Michael Schroeder

Award Winning Writer/Director Michael Schroeder, initially hired as a Director who could deliver a film on time and on budget, he soon became known for his ability to work with actors, his style in lighting and intriguing camera work; what the New York Times labeled in one of their reviews as 'snazzy' shooting. With MAN IN THE CHAIR, Schroeder blended genres in an unique vision of 'style and content' by confronting one of the hidden controversies of our day - ageism and neglect. The drama/comedy was a Festival darling winning Best Picture at Santa Barbara, Stony Brook, Kent and Heartland Film Festivals. The picture garnered other Festival honors and notice at Berlin (Crystal Bear - Best Picture Nomination), Seattle, Palm Beach, AFI-Dallas, MethodFest and others. Rex Reed, New York Observer: 'MAN IN THE CHAIR, a modest but intelligent feel-good movie with a spectacular performance by Christopher Plummer and some wise and deeply affecting writing and direction from Michael Schroeder. At a time when most films wallow in mankind's basest instincts, MAN IN THE CHAIR is a rare, once in a blue moon kind of movie that celebrates the best qualities in people and makes you applaud the human race.' Michael Schroeder joined the DIRECTORS GUILD OF AMERICA in 1982. He has made over forty-eight feature films in various countries such as Australia, Mexico, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Belize, Canada and of course the United States. This body of work includes his First Assistant director career, (a hundred commercials/music videos and twenty-five feature films, including THE BIG EASY and SHY PEOPLE). In 1981, Schroeder produced his first feature, ONE DARK NIGHT (Meg Tilly's first film). Schroeder also served as Co-Producer on Unified Pictures', BOB FUNK (starring Rachel Leigh Cook, Michael Leydon Campbell and Amy Ryan); JANIE JONES starring Abigail Breslin, Elizabeth Shue, Peter Stormare and Alessandro Nivola; and PRISONER (starring Julian McMahon, Elias Koteas and Dagmara Domiczyk) for IFC. As an Action Director, Schroeder has received awards in Hollywood and Internationally; THE GLASS CAGE bus explosion sequence, Hollywood's Greatest Stunts, and the DAMNED RIVER white water sequences shot on the Zambezi River in Zimbabwe. Other feature films directed by Schroeder include OUT OF THE DARK for New Line Cinema; DAMNED RIVER shot over sixteen rigorous weeks on the Zambezi River in Africa for United Artists; CYBORG 2: GLASS SHADOW starring Angelina Jolie (her first film) and Elias Koteas; THE GLASS CAGE, shot in New Orleans starring Eric Roberts and Richard Tyson; COVER ME starring Paul Sorvino for Paramount and RELENTLESS II: DEAD ON for New Line Cinema, which won Best Crime Thriller at the Denver Film Festival. Schroeder Co-wrote the screenplay for CYBORG 2: GLASS SHADOW; he also wrote PLAYMAKER starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Rubin for Orion Pictures. He also directed several commercials for Honda, the New VW Beetle and others. Schroeder produced three theatrical shorts: BIG LEAF TOBACCO CO. and LEAGUE OF OLD MEN for We Care About Kids Productions; and the award winning BUFFOON for Mini Films. Schroeder taught college 2001/2002. He became a Director Professor and taught Film Directing at University of North Carolina School of the Arts, in Winston-Salem. Michael Schroeder, originally from Idaho, has lived in Los Angeles for thirty-five years. He is the father of four children - Taber, Rachel, Hillary and Milo. He is married to filmmaker, Sharon Cingle Schroeder. When he's not on a film set, he's usually on a golf course or playing basketball at the Hollywood YMCA.