“The visual poetry developed in my art practice drives my approach to cinematography; it is an extension of my work as an artist.”
Michael is a freelance Cinematographer based in London. Originally from Sydney, Michael studied at the Sydney College of the Arts where he focused on exploring ideas of gender through video installation and performance. After graduating, he joined queer art collective H.A.R.D, where he continued to create work alongside camera assisting for film and tv. He began his career working on films such as Alien: Covenant (2017) and Gods of Egypt (2016).
In 2017 Michael moved to the UK to study on the Cinematography Masters program at the National Film and Television School, funded by a grant from the Ian Potter Cultural Trust.
Graduating in 2019, Michael’s graduate fiction project “Azaar” went on to be nominated for “British Short” at the 2020 BAFTA Awards as well as screening in the Student Panorama at Camerimage Festival Poland 2019. His graduate animation project “A Bird With No Legs” and “Azaar” won gold and silver respectively at the Australian Cinematography Society awards.
Michael has recently made the leap into long form, having shot the upcoming Hindi remake of Elite for Netflix, “Class”, You and Me for ITVX, The Greatest Show Never Made for Amazon and Screw season 2 for Channel 4. Michael has won the British Society of Cinematography Short Film Competition 2022 for Baba.
Some of the festivals Michael’s work has screened at include BFI: London Film Festival, BFI Flare: London LGBT Film Festival, London Short Film Festival (LSFF), Encounters Festival Bristol, Fringe! Queer Film Fest London, Underwire Festival London, Raindance Festival London, Sydney Mardi Gras Film Festival, and Melbourne Queer Film festival
· Royal Television Society (UK) Postgraduate Craft Award for Cinematography 2020 (Azaar)
· BAFTA 2020 Nomination for British Short (Azaar)
· Gold Award: Australian Cinematography Society NSW Branch ”A Bird With No Legs” 2019
· Gold Award: Australian Cinematography Society National Awards ”A Bird With No Legs” 2020
· Silver Award: Australian Cinematography Society NSW Branch ”AZAAR” 2019
· Ian Potter Foundation Cultural Grant 2016
· High Achievement & Professionalism: AFTRS Cinematography Faculty Achievement 2014
· Fauvette Loureiro Memorial Artist Exchange Scholarship (SCA) 2013
NATIONAL FILM AND TELEVISION SCHOOL (UK)
Masters in Cinematography (2017-2018)
AUSTRALIAN FILM, TELEVISION, AND RADIO SCHOOL (AFTRS)
Graduate Certificate in Cinematography (2014)
SYDNEY COLLEGE OF THE ARTS
Bachelor of Visual Arts (2013)
LUCA SCHOOL OF ARTS BELGIUM
Exchange (2013)