Written by Regina Ender
In his field, in his classes, and in his faith, Professor Greg Michael is always enthusiastic. The professional director and cinematic arts instructor is deeply passionate about his work and gets even more excited when he is able to share it with his students. He especially loves working at APU because it allows him to openly share his faith with others and to combine Christianity with creativity.
Before starting his career, Professor Michael earned his MFA in production and his BS in business administration from USC. In his professional life, he primarily worked as a second unit director, directing action sequences, on major motion pictures. Some of his most well-known work includes The Mummy, The Mummy Returns, Van Helsing, G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra, and Hotel for Dogs. Currently, he’s working on a book entitled Shadow and Substance: The Biblical Pattern of Narrative in Film and Television, which demonstrates the pattern of the Gospel in film.
To Professor Michael, he is doing his best in the classroom when he is earnest and truly looking out for his students’ best interests, which he said makes them more receptive to what they are learning. He encourages them to see the eternal significance and human impact of their art by getting a strong grasp on the importance of storytelling. The Cinematic Arts department’s Premiere Night has become his favorite time of year. The event allows students to get a taste of the professional world, dressing red carpet ready and showcasing the films they worked to perfect all semester. He loves that they are able to celebrate the fruits of their labor when the audience is touched by their films. At this event, he knows his students realize the outpouring of their creative energy was well worth the effort.
Words of Wisdom: “Success in the world’s eyes is fleeting, but the pursuit of God’s glory has eternal rewards. Seek His kingdom first.”
