John Seale

Last updated

AM
John Seale
ACS ASC
John Seale 2026 microphone (cropped).png
Seale at the 2026 AACTA Festival
Born
John Clement Seale

(1942-10-05) 5 October 1942 (age 83)
Warwick, Queensland, Australia
Years active1966–2022
Title ACS ASC

John Clement Seale AM ACS ASC (born 5 October 1942) is a Australian retired cinematographer, known for his work on blockbusters and drama films in both Australian and Hollywood cinema. His accolades include five Academy Award nominations and six BAFTA Award nominations; he won both for The English Patient (1996).

Contents

He collaborated with director Peter Weir on Witness (1985), The Mosquito Coast (1986) and Dead Poets Society (1989), and with George Miller on Lorenzo's Oil (1992), Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) and Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022). Seale is also known for his work on Rain Man (1988), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001).

Early life

Seale was born in Warwick, Queensland, Australia, to Marjorie Lyndon (née Pool) and Eric Clement Seale. [1]

Career

Seale started his career collaborating with director Peter Weir, both as a camera operator and director of photography, gaining a reputation as one of Australia's leading cinematographers. He earned international prominence working with directors such as Anthony Minghella, Wolfgang Petersen, Ron Howard, Sydney Pollack, and George Miller.

He received Oscar nominations for his work on Witness [2] (his first American film), [3] Rain Man , [4] and Cold Mountain , [5] and won for The English Patient . [6] Seale directed one film, Till There Was You , [7] [8] [9] in 1990. [9]

Seale was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2002 Australia Day Honours in recognition of his "service to the arts as an Australian and internationally acclaimed cinematographer". [10]

He came out of retirement in 2012 to shoot George Miller's film Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), for which he received another Academy Award nomination. [11] [12] During production of Miller's next film Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022), Seale decided to retire. [12]

Filmography

Film

Director

Cinematographer

YearTitleDirectorRef.
1976 Deathcheaters Brian Trenchard-Smith [13] [14]
1980 Fatty Finn Maurice Murphy [15] [16]
1981 Doctors and Nurses [17] [ better source needed ]
The Survivor David Hemmings [18] [16]
1982 Ginger Meggs Jonathan Dawson [19]
Fighting Back Michael Caulfield [20]
1983 Goodbye Paradise Carl Schultz [21]
BMX Bandits Brian Trenchard-Smith [13]
Careful, He Might Hear You Carl Schultz [22]
1984 Silver City Sophia Turkiewicz [23]
1985 Witness Peter Weir [2]
1986 The Hitcher Robert Harmon [24]
Children of a Lesser God Randa Haines [25]
The Mosquito Coast Peter Weir [26]
1987 Stakeout John Badham [27]
1988 Gorillas in the Mist Michael Apted [28] [29]
Rain Man Barry Levinson [4]
1989 Dead Poets Society Peter Weir [30]
1991 The Doctor Randa Haines [31]
1992 Lorenzo's Oil George Miller [32]
1993 The Firm Sydney Pollack [33]
1994 The Paper Ron Howard [34]
1995 Beyond Rangoon John Boorman [35] [36]
The American President Rob Reiner [37]
1996 The English Patient Anthony Minghella [6]
Ghosts of Mississippi Rob Reiner [38]
1998 City of Angels Brad Silberling [39]
1999 At First Sight Irwin Winkler [40]
The Talented Mr. Ripley Anthony Minghella [41]
2000 The Perfect Storm Wolfgang Petersen [42]
2001 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Chris Columbus [43]
2003 Dreamcatcher Lawrence Kasdan [44]
Cold Mountain Anthony Minghella [5]
2004 Spanglish James L. Brooks [45]
2006 Poseidon Wolfgang Petersen [46]
2010 Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Mike Newell [47]
The Tourist Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck [48]
2015 Mad Max: Fury Road George Miller [11]
2022 Three Thousand Years of Longing [12]

Television

YearTitleDirectorNotesRef.
1979New South Wales Images Russell Boyd Documentary film[ citation needed ]
1985 Winners Carl Schultz Episode "Top Kid"

Awards and nominations

Major awards

Academy Awards

YearCategoryTitleResultRef.
1985 Best Cinematography WitnessNominated [2]
1988Rain ManNominated [4]
1996The English PatientWon [6]
2003Cold MountainNominated [5]
2015Mad Max: Fury RoadNominated [49]

BAFTA Awards

YearCategoryTitleResultRef.
1985 Best Cinematography WitnessNominated [50]
1988Gorillas in the MistNominated
1996The English PatientWon
1999The Talented Mr. RipleyNominated
2003Cold MountainNominated
2015Mad Max: Fury RoadNominated

American Society of Cinematographers

YearCategoryTitleResultRef.
1988 Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography Rain ManNominated[ citation needed ]
1996The English PatientWon [51] [ better source needed ]
2000The Perfect StormNominated[ citation needed ]
2000Cold MountainNominated
2011International AwardWon
2015Outstanding Achievement in CinematographyMad Max: Fury RoadNominated

Miscellaneous awards

British Society of Cinematographers

YearCategoryTitleResultRef.
1985 Best Cinematography WitnessNominated[ citation needed ]
1988Dead Poets SocietyNominated
1996The English PatientNominated
2003Cold MountainNominated
2015Mad Max: Fury RoadNominated

Satellite Awards

YearCategoryTitleResultRef.
1996 Best Cinematography The English PatientWon[ citation needed ]
1999The Talented Mr. RipleyNominated
2015Mad Max: Fury RoadWon

Chicago Film Critics Association

YearCategoryTitleResultRef.
1996Best CinematographyThe English PatientWon[ citation needed ]
1999The Talented Mr. RipleyWon
2003Cold MountainNominated
2015Mad Max: Fury RoadWon [52]

Boston Society of Film Critics

YearCategoryTitleResultRef.
1996Best CinematographyThe English PatientWon [53] [54]
1999The Talented Mr. RipleyWon[ citation needed ]
2003Cold MountainNominated

Australian Film Institute

YearCategoryTitleResultRef.
1981Best Achievement in CinematographyThe SurvivorNominated[ citation needed ]
1983Careful, He Might Hear YouWon [51]
1984Silver CityNominated[ citation needed ]

Australian Cinematographers Society

YearCategoryTitleResultRef.
1983Cinematography of the YearGoodbye ParadiseWon [51]
1985WitnessWon
2016Gold Milli AwardWon [55]

National Society of Film Critics

YearCategoryTitleResultRef.
1996Best CinematographyThe English PatientWon[ citation needed ]
2015Mad Max: Fury RoadWon

Los Angeles Film Critics Association

YearCategoryTitleResultRef.
1996 Best Cinematography The English Patient(tied with Chris Menges for Michael Collins )Won [56]
2015Mad Max: Fury RoadWon [57] [52]

Florida Film Critics Circle

YearCategoryTitleResultRef.
1996Best CinematographyThe English PatientWon[ citation needed ]
2015Mad Max: Fury RoadWon [52]

Camerimage

YearCategoryTitleResultRef.
2011Lifetime Achievement AwardWon [58]
2015Golden Frog AwardMad Max: Fury RoadNominated[ citation needed ]

Other awards

YearAssociationCategoryTitleResultRef.
1996 Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Cinematography The English PatientWon[ citation needed ]
European Film Award Best CinematographyWon [51]
1997 Brisbane International Film Festival Chauvel AwardWon [3]
2015 AACTA Awards Best Cinematography Mad Max: Fury RoadWon [59]
Australian Film Critics Association Best CinematographyWon [60]
Santa Barbara International Film Festival Artisan Award (Cinematography)Won [61]
New York Film Critics Circle Best Cinematographer Won[ citation needed ]
Film Critics Circle of Australia Best CinematographyWon
Online Film Critics Society Best CinematographyWon [52]
African-American Film Critics Association Best CinematographyWon[ citation needed ]
Austin Film Critics Association Best CinematographyNominated
Broadcast Film Critics Association Best CinematographyNominated
Houston Film Critics Society Best CinematographyNominated
London Film Critics' Circle Technical Achievement of the YearNominated
Boston Online Film Critics Association Best CinematographyWon [52]
New York Film Critics Online Best CinematographyWon
Southeastern Film Critics Association Best CinematographyWon

References

Citations

  1. ↑ John Seale Biography (1942–). Filmreference.com. Retrieved on 2012-06-01.
  2. 1 2 3 "The 58th Academy Awards | 1986". oscars.org. 4 October 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  3. 1 2 Woods, Mark (11 August 1997). "Seale honored at Brisbane fest". Variety. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 "The 61st Academy Awards | 1989". oscars.org. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 "The 76th Academy Awards | 2004". oscars.org. 4 October 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 Groves, Don (29 March 2016). "Oscar-Winner John Seale Frets About The Role Of The Cinematographer In A Digital World". Forbes. Archived from the original on 30 November 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  7. ↑ "Till There Was You (1991)". movies.nytimes.com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2009. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  8. ↑ "Till There Was You | Video Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 21 April 2009. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 Stratton 2024, pp. 451, 538.
  10. ↑ "John Clement Seale". Australian Honours Search Facility, Dept of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  11. 1 2 Radish, Christina (1 May 2015). "MAD MAX: FURY ROAD: 18 Things to Know about the Making of George Miller's Epic". Collider . Complex . Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  12. 1 2 3 Murphy, J. Kim (25 August 2022). "Cinematographer John Seale Talks Turning Down 'Furiosa' and Capping His Career With 'Three Thousand Years of Longing'". Variety. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  13. 1 2 "John Seale: Five unmissable films – QAGOMA Stories". Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. 10 September 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  14. ↑ "Death Cheaters | Cast and Crew". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  15. ↑ Team, The IF (30 July 2015). "Fatty Finn returns to the silver screen". IF Magazine. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  16. 1 2 Pennington, Adrian. "Visionary / John Seale AM ASC ACS". British Cinematographer. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  17. ↑ Vagg, Stephen (29 February 2020). "Top Ten 10BA Knock Offs". FilmInk. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  18. ↑ Higgins, John. "The Survivor". Starburst Magazine . Archived from the original on 9 February 2026. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  19. ↑ "Ginger Meggs (1982) - The Screen Guide". Screen Australia. Archived from the original on 2 May 2025. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  20. ↑ "Fighting Back (1983) - The Screen Guide". Screen Australia. Archived from the original on 10 February 2026. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  21. ↑ Vagg, Stephen (10 June 2025). "Aussie Classic Goodbye Paradise Returns to Screen". InReview | InDaily, Inside Queensland. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  22. ↑ Buckmaster, Luke (26 December 2015). "Careful, He Might Hear You rewatched – striking visuals in high-voltage drama". the Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  23. ↑ Maslin, Janet (17 May 1985). "SCREEN: AUSTRALIA'S 'SILVER CITY'". The New York Times. p. 10. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on 24 May 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  24. ↑ Broughton, Chris (7 October 2024). "'Rutger Hauer said he didn't play bad guys': how we made chiller classic The Hitcher". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  25. ↑ "Children of a Lesser God movie review (1986)". Roger Ebert. Archived from the original on 28 December 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  26. ↑ Ebert, Roger (19 December 1986). "The Mosquito Coast movie review (1986)". Roger Ebert. Archived from the original on 25 November 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  27. ↑ Benson, Sheila (5 August 1987). "Movie Review: 'Stakeout' Stakes Out Familiar Territory". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  28. ↑ Ebert, Roger (23 September 1988). "Gorillas in the Mist movie review (1988)". Roger Ebert. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  29. ↑ Thomas, Kevin (23 September 1988). "MOVIE REVIEW : The Glories of 'Gorillas in Mist'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 10 February 2026. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  30. ↑ Canby, Vincent (2 June 1989). "Review/Film; Shaking Up a Boys' School With Poetry". The New York Times . p. 8. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on 15 December 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  31. ↑ Staff, Variety (1 January 1991). "The Doctor". Variety. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  32. ↑ Challenor, Jake; Frajman, Anthony (18 September 2022). "Australian Cinematographer John Seale on His Five-Decade Career". Variety Australia. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  33. ↑ McCarthy, Todd (28 June 1993). "The Firm". Variety. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  34. ↑ McCarthy, Todd (14 March 1994). "The Paper". Variety. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  35. ↑ Travers, Peter (25 August 1995). "Beyond Rangoon". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  36. ↑ McCarthy, Todd (22 May 1995). "Beyond Rangoon". Variety. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  37. ↑ Maslin, Janet (17 November 1995). "FILM REVIEW;A Chief Executive in Love in the White House". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  38. ↑ Cheshire, Godfrey (22 December 1996). "Ghosts of Mississippi". Variety. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  39. ↑ Levy, Emanuel (6 April 1998). "City of Angels". Variety. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  40. ↑ Loewenstein, Lael (11 January 1999). "At First Sight". Variety. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  41. ↑ Holben, Jay (January 2000). "Alter Ego: The Talented Mr. Ripley". American Cinematographer. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  42. ↑ McCarthy, Todd (22 June 2000). "The Perfect Storm". Variety. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  43. ↑ Brooks, Tara Sanders (5 October 2021). "Making Magic: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone". The American Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  44. ↑ Rooney, David (16 March 2003). "Dreamcatcher". Variety. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  45. ↑ Abele, Robert (9 November 2004). "Spanglish". Variety. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  46. ↑ Scott, A. O. (12 May 2006). "'Poseidon' Remakes a Disaster in a Caldron of Distress". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  47. ↑ Felperin, Leslie (10 May 2010). "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time". Variety. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  48. ↑ Grierson, Tim. "The Tourist". Screen. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  49. ↑ Grobar, Matt (10 February 2016). "After Winning An Oscar For 'The English Patient', DP John Seale Returns To The Desert With George Miller On 'Mad Max'". Deadline. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  50. ↑ "Through the Years: Film / Cinematography". Bafta. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  51. 1 2 3 4 "This year's contenders". Variety. 5 February 2004. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  52. 1 2 3 4 5 Pond, Steve (31 December 2015). "'Spotlight' Fights Off 'Mad Max: Fury Road' to Hold Lead in 2015 Critics Awards". TheWrap. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  53. ↑ "BSFC Winners 1990s". Boston Society of Film Critics. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  54. ↑ "Boston crix nix most U.S. pix; 'Night,' 'Flynt' score". Variety. 16 December 1997. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  55. ↑ "John Seale ACS ASC Wins 2016 Gold Milli Award". Australian Cinematographers Society. 17 May 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  56. ↑ King, Susan (15 December 1996). "'Secrets & Lies' Takes L.A. Film Critics Awards". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  57. ↑ Tapley, Kristopher (6 December 2015). "Los Angeles Film Critics Name 'Spotlight' Best Film of the Year". Variety. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  58. ↑ "Cinematographer John Seale ACS ASC adds another award to his resume". IF Magazine. 24 June 2011. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  59. ↑ Bulbeck, Pip (9 December 2015). "'Mad Max: Fury Road' Tops Australia's AACTA Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  60. ↑ Clift, Tom (17 February 2016). "These Are the Best Films of the Last Year According to Australian Film Critics". Concrete Playground. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  61. ↑ "Variety Artisan Awards Salute 'Star Wars,' 'Mad Max' at Santa Barbara Film Festival". Variety. 11 February 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2026.

Sources

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