Michael W. King

Michael W. King
Born April 29, 1952

Michael W. King is a producer, writer, and director of music videos, documentaries, and film.[1] King is the founder of Michael King Productions LLC, and lives in La Quinta, California, with his wife and son. He is a former board member of the International Documentary Association (IDA), and a member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA).

Life

King was born Michael Wayne King, April 29, 1952. He attended and graduated high school at New London High School, New London, Connecticut, and went on to college at Connecticut College, graduating with a BA in Government in 1975. King also later received an MA in Film Studies from the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and a postgraduate degree in Feature Film Directing from the Amsterdam School of the Arts, Maurits Binger Film Institute.

Michael W. King also taught screenwriting and film from 2000 to 2001 at Emerson College, and was the Filmmaker-in-Residence and Professor of Film at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, from 2007 to 2008.

Career

In 1991, Michael W. King produced an MTV music video based on Dr. Martin Luther King’s speech "I Have A Dream". In 1995, King produced, directed, and wrote a PBS documentary titled Making A Living, the African-American Experience, which featured American actor Joe Morton. In 1997, he directed and wrote his first feature film in the Czech Republic, entitled Vanity Kills. In 1999, King created an Emmy award-winning PBS documentary entitled Bangin’, featuring Chuck D from Public Enemy, which explored youth violence in America.

In 2007, he completed a feature documentary called Rapping with Shakespeare (2008), which followed the story of an English teacher who used hip hop and rap to help his students better access Shakespeare's works, while making parallels between the lives of five South Central Los Angeles teenagers and Shakespeare's characters.

In 2010, King produced, directed, and wrote a documentary called The Rescuers, about 13 heroic World War II diplomats who helped save the lives of tens of thousands of Jews during the Holocaust. The Rescuers stars historian and Holocaust expert Sir Martin Gilbert and Rwandan anti-genocide activist Stephanie Nyombayire, and features Prince Charles, Prince of Wales.

Michael King also executive produced Crenshaw Nights, starring Vondie Curtis-Hall and Judd Nelson, in 2008 for the American Film Institute.

Filmography

Year Production Role
1990 Arts and Entertainment Revue TV Series Producer
1995 Making a Living: the African-American Experience Director, Producer, Writer
1997 Vanity Kills Writer, director
1999 Bangin Writer, Producer, Director
2002 Breaking the Silence, Sex is Not a Four Letter Word Director
2007 Rapping With Shakespeare Director, Co-Producer
2008 Crenshaw Nights Executive Producer
2010 The Rescuers Director, producer, writer

Awards and nominations

Year Award Organization Work Category Result
1999 Best Documentary Emmy Bangin' PBS documentary feature Won
1999 Best Documentary and Best Editing International Television and Video Association Bangin' PBS documentary feature Won
2008 A&E Indie Filmmaker Award A&E IndieFilms Rapping with Shakespeare Documentary Nominated
2002 Carl Lutz Medal of Freedom Switzerland The Rescuers Documentary Feature Awarded
2010 Harriet Buescher Lawrence ’34 Prize Connecticut College Lifetime achievement outstanding contributions to society Awarded

References

  1. "Michael King on IMDB" http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2176524/. Retrieved 10/26/2010.
  2. Dorsey, Kristina (10/16/2010)"NHLS grad uses new film as history lesson"(The Day) (New London,Connecticut): p. 1 Events.
  3. "Connecticut College: Awards" http://www.conncoll.edu/alumni/2570.htm. Retrieved 10/25/2010.
  4. "Directors Guild of America Official Website" http://www.dga.org/index2.php3?chg=. Retrieved 10/28/2010.
  5. "Sir Martin Gilbert Official Webpage" http://www.martingilbert.com/. Retrieved 10/28/2010.

Notes

  1. ↑ IMDb

External links