John Seale


John Clement Seale ACS ASC is an Australian cinematographer.
He has received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and an American Society of Cinematographers Award.

Early life

Seale was born in Warwick, Queensland, Australia, to Marjorie Lyndon and Eric Clement Seale.

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 then 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, Rain Man, and Cold Mountain, and won for The English Patient. Seale directed one film, Till There Was You, in 1990. He is a four-time Oscar nominee, five-time BAFTA nominee, and four-time ASC Award nominee.
His greatest commercial successes have been Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which grossed US$974 million; Rain Man, which grossed US$354 million; Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, which grossed US$335 million; The Perfect Storm, which grossed US$328 million; and The Tourist, which grossed US$278 million.
He came out of retirement in 2012 to shoot Mad Max: Fury Road, for which he received another Academy Award nomination.
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".

Filmography

Film

Director
  • Till There Was You
Cinematographer
YearTitleDirector
1976DeathcheatersBrian Trenchard-Smith
1980Fatty FinnMaurice Murphy
1981Doctors and NursesMaurice Murphy
1981The SurvivorDavid Hemmings
1982Ginger MeggsJonathan Dawson
1982Fighting BackMichael Caulfield
1983Goodbye ParadiseCarl Schultz
1983BMX BanditsBrian Trenchard-Smith
1983Careful, He Might Hear YouCarl Schultz
1984Silver CitySophia Turkiewicz
1985WitnessPeter Weir
1986The HitcherRobert Harmon
1986Children of a Lesser GodRanda Haines
1986The Mosquito CoastPeter Weir
1987StakeoutJohn Badham
1988Gorillas in the MistMichael Apted
1988Rain ManBarry Levinson
1989Dead Poets SocietyPeter Weir
1991The DoctorRanda Haines
1992Lorenzo's OilGeorge Miller
1993The FirmSydney Pollack
1994The PaperRon Howard
1995Beyond RangoonJohn Boorman
1995The American PresidentRob Reiner
1996The English PatientAnthony Minghella
1996Ghosts of MississippiRob Reiner
1998City of AngelsBrad Silberling
1999At First SightIrwin Winkler
1999The Talented Mr. RipleyAnthony Minghella
2000The Perfect StormWolfgang Petersen
2001Harry Potter and the Philosopher's StoneChris Columbus
2003DreamcatcherLawrence Kasdan
2003Cold MountainAnthony Minghella
2004SpanglishJames L. Brooks
2006PoseidonWolfgang Petersen
2010Prince of Persia: The Sands of TimeMike Newell
2010The TouristFlorian Henckel von Donnersmarck
2015Mad Max: Fury RoadGeorge Miller
2022Three Thousand Years of LongingGeorge Miller

Television

Awards and nominations

Major awards

Academy Awards
YearCategoryTitleResult
1985Best CinematographyWitnessNomitated
1988Best CinematographyRain ManNomitated
1996Best CinematographyThe English PatientWon
2003Best CinematographyCold MountainNomitated
2015Best CinematographyMad Max: Fury RoadNomitated

BAFTA Awards
YearCategoryTitleResult
1985Best CinematographyWitnessNomitated
1988Best CinematographyGorillas in the MistNomitated
1996Best CinematographyThe English PatientWon
1999Best CinematographyThe Talented Mr. RipleyNomitated
2003Best CinematographyCold MountainNomitated
2015Best CinematographyMad Max: Fury RoadNomitated

'''American Society of Cinematographers'''

Miscellaneous awards

British Society of Cinematographers
YearCategoryTitleResult
1985Best CinematographyWitnessNomitated
1988Best CinematographyDead Poets SocietyNomitated
1996Best CinematographyThe English PatientNomitated
2003Best CinematographyCold MountainNomitated
2015Best CinematographyMad Max: Fury RoadNomitated

Satellite Awards
YearCategoryTitleResult
1996Best CinematographyThe English PatientWon
1999Best CinematographyThe Talented Mr. RipleyNomitated
2015Best CinematographyMad Max: Fury RoadWon

Chicago Film Critics Association
YearCategoryTitleResult
1996Best CinematographyThe English PatientWon
1999Best CinematographyThe Talented Mr. RipleyWon
2003Best CinematographyCold MountainNomitated
2015Best CinematographyMad Max: Fury RoadWon

Boston Society of Film Critics
YearCategoryTitleResult
1996Best CinematographyThe English PatientWon
1999Best CinematographyThe Talented Mr. RipleyWon
2003Best CinematographyCold MountainNomitated

Australian Film Institute
YearCategoryTitleResult
1981Best Achievement in CinematographyThe SurvivorNomitated
1983Best Achievement in CinematographyCareful, He Might Hear YouWon
1984Best Achievement in CinematographySilver CityNomitated

Australian Cinematographers Society
YearCategoryTitleResult
1983Cinematography of the YearGoodbye ParadiseWon
1985Cinematography of the YearWitnessWon

National Society of Film Critics
YearCategoryTitleResult
1996Best CinematographyThe English PatientWon
2015Best CinematographyMad Max: Fury RoadWon

Los Angeles Film Critics Association
YearCategoryTitleResult
1996Best CinematographyThe English PatientWon
2015Best CinematographyMad Max: Fury RoadWon

Florida Film Critics Circle
YearCategoryTitleResult
1996Best CinematographyThe English PatientWon
2015Best CinematographyMad Max: Fury RoadWon