Meet Michael Cooke | Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michael Cooke and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michael, how do you think about risk?
There’s an attractiveness and allure to risk. In a lot of ways I seek it out. From a young age I was taking photographs, documenting family events and drawing. I had an affinity for filmmaking and visual arts. I started making films at 13 and I went to college for Television Production at SCAD. Very early on I carried with me a beginner’s mind when it came to my creativity. I just wanted to try to make the things I saw and I was passionate about figuring it out. By the time I realized what risks were associated with my chosen career (entrepreneurship, financial instability) I was already fully invested in film making. My parents had taught me to trust that part of myself and really allowed me the space to be artsy and weird.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My attention to detail as a storyteller. The types of stories I like to tell are about everyday people in extraordinary circumstances. I’ve found a way to create spacious stories in what some might think of as constrained budgets. I understand now how special my family dynamics were. My parents and my grandparents were heroes in my own life. They excelled at being the best versions of themselves for their family. They didn’t feed a million people or end a war but they made sure their families and friends knew the love they had for them. They showed up when it mattered most and when it was the hardest.
I got to where I am today buy not stopping, helping those who helped me, and being genuine along the way. I won’t say it was easy, but the ride has been enjoyable so far.
Through every mistake I’ve made I’ve managed to grow from it. As an artist we are our own worst critic. You’ll work on a project for months or years and when it’s all said and done you’re still looking at the parts of it that could have been done better.
Or if you’re a working artist you’re growing in your field so even work from a few months ago isn’t the best display of your talents at current, I think it’s something we all deal with.
Currently I’m most excited about my proof of concept/pilot “Freeman Hospitality.” It’s a project that I filmed in my home town of Albany, GA on my grandparent’s and family’s land. It’s a grounded Sci Fi epic following the lives of the Freemans, a Black family of mercenaries living in the failed state of Georgia in 2055.
This project digs at a lot of things that drive me as a filmmaker, the political consequences of our inaction as Americans, climate change, sci fi and the black nuclear family

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Right off the airplane, and since we’ll be in the area lets get some food at Thumbs Up. We have to hit the aquarium and just vibe up in the majesty of underwater creatures.

At night, lets hit the Clermont lounge rooftop and then the Clermont lounge proper. For a later night run we have to go to MJQ for some excellent house music.

For culture the MLK Museum has to be attended. It does a good job of painting MLK Jr’s life and Atlanta’s history with the Civil Rights movement

Finally, don’t sleep on Piedmont Park. It’s amazing and I don’t think we give it enough credit for just being a free outdoor space.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My parents are educators. Shout out to all the teachers, the educators, the mentors, the people who help other people do. They are our most valuable resource and we underfund them every day of our lives.

Website: www.mikecooke.tv

Instagram: @mikecooketv

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-cooke-b632978/

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5138288/?ref_=tt_ov_dr