Work samples

  • "Church Hat" Animated Stop Motion Short Film

    "Church Hat" is an animated short film based on the children's book of the same name, written by Deb Williams. For this project I am the director and animator. The animation is stop motion, using 2 Dimensional Paper Puppets. Sheryl Lee Ralph plays the mother on this project, and I had the pleasure of directing her Voice performance at the world famous Margarita Mix Sound Studio in Los Angeles. This project also received funding through Saul Zaentz, where I was able to attend the Producer Lab.

    For each shot, the background, the foreground, each separate character is animated separately, with the puppets being moved after each frame, and then the separate layers composited. 

  • Heart Attack Stop Motion, Animated Short Film
    "Heart Attack" Stop Motion, Animated Short Film

    This still is from the stop motion animation, "Heart Attack." This is a short film which uses the song "Heart Attack" as its score, by Massive Dad Man. This short is a modern adaptation of Plato's The Allegory of the Cave, illustrating how social media can be the evolution of Plato's Concept. This sequence, depicted in the image, is the most literal representation of Plato's Allegory, and pulls together the shots of The Average Man in the goggles and the treadmill to solidify the idea of "The Average Man" receiving their reality.

  • Deeper Animated Stop Motion Short Film
    "Deeper" Animated Stop Motion Short Film

    "Deeper" is an animated stop motion short film. The stop motion is made of 2D Paper Puppets that are shot in layers and composited. In this particular short, we study of methods of technology affect communication, relationships, and expectations. The film focuses on three characters, and places them in different time periods over a hundred years, and see how their relationship might be different when subjects to the rules of that ear.

  • "The Star in the Mirror" short clip from film
    This is a clip from the short film, "The Star in the Mirror," which premiered at the 2021 Maryland Film Festival. The film stars Emmy Harrington, Jake McMichael, Vera Takemoto, Chad Smith, Alina Smith, Ada Smith, and Eileen O'Donnell. Cinematographer - Lauren Scott Producer - Eileen O'Donnell Score - Rick Szybowski

About Miceal

Miceál recently had the opportunity to direct Emmy Winning Actress, Sherl Lee Ralph at the Margarita Mix Hollywood sound stage for the animated short film, "Church Hat", a recipient of funding from Saul Zaentz, where Miceal got to attend the Producer Lab. He also recently Produced the feature film, "Little Doors," which is currently in post production, with fellow Producers Graham Mason and Lexi Tannenholtz (who are Producer alumni at Sundance, Cannes, SXSW, etc.) and Eric Cotten.
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Church Hat - Animated Short Film

"Church Hat" is an animated short film based on the children's book of the same name, written by Deb Williams. For this project I am the director and animator. The animation is stop motion, using 2 Dimensional Paper Puppets. Sheryl Lee Ralph plays the mother on this project, and I had the pleasure of directing her Voice performance at the world famous Margarita Mix Sound Studio in Los Angeles. This project also received funding through Saul Zaentz, where I was able to attend the Producer Lab.

  • "Church Hat" Animated Short Film

    This is a clip from the animated short film, "Church Hat." This is a 2D paper puppet, stop motion animation. This is temp sound and a temp score. 

  • Overwhelmed by Magic - Church Hat
    Overwhelmed by Magic - Church Hat

    This is a still from the stop motion animated short film, "Church Hat," based on the children's book of the same name. In this clip, Quentin establishes the magic of his mother's clothes closet, specifically the rows of Church Hats.

  • The Dance
    The Dance

    This is a still from the stop motion animated short film, "Church Hat," based on the children's book of the same name. In this clip, Quentin tries on his mother's hat and is moved to dance.

  • What's Behind the Boxes
    What's Behind the Boxes

    This is a still from the stop motion animated short film, "Church Hat," based on the children's book of the same name. In this clip, Quentin slides the hat boxes out of the way to get to the Easter hat, perched on a hat rack.

  • The Door Left Unguarded
    The Door Left Unguarded

    This is a still from the stop motion animated short film, "Church Hat," based on the children's book of the same name. In this clip, Quentin enters his mother's room, thinking he has been left alone. He then raids her closet.

  • Memories
    Memories

    This is a still from the stop motion animated short film, "Church Hat," based on the children's book of the same name. In this clip, Quentin thinks about his mother, and remembers her hat being so large that it blocked the sun.

"Heart Attack" Stop Motion Animation

"Heart Attack" is a stop motion animation, made from 2D paper puppets. It features music by Massive Man Dad, and explores Plato's Allegory of the Cave, with the Cave represented through the digital lens, rather than shadows on a cave wall.

  • The Allegory of the Cave
    The Allegory of the Cave

    This still is from the stop motion animation, "Heart Attack," and is the most literal representation from Plato's Allegory of the Cave, which inspired this short. This sequence pulls together the shots of the goggles and the treadmill to solidify the idea of "The Average Man" receiving their reality.

  • The Maestro Works
    The Maestro Works

    This still is from the stop motion animated short film, "Heart Attack." In this shot, The Maestro is deep in the flow of his art, orchestrating reality.

  • The Treadmill
    The Treadmill

    This is a still from the animated stop motion short film, "Heart Attack." This is the Average Man on the treadmill provided by the Maestro, and with the goggles and the feed provided by the Maestro.

  • The Maestro Has a Vision
    The Maestro Has a Vision

    This is a still from the animated stop motion short film, "Heart Attack." This moment is the vision of the Maestro, before he goes to work on how to create the reality for The Average Man.

  • Reflection
    Reflection

    This is a still from the animated stop motion short film, "Heart Attack." In this still we see the life The Average Man sees reflected back at him.

Deeper

Deeper is a stop motion animated short film that spans the course of 100 years.  The film focuses on the representation of three characters in different eras. Deeper has fun hypothesizing on how technology affects their relationships, communication, and expectations.

  • Stop Motion Animation - Paper Puppet Highlight reel

    This is a Stop Motion Reel, using all 2D Paper Puppets. Many of the clips are from "Deeper."

  • The Library
    The Library

    Liam eyes the cell phone, skeptical.

  • Production still.jpg
    Production still.jpg
    Cindy and Ron spend quality time together.
  • The Plane
    The Plane

    This is a still from the stop motion animation, "Deeper," made with 2D Paper Puppets. The Opening of "Deeper" introduces us to the beginning of flight, and "closing distances" between people.

  • Deeper Connection
    Deeper Connection

    In "Deeper", the stop motion animation, this is the first couple we meet, who interact without any technological filter.

Man Cannot Live Without Phone

This Short film exploresa person who is desperate for the endorphins sourced in the Pings from teh phone. He desperately takes selfies to prompt likes and approvel. Man Cannot Live Without Phone premiered at the 2022 Maryland Film Festival.
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    MCLWP-poster.jpg
    Ones Image is built from the outside in.
  • Maybe Love is Found in the Paper
    Maybe Love is Found in the Paper
    Our hero searches through the personal section of the paper. Or rather, he scrolls through a dating app.
  • Man Cannot Live Without Phone
    This is the full movie, Man Cannot Live Without Phone, where our character struggles to connect to the outside world through antiquated selfies and social media. Through this, we explore how the idea of the photo has changed from the analog cameras to the phone.

The Star in the Mirror

"The Star in the Mirror" premiered at the 2021 Maryland Film Festival and was funded through a successful crowdfunding campaign. 

Brief Synopsis: Harold invites a music promoter, Brigit, to his house under the pretense of a blind date. He then tries to force his music on her. Harold responds poorly when she shows no interest.

  • "The Star in the Mirror" short clip from film
    This is a clip from the short film, "The Star in the Mirror," which premiered at the 2021 Maryland Film Festival. The film stars Emmy Harrington, Jake McMichael, Vera Takemoto, Chad Smith, Alina Smith, Ada Smith, and Eileen O'Donnell. Cinematographer - Lauren Scott Producer - Eileen O'Donnell Score - Rick Szybowski
  • 001 Jake McMichael - Mirror.png
    001 Jake McMichael - Mirror.png
    Harold, played by Jake McMichael, stares in the mirror, preparing for his date, and his future.
  • 002 Vera Takemoto - Tunnel 1.png
    002 Vera Takemoto - Tunnel 1.png
    The elf, played by Vera Takemoto, comes to enforce Santa's naughty or nice list.
  • 007 Emmy Harrington - Intro.png
    007 Emmy Harrington - Intro.png
    Brigit, played by Emmy Harrington, thinks she is on a date, not realizing Harold is about to pitch his new song.
  • 022 Edwards family and maid.png
    022 Edwards family and maid.png
    The cast of everyone's favorite show, "The Star in the Mirror."
  • 009 OTS - Emmy Harrington.png
    009 OTS - Emmy Harrington.png
    Brigit becomes suspicious.
  • 010 Jake aka Harold CU - kitchen.png
    010 Jake aka Harold CU - kitchen.png
    Harold tries to deal with her lack of interest in his song.
  • 015 Emmy Harrington - looking down.png
    015 Emmy Harrington - looking down.png
    Brigit realizes that she has just been played.

Blue Light: Haunt My Dreams

Blue Light: Haunt My Dreams is a short film loosely based on the web series we shot by the same name.  The movie is about a housewife in the 1950s who is unsure if she is losing her mind or experiencing something from the realm of science fiction.   The film was shot in somewhat of an experimental way.  We shot part of the film, and screened it in front of a live audience during Charm City's Nights on the Fringe.  During the screening there were actors staged throughout the theatre, who interacted with the characters on the screen.  We then filmed the staged actors at the live performance to incorporate into the finished film. With this project we were excited to get Jessie Pinnick in one of the lead roles.  We had met Jessie at the Maryland Film Festival, where she was promoting Princess Cyd - a feature where she plays the lead, Cyd (since written about in IndieWire, RogerEbert.com, variety, Village Voice, etc.) 
  • "Blue Light - Haunt My Dreams" clip
    In 1957 Mildred Sullivan takes a surreal trip, skipping through time. Here, among other things, she sees herself as a child and becomes self-conscious, questioning whether or not she has lived up to her childhood expectations. This film was made for Charm City Fringe's Nights on the Fringe, where staged actors in the audience acted across from the screen. We filmed the live performance, and then cut the two together.
  • Eileen_at_Magic_Disco.jpg
    Eileen_at_Magic_Disco.jpg
    Eileen O'Donnell as Mildred, trapped in a disco party that materialized in her living room.
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    Eileen_ODonnell_hides.jpg
    Mildred hides in the closet, hoping that reality has the ability to autocorrect.
  • Jessie_Pinnick.jpg
    Jessie_Pinnick.jpg
    Jessie Pinnick, as Peggy Sullivan, imagines a life free of the obligations her Aunt Mildred happily suffers through.
  • Wild_Lines.jpg
    Wild_Lines.jpg
    Baltimore actors Leesa Ashley, Eric Cotten, and Alina Smith record wild lines after their performance at Nights on the Fringe.
  • Penny_Takemoto.jpg
    Penny_Takemoto.jpg
    This young actress plays Mildred as a five year old. With the merging timelines, Mildred gets to walk in and witness the happiness she felt as a child.
  • Mhairi_Cameron.jpg
    Mhairi_Cameron.jpg
    Mildred hears a seraphic voice echoing through the house, and finds a teenager resembling a younger version of herself.
  • Zach_Brown_and_Zoe_Irving.jpg
    Zach_Brown_and_Zoe_Irving.jpg
    The first unwanted ghosts to flash into Mildred's living room are from Mildred's distant future. Played by Zach Brown and Zoe Irving.
  • Blue Light - Haunt My Dreams.jpg
    Blue Light - Haunt My Dreams.jpg

Blue Light - Web Series

Blue Light is a Twighlight Zone inspired web series with its six episode first season complete.  The show starts with Mildred, a 1957 housewife, coming home to find people from the future talking to her through her television.  Throughout the episodes, Mildred regularly doubts her judgement and sanity, and opts to clean when faced with the possibility of ghosts, home invaders, or simply losing her mind.

Blue Light has been written about in several online magazines, including Tubefilter, and has recently won "best creative direction" at the BNM Web Fest.
  • BL Poster Sep 2018 2.png
    BL Poster Sep 2018 2.png
  • Blue Light Still with knife.jpg
    Blue Light Still with knife.jpg
    Mildred first hears noises coming from the living room.
  • Blue Light - web series - Episode 1
    This was a collaboration between the Baltimore Filmmakers Collective, writer director Miceal O'Donnell and students of his acting class. Blue Light is a psychological study of one woman's experience in a "Twighlight Zone-ish" world. Created for the Charm City Fringe Festival.
  • Blue Light - Web Series - Episode 2
    Episode 2 of the web series, Blue Light.
  • Blue Light - Web Series - Episode 3
    Episode three from the web series, Blue Light.
  • Blue Light - Web Series - Episode 4
    Episode Four from the web series, Blue Light.
  • Blue Light - web series - Episode 5
    Episode Five from the web series Blue Light.
  • Blue Light - Web Series - Episode 6
    Final episode from the first season of Blue Light.
  • Blue Light Web Poster.jpg
    Blue Light Web Poster.jpg
    Poster for Blue Light - Web Series

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is an independent feature film shot in Philadelphia and Baltimore featuring Brian Anthony Wilson from HBO's The Wire. The film was shot on the Scarlet Red camera on a micro budget.

Thematically, the film explores how one's life can turn when emotional intelligence or impulse dictates one's actions in the face of conflict - emotion versus the intellect.

Logline: After release from prison, Billy has one chance for a new life. Caught between a sea of violence and his own demeanor, can he escape?
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    img_1799.jpg
    Actors Brian Anthony Wilson and Arnold Y. Kim. Photo by Miceal Og O'Donnell.
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    img_1339.jpg
    Actor Ivans Theo, Tommy Vita, and Claire Ganshert. Photo by Miceal Og O'Donnell.
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    img_1281.jpg
    Actor Claire Ganshert in background, cinematographer Bruno Doria in foreground. Photo by Miceal Og O'Donnell.
  • Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea - trailer
  • billy.png
    billy.png
    Actor Tommy Vita as Billy. Production still by Bruno Doria.
  • billy-sadie.png
    billy-sadie.png
    Actors Tommy Vita and Claire Ganshert. Production Still by Eileen O'Donnell.
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    billy-sadie-2.png
    Actor Claire Ganshert. Production Still by Bruno Doria.
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    img_1393corrected.jpg
    Actors Ivans Theo and Tommy Vita. Photo by Miceal Og O'Donnell.
  • audax/viator (detail of view 2)
    audax/viator (detail of view 2)
    Actors Tommy Vita and Claire Ganshert. Photo by Bruno Doria.

Dante and Minnie

Dante and Minnie is a feature length independent film shot on the Canon 7D. It is a Christmas movie shot in June 2011 in New Orleans, LA.

Dante and Minnie is the story of two young homeless people. Minnie is trying to escape life on the streets, while Dante is trying to escape the real world by retreating to the streets. They fell in love as their paths crossed, but now they struggle as they each try to push the other in the direction they are headed.
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    crew-surrounding-car.jpg
    Cinematographer Bruno Doria, actor Tommy Vita. Photo by Miceal Og O'Donnell.
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    cu-2-shot-tommy-cynthia.jpg
  • crew-w-d-and-m.jpg
    crew-w-d-and-m.jpg
    Crew and lead cast of Dante and Minnie (sound Raul Doria, Producer Todd Ritondaro, Actor Lauren Allen, Production Manager Alex Payne, Actor Tommy Vita, Cinematographer Bruno Doria.) Photo by Miceal Og O'Donnell.
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    dm-poster-lower-res.jpg
    Poster by Bruno Doria.
  • Dante and Minnie Trailer
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    2-shot-cu-through-glass-2.jpg
    Actors Tomm Vita and Lauren Allen. Photo by Miceal Og O'Donnell.
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    again.jpg
    Actor Holly Ladnier as Cynthia. Photo by Miceal Og O'Donnell.
  • bruno-and-delia.jpg
    bruno-and-delia.jpg
    Bruno Doria, cinematographer in back seat, Actor Delia Bennett in front seat. Photo by Miceal Og O'Donnell.
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    bruno-in-car-waiting.jpg
    Cinematographer Bruno Doria in back seat. Photo by Miceal Og O'Donnell.
  • cu-tommy-crying.jpg
    cu-tommy-crying.jpg

The Victory Lounge

The Victory Lounge is an independent feature film shot in New Orleans, LA in the Spring of 2012, featuring an ensemble cast of local actors. The film was shot on the Canon 60D.

Thematically, the film deals with characters who are caught up with competing to project a false image of themselves to the world to deal with a deep torturing insecurity. The Victory Lounge is a dark comedy that often reaches into exploitation in its attempt to share the characters' humiliations with the audience.
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    holly-2.jpg
    Actor Holly Ladnier in The Victory Lounge. Production still by Miceal Og O'Donnell.
  • The Victory Lounge - first trailer
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    belinda-2.jpg
    Actor Elizabeth Ervin as Belinda in The Victory Lounge. Production still by Miceal Og O'Donnell.
  • belinda.jpg
    belinda.jpg
    Actor Elizabeth Ervin as Belinda in The Victory Lounge. Production still by Miceal Og O'Donnell.
  • Holly
    Holly
    Actor Holly Ladnier in The Victory Lounge. Production still by Miceal Og O'Donnell.
  • girls.jpg
    girls.jpg
    Actors Rebecca Laborde, Tommy Vita, Rebecca Barras, Samantha Sitzman, and Lauren Allen in The Victory Lounge during Sid's fantasy sequence. Production Still by Miceal Og O'Donnell.