Michael Samstag, Producer/Director

Home

2011-12-14T11:13:00.001-08:00

Documentary films. Independent films. Broadcast television. Video for the web.

Best known for his work directing and producing special features for the first three Harry Potter DVDs and the Van Helsing DVD, Samstags' work on Van Helsing was featured in an article by American Cinematographer Magazine and his documentary WAR & TRUTH was featured in The American Prospect.

His documentary feature film, WAR & TRUTH, won Best Documentary at the Annapolis Film Festival in November 2005 and the Director's Choice Award at the Secret City Film Festival in 2007. In 2005, he directed 30 shows for the Telly Award winning Backyard Habitat series for Discovery Network ‘s Animal Planet Channel. Samstags' second documentary, TALES IN FLIGHT is currently in pre-production.

A 1989 graduate of Hampshire College, Samstag has worked with blockbuster budgets but also prides himself with making the most of smaller budgets for non-profit organizations.

National clients include:

Warner Bros.
Universal Pictures
Columbia Records
Discovery Networks
Fox Sports
MTV
VH1
The Academy of Science & Television
Animal Planet
Fine Living
Inside Edition
The United States ARMY
New Line Pictures
Castle Rock Entertainment
The Red Baron Museum
New Wave Entertainment
EA Sports
CMT.com
Mercury Marine
Jewelry Television
RARE Hospitality
Ruby Tuesday, Inc.

Regional/Local clients include:

ASEN Marketing
Atmosphere Pictures
RIVR Media
Jupiter Entertainment
FMB Advertising
A Hand Up for Women
Anything is Possible
Hallerin Hilton Hill
WIVK
Metro Pulse
Knoxville Films
DASH Networks
Knowledge Launch
Streamline Pictures
Event Media Systems
The Jaystorm Project
HP Video

Press:

Metro Pulse: Making of War & Truth

The American Prospect: Supressing the Truths of War

American Cinematographer: Immersed in Van Helsing's World

Fighting to Get the Real Story Out

Local moviemaker journeys to the heart of East Tennessee film scene

Creative Loafing: War & Truth

E-mail me to for my rates or availability.

Love Long Distance, the Gossip

2009-08-04T06:04:00.000-07:00

Love Long Distance

Produced by Artizan Pictures for Columbia Records
Directed by Joel Trussell
Edited by Michael Samstag

Green screen production by Matthew Rogers and Jeff Reed
Color correction by Tony Corapi

Tails in Flight

2009-08-04T05:57:00.000-07:00

Produced by Samstag Productions and WillRock Entertainment
Voice over by David Dwyer
Music by Paul Jones
Distributed by Engine 15 Films

America's Bravest

2007-12-18T22:05:00.000-08:00

Produced by Fire Dog Films, LLC.
Executive Producers: Jason Benjamin, Dario Gildrie, and Michael Samstag
Written by: Josh Gildrie, Lauren Lazarus, and Stephanie Locher
Directed by: Michael Samstag

The Jaystorm Project EPK

2007-08-18T22:13:00.000-07:00

War & Truth

2007-03-18T22:10:00.000-07:00

www.samstagproductions.com/credits

2007-03-18T21:17:00.000-07:00

Executive Producer
"We Have Not Forgotten", Documentary, shot in Iraq 2010
"Tails in Flight", Documentary/TV Pilot
"America's Bravest", TV Pilot
"Dinner for 2", Video Podcast
"Thanks Given", TV Pilot

Producer
"Fortune 50 Corporate Documentaries", Knowledge Launch
"War & Truth", Documentary Feature
"Van Helsing DVD", Special Features
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban DVD", Special Features
"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets DVD, Special Features
"Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone DVD" Special Features
"Red Baron Museum Documentary" Industrial Documentary

Director
"Honor Air Knoxville", PSA and short documentary
"Habitat for Humanity Wilmington, NC", Non-Profit
"Roger Dodger", Musical Short
"Tupelo", Music Video
"Dancing in Miracles", Documentary Short
"War & Truth", Documentary Feature
"Backyard Habitat Season One", TV Show for Animal Planet
"Dinner for 2", Video Podcast
"RARE Hospitality" Industrial Video
"US ARMY Aviation" Recruiting Simulator
"Eight Legged Freaks", Interactive 360-Degree Video
"Driven", Interactive 360-Degree Video
"MTV Spring Break", Interactive 360-Degree Video

Editor
"Love Long Distance" by Gossip, Music Video
"Mr. Wobbles Nightmare" by Kid606, Music Video

First A.D.
"Amateurs", Feature Film

Photographer
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ", Special Features Online
"The Dukes of Hazard", Special Features Online

Awards

We Have Not Forgotten
Excellence in Media, Daughters of the American Revolution of East TN

Roger Dodger
Audience Award & Best Feature, The Secret City Film Festival 7-day Shootout 2009

Dancing in Miracles
Audience Award, GnG Southern Film Festival 2009

War & Truth
Best Documentary, Annapolis Film Festival 2005
Official Selection, Atlanta Film Festival 2006
Director’s Choice, Secret City Film Festival 2007

Backyard Habitat
Two Telly Awards, 2006

The Pantyhose Killer
Audience Award, 2007 10-Hour Film Festival

www.samstagproductions.com/links/

2007-03-18T12:31:00.000-07:00

TN ASSOCIATIONS

East TN TV and Film Commission
Film Nashville
Knoxville Films

SE Film Association
Secret City Film Festival
TN Filming Incentives

CINEMATOGRAPHER'S GUILDS

American Society of Cinematographers
Society of Operating Cameramen

PROFESSIONAL GUILDS & ASSOCIATIONS

Director's Guild of America
Screen Actor's Guild
Motion Picture Editors Guild
Society of Television Lighting Directors
Steadicam Operator's Association

FILM UNIONS

I.A.T.S.E.
International Photographer's Guild, I.A.T.S.E. - Local 600
Brent's Rule

TRADE PAPERS AND MAGAZINES

The Hollywood Reporter
Variety Magazine

TECHNICAL SITES

Cinematography Mailing List
S.M.P.T.E.
Depth of Field Calculator
Digital Standard for HDTV

COMMERCIAL FILM COMPANIES

Panavision Grip
Panavision Store
Mole Richardson
Birns & Sawyer
Skycam - Flycam - Cablecam - Aerial DollE
Glidecam
Light Wave Systems
Jimmy Jib
Film Tools
Oconnor
J. L. Fisher, Inc.
AbelCineTech

OPTICAL COMPANIES

Century Precision Optics
Innovision Optics, Inc.
Schneider Optics, Inc.

ON-LINE FILM RESOURCES

Filmmaker.com
Filmmaker Magazine

DATABASES

Internet Movie Data Base
U.K. Internet Movie Data Base
Hollywood Reporter Data Base

TRADE DIRECTORIES

Mandy's International Film & T.V. Production Directory
Hollywood Creative Directory
Hollyywood Web
Production News
LA411 Online and Cyphon Resource Directory
The Producer's Masterguide

INDIE FILM, and FILM & VIDEO ARTS etc

Independent Feature Project
Independent Film Channel Classified Page
IndieFilms Distribution
Association of Independent Video & Film
Foundation for Independent Film & Video
Women In Film & TV
Moviemaker Magazine
Art Deadline List

DOCUMENTARY FILM

Documentaryfilms.net
International Documentary Association

GENERAL INTEREST

Film.com
Hollywood On-line
The Entertainment Network
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
A.T.A.S.
Museum of Television and Radio
ITVA
NAB

MISC LINKS
Atom Films
BMovies.com
Cinematography.net
Crew Pix
DV.com
Filmmaking.com
Filmmaking.net
Indie Wire
Millimeter
Skillset: Film
Weekend Box Office
Withoutabox

www.samstagproductions.com/contact/

2007-03-18T12:25:00.000-07:00

I live in Knoxville, TN but I'll work anywhere in the world.

The best way to reach me is via EMAIL.

Office, 865.686.6376
Fax, 661-759-6802

www.samstagproductions.com/video

2007-03-18T12:15:00.000-07:00

Tails in Flight
Executive Producer/Director

America's Bravest
Executive Producer/Director

War & Truth
Producer/Director

Love Long Distance, The Gossip
Post Production Supervisor

Dinner for 2, Episode 102

2006-03-18T22:15:00.000-08:00