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Dean Semler

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dean Semler
Born
Dean William Semler

(1943-05-26) 26 May 1943 (age 81)
NationalityAustralian
Occupations
  • Cinematographer
  • film director
Years active1971–present
Organization(s)Australian Cinematographers Society
American Society of Cinematographers
Known forMad Max 2: The Road Warrior
Razorback
Dances with Wolves
Dead Calm
Apocalypto
SpouseAnne Stockman
Awards

Dean William Semler AM 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

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Early years

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Short film

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Year Title Director Notes
1971 Where Dead Men Lie Keith Gow With Jon Rhodes
1973 I Need More Staff Donald Crombie
One Good Reason Also camera operator
1977 Outback Supply David Haythornwaite
1979 Saturday Himself
1980 War Without Weapons Curtis Levy With Geoff Burton and Malcolm Richards

Documentary short

Year Title Director Notes
1971 The Choice Donald Crombie
1973 Through My Eyes: Kilkenny Primary School, South Australia Also camera operator
Through My Eyes: Stradbroke Infants School, South Australia
1974 A Steam Train Passes David Haythornwaite

Feature film

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Director

Cinematographer

Year Title Director Notes
1974 Moving On Richard Mason
1976 Let the Balloon Go Oliver Howes
1981 Hoodwink Claude Whatham
Mad Max 2 George Miller
1983 Kitty and the Bagman Donald Crombie
Undercover David Stevens
1984 Razorback Russell Mulcahy
1985 The Coca-Cola Kid Dusan Makavejev
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome George Miller
George Ogilvie
1987 Bullseye Carl Schultz
Going Sane Michael Robertson
The Lighthorsemen Simon Wincer Also camera operator
1988 Cocktail Roger Donaldson
Young Guns Christopher Cain
1989 Farewell to the King John Milius Also camera "A" operator
Dead Calm Phillip Noyce
K-9 Rod Daniel
1990 Impulse Sondra Locke
Young Guns II Geoff Murphy
Dances with Wolves Kevin Costner
1991 City Slickers Ron Underwood
1992 The Power of One John G. Avildsen
1993 Super Mario Bros. Rocky Morton
Annabel Jankel
Also 2nd unit director
Last Action Hero John McTiernan
The Three Musketeers Stephen Herek
1994 The Cowboy Way Gregg Champion
1995 Waterworld Kevin Reynolds
1997 Gone Fishin' Christopher Cain
Trojan War George Huang
1999 The Bone Collector Phillip Noyce
2000 Nutty Professor II: The Klumps Peter Segal
2001 Heartbreakers David Mirkin
2002 D-Tox Jim Gillespie
Dragonfly Tom Shadyac
We Were Soldiers Randall Wallace
XXX Rob Cohen
2003 Bruce Almighty Tom Shadyac
2004 The Alamo John Lee Hancock
2005 The Longest Yard Peter Segal
Stealth Rob Cohen
2006 Just My Luck Donald Petrie
Click Frank Coraci
Apocalypto Mel Gibson
2007 I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry Dennis Dugan
2008 Get Smart Peter Segal
Appaloosa Ed Harris
2009 2012 Roland Emmerich
2010 Date Night Shawn Levy
Secretariat Randall Wallace
2011 In the Land of Blood and Honey Angelina Jolie
2012 Parental Guidance Andy Fickman
2013 Grudge Match Peter Segal
2014 Heaven Is for Real Randall Wallace
Maleficent Robert Stromberg
2015 Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 Andy Fickman
The Last Witch Hunter Breck Eisner
The Ridiculous 6 Frank Coraci
2016 The Do-Over Steven Brill
2017 Sandy Wexler
2019 Playing with Fire Andy Fickman
TBA Summer Gold Caroline Zelder

Documentary film

Year Title Director
1980 Stepping Out Chris Noonancoca
1984 In Memory of Malawan Ian Dunlop

Television

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TV movies

Year Title Director
1976 Do I Have to Kill My Child? Donald Crombie
1978 A Good Thing Going Arch Nicholson
1986 Passion Flower Joseph Sargent
1998 The Clean Machine Ken Cameron

TV series

Year Title Director Notes
1980 The Russians Arch Nicholson Documentary series
1988 Great Performances Rodney Fisher Episode "Melba"

Miniseries

Year Title Director Notes
1983 The Dismissal Carl Schultz
George Miller
Phillip Noyce
George Ogilvie
John Power
Return to Eden Karen Arthur
1984 Bodyline Carl Schultz
George Ogilvie
Denny Lawrence
Lex Marinos
1988 Melba Rodney Fisher 2 episodes

Awards and nominations

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Academy Awards

Year Title Category Result
1990 Dances with Wolves Best Cinematography Won

American Society of Cinematographers

Year Title Category Result
1990 Dances with Wolves Best Cinematography Won
2006 Apocalypto Nominated
2013 Lifetime Achievement Award Won

Australian Film Institute

Year Title Category Result
1980 Mad Max 2 Best Cinematography Nominated
1983 Undercover Nominated
1984 Razorback Won
1985 The Coca-Cola Kid Nominated
1988 The Lighthorsemen Nominated
1989 Dead Calm Won

BAFTA Awards

Year Title Category Result
1990 Dances with Wolves Best Cinematography Nominated

Chicago Film Critics Association

Year Title Category Result
1990 Dances with Wolves Best Cinematography Won
2006 Apocalypto Won

Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association

Year Title Category Result
1990 Dances with Wolves Best Cinematography Won
2006 Apocalypto Won

Satellite Awards

Year Title Category Result
2010 Secretariat Best Cinematography Nominated

References

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