films (XXX from 2002 and The Alamo from 2004). In the mid-2000s, Semler was the cinematographer for the football comedy The Longest Yard (2005) and Just My Luck (2006). In 2006, Semler worked with Mel Gibson again for the film Apocalypto. Semler's camera work conveyed the beauty of the lush Mesoamerican jungle setting in Apocalypto.

Filmography

Short film

YearTitleDirectorNotes
1971Where Dead Men LieKeith GowWith Jon Rhodes
1973I Need More Staff Donald Crombie
One Good ReasonAlso camera operator
1977Outback SupplyDavid Haythornwaite
1979SaturdayHimself
1980War Without WeaponsCurtis LevyWith Geoff Burton and Malcolm Richards

Documentary short

YearTitleDirectorNotes
1971The ChoiceDonald Crombie
1973Through My Eyes: Kilkenny Primary School, South AustraliaAlso camera operator
Through My Eyes: Stradbroke Infants School, South Australia
1974A Steam Train PassesDavid Haythornwaite

Feature film

Director

Cinematographer

YearTitleDirectorNotes
1974Moving OnRichard Mason
1976Let the Balloon GoOliver Howes
1981HoodwinkClaude Whatham
Mad Max 2George Miller
1983Kitty and the BagmanDonald Crombie
UndercoverDavid Stevens
1984RazorbackRussell Mulcahy
1985The Coca-Cola KidDusan Makavejev
Mad Max Beyond ThunderdomeGeorge Miller
George Ogilvie
1987BullseyeCarl Schultz
Going SaneMichael Robertson
The LighthorsemenSimon WincerAlso camera operator
1988CocktailRoger Donaldson
Young GunsChristopher Cain
1989Farewell to the KingJohn MiliusAlso camera "A" operator
Dead CalmPhillip Noyce
K-9Rod Daniel
1990ImpulseSondra Locke
Young Guns IIGeoff Murphy
Dances with WolvesKevin Costner
1991City SlickersRon Underwood
1992The Power of OneJohn G. Avildsen
1993Super Mario Bros.Rocky Morton
Annabel Jankel
Also 2nd unit director
Last Action HeroJohn McTiernan
The Three MusketeersStephen Herek
1994The Cowboy WayGregg Champion
1995WaterworldKevin Reynolds
1997Gone Fishin'Christopher Cain
Trojan WarGeorge Huang
1999The Bone CollectorPhillip Noyce
2000Peter Segal
2001HeartbreakersDavid Mirkin
2002D-ToxJim Gillespie
DragonflyTom Shadyac
We Were SoldiersRandall Wallace
XXXRob Cohen
2003Bruce AlmightyTom Shadyac
2004The AlamoJohn Lee Hancock
2005The Longest YardPeter Segal
StealthRob Cohen
2006Just My LuckDonald Petrie
ClickFrank Coraci
ApocalyptoMel Gibson
2007I Now Pronounce You Chuck & LarryDennis Dugan
2008Get SmartPeter Segal
AppaloosaEd Harris
20092012Roland Emmerich
2010Date NightShawn Levy
SecretariatRandall Wallace
2011In the Land of Blood and HoneyAngelina Jolie
2012Parental GuidanceAndy Fickman
2013Grudge MatchPeter Segal
2014Heaven Is for RealRandall Wallace
MaleficentRobert Stromberg
2015Andy Fickman
The Last Witch HunterBreck Eisner
The Ridiculous 6Frank Coraci
2016The Do-OverSteven Brill
2017Sandy Wexler
2019Playing with FireAndy Fickman
TBASummer GoldCaroline Zelder

Documentary film

YearTitleDirector
1980Stepping OutChris Noonancoca
1984In Memory of MalawanIan Dunlop

Television

TV movies

YearTitleDirector
1976Do I Have to Kill My Child?Donald Crombie
1978A Good Thing GoingArch Nicholson
1986Passion FlowerJoseph Sargent
1998The Clean MachineKen Cameron

TV series

YearTitleDirectorNotes
1980The RussiansArch NicholsonDocumentary series
1988Great PerformancesRodney FisherEpisode "Melba"

Miniseries

YearTitleDirectorNotes
1983The DismissalCarl Schultz
George Miller
Phillip Noyce
George Ogilvie
John Power
Return to EdenKaren Arthur
1984BodylineCarl Schultz
George Ogilvie
Denny Lawrence
Lex Marinos
1988MelbaRodney Fisher2 episodes

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

American Society of Cinematographers

YearTitleCategoryResult
1990Dances with WolvesBest Cinematography
2006Apocalypto
2013Lifetime Achievement Award

Australian Film Institute

YearTitleCategoryResult
1980Mad Max 2Best Cinematography
1983Undercover
1984Razorback
1985The Coca-Cola Kid
1988The Lighthorsemen
1989Dead Calm

BAFTA Awards

Chicago Film Critics Association

YearTitleCategoryResult
1990Dances with WolvesBest Cinematography
2006Apocalypto

Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association

YearTitleCategoryResult
1990Dances with WolvesBest Cinematography
2006Apocalypto

Satellite Awards

Notes and References

  1. Web site: DEAN SEMLER. www.cinematographers.nl. 2018-02-10.
  2. Web site: Dean Semler, ASC, ACS. Murtha Skouras Agency. 2018-02-10.
  3. Web site: The ASC -- American Cinematographer: ASC Close-Up. theasc.com. 2018-02-10.
  4. Web site: Dean William Semler. 2020-07-25. Australian Honours Search Facility, Dept of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
  5. Allmovie biography by Hal Erickson
  6. The Australian Film and Television Companion – Compiled by Tony Harrison, Simon & Schuster, Australia (1994)