Born in, raised in and eventually paroled from Patchogue, New York, Michael graduated from Marist College where he studied TV and Film Production. While in school, Michael was a member of the sketch/improv comedy troupe, a weekly columnist for the newspaper, a writer and actor for the college TV station and the host of a weekly radio show.
Soon after graduating, Michael wrote Subway, his first screenplay, an amusing lump of shit that is literally fifty percent VoiceOver. Seriously. He followed that with a prolific five-year period during which he wrote seven slightly better screenplays, numerous short stories, two novellas and his memoir The Burnout Chronicles.
During this same period, he studied acting with William Esper and John Dapolito. As Michael polished his craft as an actor, he continued writing. In 2005, his screenplay Inspiration Therapy was optioned by World Film Services and he joined the Writers Guild of America.
Several of his subsequent scripts were finalists in screenplay competitions like Project Greenlight and Final Draft Big Break. During this stretch, he was hired to write a biographical novel which would become his second book, Broken.
As an actor, Michael is a proud member of the SAG-AFTRA and has appeared in numerous independent films and on HBO's The Deuce. As a member of the Actors Equity Association, he has also appeared in countless performances on New York's many Off-off-off-Broadway stages.
In 2011, Michael wrote Maybe Tomorrow. He would also produce, direct and star in the film which would go on to acquire distribution with Entertainment One who released it across the country on VOD, Amazon and iTunes.
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Following Maybe Tomorrow, Michael wrote the screenplay for the rom-com Rich Boy, Rich Girl, which was distributed by Vertical Entertainment. He then wrote, directed and produced several short films, including Two Brothers in November.
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In addition to his film work, Michael is an accomplished television producer, working for Sharp Entertainment for several years on the 90 Day Fiance franchise.
His latest short film A Bellevue Love Story, that he wrote, directed and produced, had a successful run on the film festival circuit. Based on an Academy Nicholl Fellowship Semi-Finalist screenplay, this short film also serves as 'proof of concept' for what will eventually become a feature film or a series in the near future.
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