MICHAEL LANGE
Director

Born and raised just outside of New York City, Michael Lange is definitely a city boy. The pulse and excitement of a city is what drives his engine. The mass of humanity stuck together in a small space causes the highest and lowest examples of the human race. This natural conflict between haves, have nots, wanna haves and even wanna have nots is a theme that has interested him a long time.

Michael’s background as a director is rounded. He studied theater at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. with most of his energies spent on directing. As a requirement of the degree he also did some acting, lighting and set building — the gamut of theatrical experience. He also performed in several rock and folk music groups around the D.C. area. After graduating, he started and was the artistic director of A.C.T., a small regional theater in Teaneck, N.J. The company produced and he directed several plays including “Cabaret,” “A Thousand Clowns,” “Oliver,” “Arsenic and Old Lace,” Ionesco’s “The Lesson” and “Waiting for Godot”.

Michael then got into the advertising business starting as an assistant producer at Cunningham & Walsh on Madison Avenue. He quickly rose to a producer position on such national accounts as American Motors (for which he received a Clio nomination), Schlitz Light Beer, Jergen’s Lotion, English Leather Cologne and many more. After working there for five years, he moved to Creamer Advertising in New York as head of television and radio production, producing for British Sterling, Omni and Penthouse magazines, ITT Sheraton Hotels, WNBC Television and others.

After about eight years in advertising, Michael decided to head to California and become a film and television director. He got a position on “The Fall Guy” as a post production assistant, doing inserts, miniatures and small second units. After a year he became the second unit director and shot 26 episodes of explosions, fights, boat, helicopter and car chases, all sorts of vehicles turning over and crashing into one another, high falls and basically any kind of stunt that can be imagined.

After a year of that, Michael got his first opportunity to direct an actual episode. The show was “Riptide.” He directed many action/adventure shows and then moved into dramatic shows such as “Life Goes On,” created and executive produced by Michael Braverman. He directed 18 episodes of “Life Goes On” and won a Humanitas nomination for one of the episodes, “Bedfellows,” and many accolades for some of the others. He also directed five episodes of “Northern Exposure.” One of them, “Kaddish for Uncle Manny,” was nominated for a DGA Award for Best Comedy. Some of his other credits include episodes of “X-Files,” “Tracey Takes On…,” “Larry Sanders Show,” “American Gothic” and “Picket Fences”.

Michael’s debut as a feature film director is “Intern,” a satirical romantic comedy set in the fashion magazine industry starring Dominique Swain and Kathy Griffin. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival 2000. He’s just finished his second film, “Jumping Ship,” for the Disney Channel.

And now, Michael is embarking on another adventure. He’s created a company called Silly Music Corporation that produces parodies on CD of Broadway musicals. “Goys and Dolls” premiered in 2002; “Say Oy Vey” is the latest offering.