Dean Semler
{{Short description|Australian cinematographer and film director}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{BLP sources|date=March 2013}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Dean Semler
| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100|AM}} ACS ASC
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Dean William Semler
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1943|5|26}}
| birth_place = Renmark, South Australia, Australia
| occupation = Cinematographer
| alma_mater =
| years_active = 1971–present
| organization = Australian Cinematographers Society
American Society of Cinematographers{{Cite web|url=https://theasc.com/ac_magazine/June2011/ASCClose-Up/page1.html|title=The ASC -- American Cinematographer: ASC Close-Up|website=theasc.com|access-date=2018-02-10}}
| title =
| spouse = Anne Stockman
}}
Dean William Semler {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|AM}} ACS ASC (born 26 May 1943) is an Australian cinematographer and film director.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cinematographers.nl/PaginasDoPh/semler.htm|title=DEAN SEMLER|website=www.cinematographers.nl|access-date=2018-02-10}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.murthaskouras.com/members/dean-semler-asc-acs/|title=Dean Semler, ASC, ACS|work=Murtha Skouras Agency|access-date=2018-02-10}}
He is a three-time recipient of the AACTA Award for Best Cinematography and an Academy Award winner.
In 2002 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).{{Cite web|title=Dean William Semler|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1132322|access-date=2020-07-25|website=Australian Honours Search Facility, Dept of Prime Minister and Cabinet}}
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"Allmovie biography by Hal Erickson and led to international attention for his work. Semler also acted as cinematographer for the follow-up film to Mad Max 2, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985). Semler was also a cinematographer for the acclaimed Australian miniseries Bodyline (1984).The Australian Film and Television Companion – Compiled by Tony Harrison, Simon & Schuster, Australia (1994) 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 (Nutty Professor II: The Klumps 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
=Feature film=
Director
- Firestorm (1998)
- The Patriot (1998)
Cinematographer
| class="wikitable"
! Year ! Title ! Director ! Notes |
| 1974
| |
| 1976
| Oliver Howes | |
| rowspan=2|1981
| Hoodwink | |
| Mad Max 2
| |
| rowspan=2|1983
| |
| Undercover
| |
| 1984
| |
| rowspan=2|1985
| |
| Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
| George Miller | |
| rowspan=3|1987
| Bullseye | |
| Going Sane
| |
| The Lighthorsemen
| Also camera operator |
| rowspan=2|1988
| Cocktail | |
| Young Guns
| |
| rowspan=3|1989
| Also camera "A" operator |
| Dead Calm
| |
| K-9
| |
| rowspan=3|1990
| Impulse | |
| Young Guns II
| |
| Dances with Wolves
| |
| 1991
| |
| 1992
| |
| rowspan=3|1993
| Also 2nd unit director |
| Last Action Hero
| |
| The Three Musketeers
| |
| 1994
| |
| 1995
| |
| rowspan=2|1997
| Christopher Cain | |
| Trojan War
| |
| 1999
| Phillip Noyce | |
| 2000
| Nutty Professor II: The Klumps | |
| 2001
| |
| rowspan=4|2002
| D-Tox | |
| Dragonfly
| |
| We Were Soldiers
| |
| XXX
| |
| 2003
| Tom Shadyac | |
| 2004
| |
| rowspan=2|2005
| Peter Segal | |
| Stealth
| Rob Cohen | |
| rowspan=3|2006
| |
| Click
| |
| Apocalypto
| |
| 2007
| I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry | |
| rowspan=2|2008
| Peter Segal | |
| Appaloosa
| |
| 2009
| 2012 | |
| rowspan=2|2010
| |
| Secretariat
| Randall Wallace | |
| 2011
| In the Land of Blood and Honey | |
| 2012
| |
| 2013
| Peter Segal | |
| rowspan=2|2014
| Randall Wallace | |
| Maleficent
| |
| rowspan=3|2015
| Andy Fickman | |
| The Last Witch Hunter
| |
| The Ridiculous 6
| Frank Coraci | |
| 2016
|rowspan=2|Steven Brill | |
| 2017
| |
| 2019
| Andy Fickman | |
| TBA
| Summer Gold | Caroline Zelder | |
Documentary film
| class="wikitable"
! Year ! Title ! Director |
| 1980 |
| 1984
| In Memory of Malawan | Ian Dunlop |
=Television=
TV movies
| class="wikitable"
! Year ! Title ! Director |
| 1976 |
| 1978 |
| 1986
| Passion Flower |
| 1998 |
TV series
| class="wikitable"
! Year ! Title ! Director ! Notes |
| 1980
| The Russians | Documentary series |
| 1988
| Rodney Fisher | Episode "Melba" |
Miniseries
| class="wikitable"
! Year ! Title ! Director ! Notes |
| rowspan=2|1983
| Carl Schultz | |
| Return to Eden
| |
| 1984
| Bodyline | Carl Schultz | |
| 1988
| Melba | Rodney Fisher | 2 episodes |
Awards and nominations
Academy Awards
| class="wikitable"
! Year ! Title ! Category ! Result |
| 1990
| Dances with Wolves | {{won}} |
American Society of Cinematographers
| class="wikitable"
! Year ! Title ! Category ! Result |
| 1990
| Dances with Wolves |rowspan=2|Best Cinematography | {{won}} |
| 2006
| Apocalypto | {{nom}} |
| 2013
|colspan=2|Lifetime Achievement Award | {{won}} |
Australian Film Institute
| class="wikitable"
! Year ! Title ! Category ! Result |
| 1980
| Mad Max 2 |rowspan=6|Best Cinematography | {{nom}} |
| 1983
| Undercover | {{nom}} |
| 1984
| Razorback | {{won}} |
| 1985
| The Coca-Cola Kid | {{nom}} |
| 1988
| The Lighthorsemen | {{nom}} |
| 1989
| Dead Calm | {{won}} |
BAFTA Awards
| class="wikitable"
! Year ! Title ! Category ! Result |
| 1990
| Dances with Wolves | {{nom}} |
Chicago Film Critics Association
| class="wikitable"
! Year ! Title ! Category ! Result |
| 1990
| Dances with Wolves |rowspan=2|Best Cinematography | {{won}} |
| 2006
| Apocalypto | {{won}} |
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association
| class="wikitable"
! Year ! Title ! Category ! Result |
| 1990
| Dances with Wolves |rowspan=2|Best Cinematography | {{won}} |
| 2006
| Apocalypto | {{won}} |
Satellite Awards
| class="wikitable"
! Year ! Title ! Category ! Result |
| 2010
| Secretariat | {{nom}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0005871}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Dean Semler
|list =
{{Academy Award Best Cinematography}}
{{American Society of Cinematographers Theatrical Release Award}}
{{Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography}}
{{Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography}}
}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Semler, Dean}}
Category:Australian cinematographers
Category:Australian film directors
Category:People from Renmark, South Australia