DIRECTING
Michael Burns is a director drawn to the darker edges of storytelling, where obsession, guilt, and moral decay shape human behavior. His work often leans toward horror — not as spectacle, but as a lens — exploring what some may find uncomfortable.
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“I aim to spark conversations with audiences who crave ambiguity. By asking questions and pushing boundaries, I allow the viewer to form a personal relationship with the story as they confront their buried fears and desires.”
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FURY OF THE SUN
2026
"Fury of the Sun" is a gothic western that explores the indomitable spirit of man. ​As the writer/director, Michael Burns led a team of 30+ crew members
A weathered teamster, Ranger, journeys through a barren desert to find his missing daughter. Haunted by visions of a terrifying fate foretold by a witch, he must confront his pressing doubts and decide whether to remain stubborn or believe in the unbelievable.
REANIMATOR
2025
"Reanimator" is an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's chilling short story. ​​As the writer/director, Michael Burns led a team of 46 crew members
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In a high-stakes experiment to overcome death, a medical student discovers the horrifying price of resurrection (and unchecked ambition) as he becomes the subject of a brilliant yet psychotic scientist’s pursuit of immortality.
REANIMATOR BTS DOCUMENTARY
2026
"Reanimator" is an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's chilling short story. ​​As the writer/director, Michael Burns led a team of 46 crew members
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In a high-stakes experiment to overcome death, a medical student discovers the horrifying price of resurrection (and unchecked ambition) as he becomes the subject of a brilliant yet psychotic scientist’s pursuit of immortality.
DIRECTOR'S NOTE
REANIMATOR
Considered my directorial debut, “Reanimator” is quintessential to my journey as a director thus far. Leading a crew of 48 student filmmakers and two aspiring actors, this was the first time I’d be able to prove my abilities as a director to my community and most importantly, myself.
I worked through pre-production, constantly under pressure from the restraint imposed by my university, over the span of 6 months. I quickly learned that pre-production is my favorite portion of filmmaking, and in my opinion, the most important. If I do my job correctly and prepare everything as meticulously as the artform allows me, I’m able to enter production without doubts or worry.
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Having three 12 hour days to film the 72 shots we had scheduled, I was confident in our ability to capture everything we scheduled. However, production is where anything can happen; no matter how much you plan, life will hit you with the unexpected. This can be said for Reanimator: equipment issues putting us behind hours on the first day, bad conditions for sound, last minute location issues, etc...​ With challenges like these, I was finally able to test my ability as a director in a real world scenario. By keeping calm and trusting my department heads, we managed to film everything we scheduled and ended each day early.
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Post-Production presented its whole share of problems, but being well versed in post-production workflows, I was more than equipped to tackle whatever was thrown our way. We spent countless nights troubleshooting, reworking edits, and refining details until we were left with a film the entire cast and crew could be proud of.
FURY OF THE SUN
After completing principal photography on Reanimator, I was in search of my next project - something more ambitious, bold, and visually daring. "Fury of the Sun", co-written by Jackson Medeles and myself, was the answer to my questions. ​​
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With less time for pre-production than Reanimator, I knew the road ahead would be a challenging one. On top of crowdfunding our $4,000 budget, we had to find locations in the desert that would allow a campfire and 30 crew members. After being led astray by one location after another, our hope was dwindling until I discovered a private ranch on a website "HipCamp". The owners couldn't be more supportive and accommodating; this reconfirmed my belief that 95% of filmmaking is finding the right collaborators.
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Having never filmed outside, let alone in the middle of the desert, I had my share of concerns. However, I had no choice but to commit to our schedule; three 8 hour days to film 70 shots. Despite unpredictable weather, extreme temperatures, and shifting light, careful planning and adaptability allowed us to stay on track. When conditions worked against us, we overcame the circumstances and successfully captured every shot we needed
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Post-Production commenced immediately after completing principal photography. Being the department I'm the most comfortable with, I was relieved we had finally reached this part of the process; as of December 28th, we have a fine cut and are currently working on our picture-lock.
CONCEPT ART
2020 - 2025
Michael Burns guides pre-production, production, and post-production with a surplus of notes and references. it’s important he puts everything he can on page – the more detail the better.
Drawing especially has a big influence on how he express his vision. Concept art allows him to communicate ideas clearly to the art team, providing a tangible reference for mood, lighting, composition, and character design. By translating abstract ideas into visual forms, he ensures that every department — from set design to costume — shares a unified understanding of the intended aesthetic. Concept art not only inspires creativity but also streamlines production, reducing guesswork and enabling the team to execute his vision efficiently.
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Equally important is the creation of visually cohesive look books. These documents compile references, color palettes, textures, and style notes to establish a consistent visual language across the entire project. Look books act as a blueprint for the creative team, ensuring continuity in tone, atmosphere, and visual storytelling. By consolidating inspiration and technical details in one place, they help maintain alignment between departments and prevent misinterpretation.
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LIFE FOR A LIFE
2024
"Life for a Life" tackles grief with a terrifying story about a ritual to bring back the dead... but at a terrible cost.
As the producer, writer, director, & editor, Michael Burns led a team of 12.
ONE MAN SHOWS
2022 - 2024
At the start of 2022, Michael had limited experience with short films, but he threw himself fully into the craft, learning by doing. Without a crew or external collaborators, he independently wrote, acted in, filmed, and edited ten short films, shouldering every aspect of production himself.
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Through this immersive process, Michael gained hands-on expertise in every facet of filmmaking—from cinematography and lighting to sound design and post-production editing. Free from the pressures of managing a team, he was able to experiment, refine, and push his artistic vision, discovering what techniques and storytelling approaches resonated with his style. This self-driven journey not only sharpened his technical skills but also strengthened his ability to execute a cohesive, personal cinematic voice.
48 HOUR CHALLENGE
DEAD DROP
2022
"Dead. Drop" is a short film Michael Burns directed as a 48 hour challenge. As the lead writer, director, & editor, Michael Burns led a team of 3 and completed the film within a span of 48 hours.
FADE INTO OBLIVION
2022
"Fade into Oblivion" is a the first short film Michael Burns ever directed; a story about an LSD trip. As the lead actor, writer, director, & co-editor, Michael Burns led a team of 3