Michael Burton

Michael Burton was born in Fall River, Massachusetts in 1977. He earned a BFA from Green Mountain College in 1999 and an MFA from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln in 2007. His work as a director and producer draw heavily on his background in fine art. Known for his hybrid form of live-action film on green screen and animation his work resembles 19th century prints and early 20th century illustrations. His films generally focus on stories from those time periods. Michael works closely with historian William G. Thomas and writer Kwakiutl Dreher on films about slavery and the early republic. These films highlight people with extraordinary pasts who have mostly been left out of the cultural and historical record. The process for creating hybrid animation films is time intensive however the look is rich and compelling, bringing viewers into the past in a way that blends the notion of history with the real lives of each character.