Second, to prepare students for influential positions in the field of communications. And third, to share the pleasure of practicing the media crafts. The rest will come from your interest, your classmates, and the mistakes you make. In critical classes, he examines the way images, sounds, and ideas received through the media affect eyes and ears, heart and mind. Students take apart billboards, newscasts, feature films, rock videos, talk shows, soap operas, commercials, sitcoms, dramas, print ads, newspaper headlines, and magazine articles.
Methods range from the close up description of signs to the wide angle view of cultural study.
In production classes, Michael supports playful experiments, heartfelt expressions, and synergistic collaborations. Michael adds that no amount of technique will replace guts, compassion, and clear thinking. Receiving his M.A. in Communications from Stanford in 1969, Michael taught at Dartmouth, Ohio State, Humboldt and San Francisco State University. He wrote and directed seven dramatic short films, winning national awards including the Houston International Film Festival's top award in the Social Issues category. He published articles on Jean Renoir and how to teach filmmaking.