Biography

John S. Bartley was born on February 12, 1947 in New Zealand. He was a cinematographer and director, known for The X-Files (1993), Eight Legged Freaks (2002) and The Chronicles of Riddick (2004). He died on August 17, 2025.

His daughter, Amanda Bartley appeared as an extra on the fast-food restaurant scene of the episode "Talitha Cumi" from The X-Files (1993).

Member of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC).

After high school, he apprenticed with an electrician, and at age 20, he moved to Sydney, Australia, and found work as a lighting director in theater and television.

Father was an Army officer, who died when he was 12, and his mother was a theater cashier.

New Zealand-born cinematographer, the son of a career Army officer and a theater cashier.

Those first 3 years of The X-Files (1993) were special and very creative; winning an Emmy for the the work I did was unexpected but truly memorable. As the years went on, I think what happened at FOX was X-Files became Rupert Murdoch favorite show, so no one on the corporate level said "no" and the budget kept growing...

On the dynamic of Lost and its creator: The show's great. J.J. Abrams is a filmmaker like you wouldn't expect. He's like the quiet guy who lives next-door.

If you're doing a series, you have to have a look for it. Technically...what should happen...people should flip around the channels and immediately know what show they're watching without even looking up TV guide.