Andrew Lesnie

Andrew Lesnie

Birth : 1956-01-01, Sydney, Australia

Death : 2015-04-27

History

Andrew Lesnie ACS ASC was an Australian cinematographer. He was best known as the cinematographer for The Lord of the Rings trilogy and its prequel The Hobbit trilogy, both directed by New Zealand director Peter Jackson.

Profile

Andrew Lesnie

Movies

The Hobbit: Part 1
Director of Photography
Bilbo Baggins is chosen by Gandalf to embark on a quest with 13 Dwarves to reclaim the lost kindgom of Erebor. Thorin Oakenshield leads the company to the mountain and the beast that laid waste to his people and claimed their land. Through mountains, forests and unforseeable dangers, witness the epic quest to reclaim a homeland through the eyes of a Hobbit as he learns the value of courage and friendship in the face of darkness.
The Water Diviner
Director of Photography
In 1919, Australian farmer Joshua Connor travels to Turkey to discover the fate of his three sons, reported missing in action. Holding on to hope, Joshua must travel across the war-torn landscape to find the truth and his own peace.
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Director of Photography
Immediately after the events of The Desolation of Smaug, Bilbo and the dwarves try to defend Erebor's mountain of treasure from others who claim it: the men of the ruined Laketown and the elves of Mirkwood. Meanwhile an army of Orcs led by Azog the Defiler is marching on Erebor, fueled by the rise of the dark lord Sauron. Dwarves, elves and men must unite, and the hope for Middle-Earth falls into Bilbo's hands.
Healing
Director of Photography
Viktor Kahdem is a man who has almost given up on life, sentenced to a low-security prison farm, a completely non-threatening environment where it is still felt that some individuals can be reformed. At Won Wron, Case Worker Matt Perry has established a unique program to rehabilitate broken men through giving them the responsibility for the rehabilitation of injured raptors - beautiful, fearsome proud eagles, falcons and owls. Against all odds, Matt takes on Viktor as his number one test case, introducing him to Yasmine, the majestic wedge tailed eagle with a 2 metre wingspan. If these two can tame each other, anything is possible.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Director of Photography
The Dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf have successfully escaped the Misty Mountains, and Bilbo has gained the One Ring. They all continue their journey to get their gold back from the Dragon, Smaug.
The Turning
Director of Photography
Seventeen talented Australian directors from diverse artistic disciplines each create a chapter of the hauntingly beautiful novel by multi award-winning author Tim Winton. The linking and overlapping stories explore the extraordinary turning points in ordinary people’s lives in a stunning portrait of a small coastal community. As characters face second thoughts and regret, relationships irretrievably alter, resolves are made or broken, and lives change direction forever.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Director of Photography
Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit enjoying his quiet life, is swept into an epic quest by Gandalf the Grey and thirteen dwarves who seek to reclaim their mountain home from Smaug, the dragon.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Director of Photography
A highly intelligent chimpanzee named Caeser has been living a peaceful suburban life ever since he was born. But when he gets taken to a cruel primate facility, Caeser decides to revolt against those who have harmed him.
The Last Airbender
Director of Photography
The story follows the adventures of Aang, a young successor to a long line of Avatars, who must put his childhood ways aside and stop the Fire Nation from enslaving the Water, Earth and Air nations.
Bran Nue Dae
Director of Photography
In the Summer of 1965 a young man is filled with the life of the idyllic old pearling port Broome - fishing, hanging out with his mates and his girl. However his mother returns him to the religious mission for further schooling. After being punished for an act of youthful rebellion, he runs away from the mission on a journey that ultimately leads him back home.
The Lovely Bones
Director of Photography
After being brutally murdered, 14-year-old Susie Salmon watches from heaven over her grief-stricken family -- and her killer. As she observes their daily lives, she must balance her thirst for revenge with her desire for her family to heal.
Shine a Light
Director of Photography
Martin Scorsese and the Rolling Stones unite in "Shine A Light," a look at The Rolling Stones." Scorsese filmed the Stones over a two-day period at the intimate Beacon Theater in New York City in fall 2006. Cinematographers capture the raw energy of the legendary band.
I Am Legend
Director of Photography
Robert Neville is a scientist who was unable to stop the spread of the terrible virus that was incurable and man-made. Immune, Neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of New York City and perhaps the world. For three years, Neville has faithfully sent out daily radio messages, desperate to find any other survivors who might be out there. But he is not alone.
Happy Feet
Director of Photography
Into the world of the Emperor Penguins, who find their soul mates through song, a penguin is born who cannot sing. But he can tap dance something fierce!
The Making of The Fellowship of the Ring
Self
A behind the scenes documentary from the making of the "Fellowship of the Ring"
King Kong
Director of Photography
In 1933 New York, an overly ambitious movie producer coerces his cast and hired ship crew to travel to mysterious Skull Island, where they encounter Kong, a giant ape who is immediately smitten with the leading lady.
Love's Brother
Director of Photography
Set in rural Australia and Tuscany in the 1950's, this is the story of two brothers and the bride who - as fate would have it - arrives from Italy betrothed to one yet falls madly in love with the other.
The Quest Fulfilled: A Director's Vision
Himself
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Corsair of Umbar (uncredited)
Aragorn is revealed as the heir to the ancient kings as he, Gandalf and the other members of the broken fellowship struggle to save Gondor from Sauron's forces. Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam take the ring closer to the heart of Mordor, the dark lord's realm.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Director of Photography
Aragorn is revealed as the heir to the ancient kings as he, Gandalf and the other members of the broken fellowship struggle to save Gondor from Sauron's forces. Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam take the ring closer to the heart of Mordor, the dark lord's realm.
The Long and Short of It
Grizzled Painter
A workman gets some unexpected help from two people of vastly different sizes.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Director of Photography
Frodo and Sam are trekking to Mordor to destroy the One Ring of Power while Gimli, Legolas and Aragorn search for the orc-captured Merry and Pippin. All along, nefarious wizard Saruman awaits the Fellowship members at the Orthanc Tower in Isengard.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Director of Photography
Young hobbit Frodo Baggins, after inheriting a mysterious ring from his uncle Bilbo, must leave his home in order to keep it from falling into the hands of its evil creator. Along the way, a fellowship is formed to protect the ringbearer and make sure that the ring arrives at its final destination: Mt. Doom, the only place where it can be destroyed.
A Passage to Middle-earth: Making of 'Lord of the Rings'
Self
The Sugar Factory
Director of Photography
With his distinctive voice and unusual view of life, Harris takes us through his story: a harrowing journey of humour, grief, resolution and redemption. Harris, as a child of five, sits underneath his house amongst the cobwebs making 'sugar' by pounding sandstone rocks into fine grains and wrapping them into bags. Harris at 17 falls in love with Helen and when a tragic accident leads to a breakdown he ends up at 'The Cottage'... Thrust up against the lives of other innocent victims, Harris begins to make sense of his own guilt, grief and the secret of his past.
Babe: Pig in the City
Director of Photography
Babe, fresh from his victory in the sheepherding contest, returns to Farmer Hoggett's farm, but after Farmer Hoggett is injured and unable to work, Babe has to go to the big city to save the farm.
Doing Time for Patsy Cline
Director of Photography
Following a passion for country music, Ralph leaves his father’s sheep farm in a remote Australian town, armed with a guitar and a plane ticket to Nashville, Tennessee. He hopes to hitchhike to Sydney Airport where his take-off into a successful country/western singing career will hopefully begin. However, fate and his naivety find him hitchhiking with a psychotic drug thief named Boyd, and Boyd's mesmerising girlfriend, Patsy. The plot then splits into a series of parallels, flash forwards and flashbacks. One depicts Ralph’s imprisonment after being framed for drug trafficking. The other follows the dramatic ascent of his career to hype status and the pairing between the dynamic Patsy and himself.
Two If by Sea
Director of Photography
Frank O'Brien, a petty thief, and his 7-year-long girlfriend Roz want to put an end to their unsteady lifestyle and just do that last job, which involves stealing a valuable painting. Frank takes Roz to an island on the coast of New England, where he wants to sell the painting and also hopes that their sagging relationship will get a positive push back up. Not everything goes as planned.
Babe
Director of Photography
Babe is a little pig who doesn't quite know his place in the world. With a bunch of odd friends, like Ferdinand the duck who thinks he is a rooster and Fly the dog he calls mum, Babe realises that he has the makings to become the greatest sheep pig of all time, and Farmer Hogget knows it. With the help of the sheep dogs, Babe learns that a pig can be anything that he wants to be.
Fatal Past
Director of Photography
A mobster's mistress and her bodyguard share a forbidden love and discover they may be doomed by an ominous past life.
Spider and Rose
Camera Operator
A young ambulance driver befriends an elderly woman.
Spider and Rose
Director of Photography
A young ambulance driver befriends an elderly woman.
Temptation of a Monk
Director of Photography
Near the beginning of the Tang dynasty, in 7th century China, General Shi Yan-sheng is tricked into leaving the crown prince unguarded. The crown prince is murdered by one of his brothers who then becomes emperor. Shi retreats to a monastery, perhaps to hide, perhaps to plan a coup. When his loyal troops as well as the princess he desires are slain, he seeks refuge in a remote, abandoned monastery where an aged abbot schools him with practical, earthy teachings. The emperor's forces pursue Shi: first a woman, then a general seek to overpower him with lust and might. Over the course of the film, the reds of battle give way to blues of meditation.
Daydream Believer
Director of Photography
A struggling actress with an affinity for horses meets wealthy rock music promoter and stable owner Digby Olsen.
The Shrimp On The Barbie
Director of Photography
Carlos has failed in show-biz and currently works as a waiter in a Mexican restaurant. There he meets Alex and dumb footballer Bruce celebrating their engagement with her parents. Alex' father is less than thrilled of her fiancée and says he'd rather accept anybody else. Eventually Alex hires Carlos to present him as her new fiancée.
The Delinquents
Camera Operator
A small town in Australia, in the late 1950s: Brownie and Lola are deeply in love. But because they are under-age, their parents are against their relationship and try to separate them.
The Delinquents
Director of Photography
A small town in Australia, in the late 1950s: Brownie and Lola are deeply in love. But because they are under-age, their parents are against their relationship and try to separate them.
Incident at Raven's Gate
Camera Operator
Ex-con Eddie Cleary gets a job working on his older brother's isolated farm. It's not long before bizarre things start happening--dead birds falling out of the sky, family pets attacking their owners, strange apparitions beginning to appear, and people who had been "normal" suddenly going insane.
Schwarzenegger: Total Rebuild
Cinematography
After an absence of five years, six times Mr. Olympia winner Arnold Schwarzenegger makes a comeback and attempts to take the World Body Building Championship for the 7th time.
Around the World in Eighty Ways
Second Unit Director of Photography
Mavis Davis has had enough! Younger son Eddie wears headphones all day and almost electrocutes her. Older boy Wally is gay and lives in a huge over-ripe banana. And her husband Roly has grown into a blind, motionless, emotionless vegetable. So pack the bags, Mavis is off on an around the world package trip leaving them all behind. However, when Dad finds out she has been joined by their hated next door neighbour long dead passions begin to stir. Blind, senile old Dad decides to chase his wife around the world...
Dark Age
Director of Photography
In the Australian outback, a park ranger and two local guides set out to track down a giant crocodile that has been killing and eating the local populace..
Australian Dream
Director of Photography
Dorothy is living out the Australian dream and has fantasies to escape the boredom. She rebels against her expected role and gets involved with selling sex aids to housewives.
Fair Game
Director of Photography
A young woman running a wildlife sanctuary in the Australian outback is in for trouble when she is confronted by three kangaroo hunters. Bored with killing kangaroos, they decide to kill the animals in the sanctuary, and when they see how attractive the owner is, they decide to have a little "fun" with her, too. Turns out that they may get a bit more "fun" than they bargained for.
Unfinished Business
Telegraph Boy
Maureen's biological clock is ticking, and she wants a baby. Her husband George is unable to oblige. When Maureen bumps into Geoff, a former lover from years ago she decides he might be able to supply the wanted seed. But the scientific controls on their weekend encounter soon give way to natural urges and the consummation is concluded with tenderness.
Fantasy Man
Cinematography
A man approaching a midlife crisis has a fantasy affair with a waitress.
Dead Easy
Focus Puller
Three young friends trying to break into the entertainment business inadvertently anger a mob boss, setting in motion a chain of events that results in their being hunted by every thug and killer in town.
Early Frost
Additional Photography
Private Detective Mike Hayes (Guy Doleman), is working on a divorce case, when he stumbles upon a series of cover-ups that leads to a corpse. His investigation takes him into the lievs of two families living in the Sydney suburbs. Although they look like ordinary people, one of them is the killer. Hayes meets the strange teenager David Prentice (David Franklin), who keeps a violent crime scrapbook, and Val Meadows (Diane McLean), the mistress who believes that someone is trying to kill her. The more the investigation deepens, the more twisted and complex it becomes. It appears the only people who hate Val enough to want her dead, are her own family. Could it be her two sons, alienated by her dominant nature, her lover, or even her best friend?
The Killing of Angel Street
Clapper Loader
Jessica Simmonds returns from overseas to find her retired professor father in a bitter public fight to save the historic Sydney waterfront houses on Angel Street. After her father's mysterious death, she joins forces with local residents and a union leader against corrupt forces. Based on the real life mysterious disappearance of Juanita Nielsen.
The Comeback
Director of Photography
After an absence of five years, six times Mr Olympia winner Arnold Schwarzenegger makes a comeback and attempts to take the World Body Building Championship for the 7th time.
The Two Towers (Extended Edition)
Director of Photography
Boys in the Island
Director of Photography
A teenage boy from Tasmania is drawn into a petty crime gang in Melbourne.
Lord of the rings (Extended Edition)
Director of Photography