After graduating in 1988 with an MFA in Screenwriting and Directing from Columbia University, Michael edited over 600 episodes of television, ranging from ½ hour to hour, 60% of them co-functioning as producer, over 300 non-fiction scripts written, cut, and aired, many graphics and special effects created along the way.  He or his shows earned a 2007 New York Festivals Gold World Medal, Best Documentary, 2004 National Emmy Nomination, 2002 National Emmy nomination, two 2001 Tellie Awards, a 2001 Teddy for Outstanding Outdoor Adventure Documentary, 2000 Teddy Award for Outstanding Outdoor Adventure Series, 1995 Emmy for Outstanding Entertainment Program, two 1995 Emmy nominations, three 1994 Emmy nominations, 1994 C.B.A. for Best Children's Programming, three 1993 Emmy nominations, 1993 Alfie, 1992 Cine Golden Eagle, 1992 Tellie and 1992 Blue Sky Award.  This list does not include Michael’s corporate, commercial, feature or published work.

At Columbia, Michael studied with Martin Scorsese, Brian DePalma, Milos Forman, Michael Hausman, Ralph Rosenblum, and many others.  Previously, Michael emerged from his undergraduate work at Colorado State University an Honors Graduate with Distinction, Phi Beta Kappa, B.A. in English, with minors in Philosophy and Creative Writing, in 1985. 

Currently creating an animated pilot, Michael is also raising money for the production of “Boulder” his 7^th screenplay.  His first, “The Lightkeepers,” was finalist in the 1989 Nicholl Screenwriting Fellowship and passed onto directors by Martin Scorsese.  Michael’s next:  “Raincoat,” was the black comedy western that frightened The Academy as a Nicholl proposal.  His horror masterpiece, “Love Thy Enemy,” was optioned in 1990, but remains unproduced.  Then came “Felines,” a Poe-ish melodrama, and “Fantastic Phantoms and Frauds,” a kind of “Network” meets “X-Files.”  Now, “Boulder” arrives, a dark comedy action thriller, the first in a wildly raucous trilogy including “The Bickford Building,” and “The Farmhouse.”  One producer described it as “Animal House” meets “A Clockwork Orange.” 

Michael also co-wrote two feature treatments sold to Animal Planet in 2003.  His treatment for a WWII epic about Women Air Force Service Pilots was optioned in 1994.   

Lighthouse Productions