Michael is a two-time Emmy® and Grierson nominated filmmaker and founder of Thoughtful Robot Productions, committed to sharing stories that inspire, connect, and galvanize change since 2003. In addition to filmmaking, Michael volunteers as a meditation and breathwork instructor working with a wide range of populations including the queer community, veterans and military families suffering from PTSD and moral injury.

Michael’s film ALMOST SUNRISE chronicles the transformative journey of two Iraq war veterans who set off on a 2,700-mile walk in order to save themselves from suicide. It premiered on POV and was nominated for an Emmy® Award in 2018 for Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary. Michael's first film, GIVE UP TOMORROW, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2011 where it won the Audience Award and a Special Jury Prize for Best New Director. It was selected for the Puma Impact Award in 2012 and was nominated for an Emmy® Award for Outstanding Investigative Journalism in 2013. It won 18 awards worldwide.

In 2022 Michael produced, wrote and edited DELIKADO, an environmental thriller set in the Philippines. It premiered at Hot Docs in Toronto and will be part of POV’s 35 Anniversary season in September 2022. Michael’s other current film, BEIRUT DREAMS IN COLOR, is a commission for Guardian Documentaries about a trailblazing rock band, a courageous fan, and a queer activist’s daunting battle against religious extremists for equality in some of the most hardline places in the world. The film is screening worldwide including Tribeca Film Festival in New York City and premiered on the Guardian in June 2022 for Pride month.