Michael was born in Salinas, California, and his educational journey began at the prestigious Juilliard School, which ultimately led to a position in the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra under the renowned conductors Riccardo Chailly and Vladimir Ashkenazy.
He had the opportunity to tour with the Berlin Philharmonic under the guidance of the illustrious Herbert von Karajan. During his time with the orchestra, Michael wrote and directed his first film, the peculiar and dark Konzert für die rechte Hand, in 1987.
His work received numerous awards and screenings at festivals in both Europe and the United States, which ultimately led to his acceptance into the American Film Institute in Los Angeles.
Michael returned to Berlin, where he directed two music documentaries for German television, The Reluctant Angels in 1992, a historical exploration of the castrato in early music, and Cheryl Studer - An American Soprano in 1996, shot on location in Europe and the United States.
In 1998, Michael began working on his first major feature film, The Little Girl Who Fell from the Tree, starring Dominique Horwitz and Floriane Daniel, at the famous Babelsberg Studios in Berlin.
The film received awards and recognition at festivals in Los Angeles, Houston, and Seattle, prompting Michael to return to the United States, where he currently resides and works from Portland, Oregon.
