Biography
filmography
Since directing the Brass Eye series and pilots from 1995-1997, Michael has continuously worked with the cream of comedy and acting talent in many different styles; sitcoms, comedy drama, sketches, political satire and the simply unclassifiable. These include five series of The Mark Thomas Product; Matt Lucas & David Walliams in Rock Profile; Three Non Blondes; Mark Steel Lectures; Bremner, Bird & Fortune; World Of Pub; Jack Dee’s Full Mountie; The Lenny Henry Show; Alistair McGowan’s Big Impression; The Peter Serafinowicz Show; Snuff Box; The Omid Djalili Show; Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle; Going Forward - starring Jo Brand and three series of Matt Berry’s BAFTA winning sitcom Toast Of London. His feature-documentary & Q&A - Oxide Ghosts: The Brass Eye Tapes has been shown to sell out crowds in hundreds of cinemas up and down the country since 2017 - including the Glastonbury Festival and the BFI. Michael’s recent TV projects include two series of the star studded - seaside-set, comedy drama - Sandylands - with David Walliams, Hugh Bonneville, Sophie Thompson, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Simon Bird & Craig Parkinson and the return of Steven Toast in Toast Of Tinseltown. His latest film, the feature-length documentary in collaboration with comedian & writer Stewart Lee - King Rocker - premiered at the Sheffield Doc Fest, cinemas and on Sky Arts in 2021. King Rocker was also shown - with Q&As from Michael and Stewart Lee - at music festivals in 2022-3, including Blue Dot, Deer Shed & Glastonbury.
Michael has directed a hugely diverse range of work; television, commercials, music videos and films, shooting on location and in the studio, on single and multi camera. He started his professional directing career at the BBC in 1987, producing & directing short films for the flagship science series Tomorrows World and has also directed children’s TV series, documentaries and entertainment shows, including Lonely Planet, The Word and The Sunday Show.
backstory
Michael was born in Windermere, in the English Lake District. He made his first films aged 13 in the school ciné club. A semi-professional musician at fourteen, playing for ten pounds a night in a local cabaret duo, he spent the next ten years in and out of various bands playing punk, post-punk, jazz, pop and experimental music. Performing in bands for comedy revues at the Edinburgh festival and a nomination in the very first Perrier Awards gave him his first taste for directing comedy. Michael continues to be involved in music - as Play And Record he co-wrote, performed & produced the songs for the comedy drama for children – ‘Hounded’ that was broadcast in 2010 on BBC1 and CBBC.
As a video artist and painter in the mid 1980s, Michael exhibited his work at galleries up and down the country, including the Whitworth Young Contemporaries in Manchester and the Bracknell, Brighton and Sheffield Video Festivals. A collection of his video art work is held in the BFI archive and his current and 1980’s films are regularly broadcast on the experimental American cable TV show Here Comes Everyone. He gained an Honours degree in Fine Art in 1985, studying under film maker Guy Sherwin at the University of Wolverhampton and at L’Ecole Des Beaux Arts in Angers, France. Michael then moved to London to take a much sought after place at the Royal College of Art film school and later at the Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts. Michael gained his Masters in Film, with Distinction, in 1987 and made - with their full cooperation - film dramas based on the work of avant-garde composer John Cage and American literary giant Kurt Vonnegut. His graduation short ‘Our Father’, starring Don Henderson, is part of the Vonnegut Archive left by the author to the Lilly Library at Indiana University. Michael continues to produce independent films, paintings and multimedia artworks today.
In pursuit of television gold Michael has climbed on a roof with Buzz Aldrin, hugged Big Bird, canoodled with porn stars, been ringside for Chris Morris v Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank. He’s taken a drive with George Best, attended Pele’s wedding, conducted the last major interviews with both Rik Mayall and Ken Dodd and been unceremoniously booted out of the White House.
In 2017 Michael was awarded an honorary doctorate for his outstanding contribution to television & filmmaking.
television comedy directing credits
Sandylands - 2023 BBC2
Toast Of Tinseltown 2022 BBC2
Winner, best comedy, Rose d’Or.
Sandylands - (Series2) 2021 UKTV
Sandylands - (Series1) 2020 UKTV
Comedy drama starring David Walliams, Hugh Bonneville, Sophie Thompson, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Simon Bird & Craig Parkinson.
Going Forward - (Series) 2016 BBC4
Improvised comedy drama series staring Jo Brand
Toast Of London - (Series 3) 2015 C4
Toast Of London - (Series 2) 2014 C4
Winner, best comedy actor - Matt Berry BAFTA 2015
Toast Of London - (Series 1) 2013 C4
Winner, best sitcom - Rose d’Or & British Comedy Awards
Gittins - 2012 C4
Broadcast pilot starring David Earl
The Unspeakable Play - 2012 C4
Toast Of London broadcast pilot
Mark Steel’s In... Leith - 2012 BBC
Show Me The Funny - (Series) 2011 ITV 1
Multi-camera director
Stewart Lee 41st Best Stand Up Ever - 2010 Comedy Central
Multi-camera director
The Omid Djalili Show - (Series 2) 2009 BBC1
Location & studio director/co-writer
Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle - 2008/9 BBC 2
Location & studio director - pilot/parts show 1&2
The Omid Djalili Show -(Series 1)2007 BBC 1
Location & studio director - pilot & series 1
The Peter Serafinowicz Show - 2007 BBC2
Pilot/parts of series
Lenny Henry: So Much Things To Say - 2007 BBC1
Multi-camera director
Touch Me I’m Karen Taylor - 2006 BBC3
Location & studio director - pilot/special
Snuff Box - (Series) 2006 BBC3
Matt Berry & Rich Fulcher’s cult comedy
Lenny Henry Show - (Series 2) 2005 BBC1
Location & studio director
Mark Steel Lectures - (Series 2) 2005 BBC4/2
BAFTA nominated
Lenny Henry Show - (Series 1) 2004 BBC1
Location & studio director
Mark Steel Lectures - (Series 1) 2004 BBC4/2
Comedy & documentary combines
Three Non Blondes - (Series 1) 2003 BBC3/2
Hidden camera show
The Secret Map Of Britain - 2002 C4
Mark Thomas 60min special. Co-director
Mark Thomas Product - (Series 5) 2002 C4
Location & studio director
World Of Pub - (Series) 2001 BBC2
Sitcom starring Peter Serafinowicz, Kevin Eldon and Phil Cornwell
Bremner, Bird & Fortune’s Exit Poll - 2001 C4
Location director
Jack Dee’s Full Mountie - (Series) 2000 BBC1
Location & multi-camera director
Alistair McGowan’s Big Impression - (Series 1) 2000 BBC1
Location & studio director. Winner, British Comedy Awards
Mark Thomas Product - (Series 3) 2000 C4
Location & studio director
Rock Profile - (Series 1) 1999 BBC2
Matt Lucas & David Walliams star
Mark Thomas Product - (Series 2) 1999 C4
Location & studio director
Shadows Of Reflection - 1999 C4
Short. Starring Kevin Eldon’s
Mark Thomas Asylum Bill - 1998 C4
60min special
Rory Bremner: From Blair To Here - 1998
C4 Location director
The Mark Thomas Comedy Product - (Series 1) 1998 C4
Location & studio director
Brass Eye - (Series)1996-97 C4
Location & studio director - series and 2 pilots
film
A Dozen Eggs - 2023
6 short films for The Lovely Eggs’ Eggs TV channel.
King Rocker: A Film About Robert Lloyd & The Nightingales - 2021
Feature film documentary written & presented by Stewart Lee.
Director/editor/executive producer.
Blackpool Rock: The Comedy Carpet - Currently in post production
Feature film documentary. Director & editor
Grange Baths - 2020
Short film inspired by the Save Grange Lido campaign. Director/editor/camera/producer
Spring/Summer 2020 - 2020
Short film made during the first UK Covid lockdown. Director/editor/camera/producer
Five Music Shorts - 2020
In collaboration with the music of Mo. Director/editor/camera/producer
Oxide Ghosts: The Brass Eye Tapes - 2017
Feature film documentary. Director/producer/editor/narrator
At The Bars (For Guy Sherwin) - 2016
Short film inspired by Sherwin’s 1974 film ‘At The Academy’. Director/Editor
Sixteen Music Films For Matt Berry - 2015/16
Projected live to accompany songs at gigs. Director/producer/camera/editor
Across A Lake, Below The Hill - 2015
Film to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of The Lakes School. Shown as part of ‘The Less Familiar:How Artists Work With Buildings’. Kings College 2016
Producer/director/editor/super 8 camera/co-writer
Video In/Audio Out - 2014
5 video shorts. Producer/director/camera/editor/composer
The Assisted Reality Trilogy (260 Feet Deep) - 2010
Three video shorts. Producer/director/writer/camera/edit/narrator/composer
At Coniston 12/9/01 - 2001
Video short. Producer/director/camera/edit
Beachcomber - 1989
Arts Council funded short film with artist Kevin Carr. Producer/director/co-writer
4’33” - 1987
Short film based on an idea by, and with the permission of, John Cage.
Director/co-producer/writer/editor
Our Father -1987
Short film based on an idea by, and with the permission of, Kurt Vonnegut.
Stars Don Henderson.Director/co-producer/writer/editor
The One & Only - 1986
BAFTA nominated short film. Stars Eric Wallace.
Co-producer/director/writer
The Rich Baron - 1986
Arts Council financed. Director/camera/editor
Episodes From A Life - 1984-86
Series of shorts. Director/camera/editor/performer
Various film & video art shorts - 1984-86
Held in the BFI Archives. Producer/director/writer/camera/editor/performer
commercials, promos, dvd & etc.
Lloyd/Bean - Black Cat, Dark Horse 2023
Music Video. Tiny Global Productions
The Golden Afternoon - 2021
Martin Newell concert film. DVD. Director/Producer/Editor
Perish The Thought: The Nightingales & Stewart Lee Live - 2021
Concert film livestream.
Remember A Charity: Points Of You - 2019
4 commercials written by Matt Berry. Agency: Atomic
George Ezra - Pretty Shining People - 2019
Music Video. Columbia
The Nightingales - Gales Doc - 2019
Music Video. Fire Records
Violife: Wall Runner & Escape Artist - 2018
2 commercials. Agency: VCCP
Cravendale: The Moonicow - 2017
Commercial. Agency: Wieden & Kennedy
Pilgrims Choice: Gaming & Fassion - 2016
2 commercials. Agency: Kamarama
Alan Davies: Life Is Pain - 2012
Hammersmith Apollo show - stand up DVD
Mintacular - 2012
Commercial. Agency: Wieden + Kennedy
Oddka - 2012
Commercial. Agency: Euro RSCG/Aardman
Cracking Ideas - 2010
Short film to promote Aardman Animation competition
Stewart Lee: 41st Best Stand Up Ever -
2009 The Stand, Glasgow show - stand up DVD
Snuff Box DVD Launch - 2008
Live show producer/director
Mark Thomas: Serious Organised Criminal - 2007
Tricycle Theatre, London show - stand up DVD
Lenny Henry: So Much Things To Say - 2006
Hackney Empire show - stand up DVD
GLC: Anti Litter - 2002
Cinema Commercial
Motorola : V Box - 2001
Commercial
The Gill & Mark Story - 1991
Eastenders spin-off educational video
Various corporate films -1988 -1990
Including: Trusthouse Forte, British Gas, Walkers Crisps, British Rail,
Fiat, Citroen, Royal Life, Du Pont, The National Lottery
other television screen credits
Hounded - (Series) 2010 BBC1
Music composer/performer/producer
Down The Line: Behind The Microphone – 2006 BBC Red Button
Whitehouse & Higson documentary. Director/producer/camera
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - (Series) 1999 C4
Cinema Series with Charlie Higson. Series Director
National Football Awards - 2001 ITV
Location director
The Sunday Show - (Series 2) 1996 BBC2
USA location producer/director/writer
The Word - (Series 5) -1995 C4
USA & UK location producer/director/writer
Lonely Planet: Brazil - 1994 C4
Also, 60 min version for National Geographic channel & DVD
Over The Moon -1994 C4
Director/co-producer/writer
An Afternoon On The Moon - 1994 BBC1
Co-producer/location director/co-writer
TVFM - (Series)1993 TCC
Studio & location director
The Edge - (Series) 1993 ITV
Location director
Secret Lives - (Series) ITV 1993
Documentary Series. Director/producer
The TCC Club - (Series) 1992 TCC
Studio & locations director
Roustabout - (Series)1991 TCC
Studio & locations director
The Steve & Danny Show - (Series)1990
TCC Studio director
Eric Wallace’s Ghost Stories - ITV 1989
Director/producer/writer
Tomorrows World - (Series) BBC1 1988
Location film director/producer/writer