Born in Renmark, South Australia, Australia. Former news and documentary cameraman who first gained attention for his work on the arid wastelands of George Miller's THE ROAD WARRIOR (1981). Other notable credits include THE COCA-COLA KID (1985), COCKTAIL and YOUNG GUNS (both 1988), DEAD CALM (1989), IMPULSE and YOUNG GUNS II (both 1990), CITY SLICKERS (1991), THE POWER OF ONE (1992), SUPER MARIO BROS. (also 2nd unit director & uncredited director), LAST ACTION HERO and THE THREE MUSKETEERS (all 1993), WATERWORLD (1995), GONE FISHIN' (1997), THE BONE COLLECTOR (1999), NUTTY PROFESSOR II: THE KLUMPS (2000), HEARTBREAKERS (2001), D-TOX, DRAGONFLY, WE WERE SOLDIERS and XXX (all 2002), BRUCE ALMIGHTY (2003), THE ALAMO (2004), THE LONGEST YARD and STEALTH (both 2005), JUST MY LUCK, CLICK and APOCALYPTO (all 2006), I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK & LARRY (2007), GET SMART and APPALOOSA (both scheduled for 2008), and JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA (planned for a 2010 release). Semler directed FIRESTORM and THE PATRIOT (both 1998) and was 2nd unit director for the 1989 TV mini-series "Lonesome Dove."  Best Achievement in Cinematography 1990: DANCES WITH WOLVES 1 nomination, 1 Award