Films by Michael John Warren

JUST ANNOUNCED: My latest series, Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza, will open the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

As a naive teenager trapped in the doldrums of Suburbia, U.S.A, I attended the first-ever Lollapalooza tour, and it totally blew my mind! It was dangerous, beautiful and instantly widened my perspective. So, it's an honor to be entrusted to tell the true story of one of the most astonishing cultural touchstones in the last half-century.

Paramount+ is expected to announce Lolla's global release date soon. Stay tuned.

I knew we crafted something special during this project's whirlwind production and post-process. However, I didn't expect the film to be showered by countless rave reviews or heralded by some as the greatest Broadway film of all time. What an honor!

However, the true gift of this film is knowing we made something that speaks honestly to some of the most profound emotions, conflicts, and decisions within the human experience. I sincerely hope this film continues to travel far and wide, finding the people who desperately need to hear the messages contained within. They're life-saving.

Thanks to my incredible list of collaborators, the cast, and the ever-steady hand of HBO. It's almost impossible to make a film this good under such harrowing time constraints and still have fun, but that's precisely what we did. Thank you all.

The most rewarding part of producing this series was the enormous amount of research and reporting we did to present a credible portrait of humanity's future. This series has now made me an unofficial expert.

We aimed to counterbalance the doom and gloom that dominates most conversations about the world to come. While acknowledging the many concerning realities we must prepare for, The Future Of explores solutions and gives viewers a sense of agency. We can't change the past, but we can change the future.

"A refreshingly optimistic look at the future that exalts scientific discovery, The Future Of is the kind of inspirational content our next generation of leaders desperately needs." Stephanie Morgan, Common Sense Media

When asked to direct the cast of Spring Awakening for their 2022 Tony performance on CBS, I leaped at the opportunity. Chances to work with such an accomplished group of artists are rare. Making the moment even more special was the fact that I was staging a number at the legendary Radio City Music Hall for a live, national Broadcast. The stakes were high!

Being in the wings for the Tonys as the best of Broadway mingle and prepare for a one-time-only performance is an experience I'll cherish forever. What a great way to extend my exceptional run with the cast and crew of Spring Awakening.

It was an honor to be trusted to tell the harrowing tale of Meek Mill's twelve-year struggle to escape the trap known as the American judicial system.

I was aware of the systemic injustices that have ensnared people of color over the last four hundred years. However, spending a year and a half of my life studying the excruciating details of Meek's story rekindled a fire that had been smoldering within me for most of my life.

Perhaps the most infuriating truth about what happened to Meek is how common this story is. In fact, Meek's story is only unique because he was famous and had the resources to mount a proper legal defense. As you read this, there are tens of thousands of innocent people behind bars who simply don't have the money or connections to disentangle themselves from a corrupt system.

Though a challenging story to digest, I'll never forget the incredible response the series received as it premiered. It's gratifying to know that this work opened millions of eyes across the globe.

Though I'm incredibly proud of the entire series, one of my favorite elements is the cinematic recreations I wrote and directed (uncredited). To me, the only way to really breathe life into this story was to directly place the audience in the sprawling narrative's pivotal moments.

I'd like to thank my collaborators and the network for standing behind my vision and giving me the resources to elevate this critical story.

Whenever I can team up with my creative family at Boardwalk Pictures, great things happen. My experience directing the Eleven Madison Park episode of their critically acclaimed series, "7 Days Out" for Netflix, was no exception.

Embedding with the #1 Restaurant In The World as they went through a complete redesign of their historic dining room, kitchen and menu, was as exciting as it was educational. Yes, I have documented excellence in many forms in the past but the depth of culture that permeated every action taken by the staff and management at EMP was uniquely impressive - nothing was left to chance. Yet somehow, there was a jazz-like approach to their virtuosity. To be undeniably excellent is one thing. To stay loose while accomplishing it, is extremely rare.

As always, I’m very grateful to the incredible team that helped me put this film together. Production was particularly challenging on this one as a freakish sequence of events required me use no less than four different Directors of Photography to capture this story. Luckily, the unwavering professionalism of my team guaranteed that final product was truly cohesive and highly enjoyable. Thank you all!

IDA NOMINEE: BEST LIMITED SERIES

I've had the opportunity to make some remarkable sports documentary series in my career – the Emmy nominated Fearless, Friday Night Tykes and Kobe Mentu to name a few. However, Best Shot is my best work in this genre without a doubt.

This critically acclaimed show separates itself from other sports series by side stepping the clichés and providing an unfiltered look at the seemingly impossible maze many of our underprivileged youth face. It's refreshingly raw yet cinematic – a difficult balance to strike.

The reception of our series was been overwhelmingly positive and many people have commented on the tremendous emotional power of all 8 episodes. Other folks have compared our series to the seminal documentary classic Hoop Dreams, a comparison I'm highly honored by.

It must be stated that I share this success my collaborators – the highly skilled folks at Boardwalk Pictures, LeBron James’ Springhill Entertainment, YouTube Premium and ESPN. A series can only push the envelope like this if the network allows it and YouTube was an especially brave partner here.

One last point, every song in this series is custom written for the show (with the exception of one diegetic track in episode 7) and the results are so stellar that the soundtrack was released by Warner Bros. It's an impressive combination of evocative score pieces and radio ready hip hop bangers. I simply have never heard of a doc series generating this much incredible music before. I suspect it's a first.

I'm very proud of this one - obviously.

After successfully filming iconic Broadway hits like Rent, Shrek The Musical and Hamilton, I’ve established a long-standing relationship with New York’s unparalleled theater scene. It’s a unique facet of my directing career that I truly cherish.

So, when comedy superstars Nick Kroll and John Mulaney decided to film their hit show Oh Hello On Broadway for Netflix, I leaped at the opportunity.

Produced by my friends at Radical Media, the finished film has received extremely high praise from countless new outlets, critics and seemingly anyone with a Twitter account. Needless to say, I’m thrilled to have been involved.

After completing the first season of Friday Night Tykes, I was certain it was impossible to make a series more mind boggling and down right horrifying. I was wrong.

Fearless follows an elite group of Brazilian bull riders as they fight to dominate The PBR (Professional Bull Riders), a league comprised mostly of Americans. Over six episodes, the series examines the death defying sport and the unique men who put their lives on the line every time they compete.

Shot across Brazil and America, Fearless ultimately is about much more than sports. It explores many facets of the human condition – loyalty, pride, bravery, family, death, religion and xenophobia.

It’s truly an honor to be working during this Golden Era Of Entertainment and to have directed an entire series for a premium network like Netflix. Their unflinching support, along with my small army of collaborators, made crafting this series one of the greatest experiences of my life. Being nominated for three Sports Emmys is a testament to your amazing work. Thank you all.

Filming Hamilton days before it opened on Broadway felt like watching history as it happened. Not just because the ground breaking musical is set during America’s Revolutionary War but because the show itself is altering the path of modern theater. Hamilton is Broadway’s next wave in full bloom.

Similar to my work on Rent and Shrek the Musical, this project involved integrating hundreds of people in order capture these fantastic performances without losing the show’s magic in the process.

It was an honor to collaborate with the enormously talented cast and crew of Hamilton. I hope these clips live up to high standards the musical has already established for itself.

At first I was skeptical of directing a film about a Christian rock band. However, as I researched the wildly popular Hillsong United and the church they were birthed out of, I realized there was an abundance of story here.

I soon began to view this project as an opportunity to create a truly unique movie. The finished film is part documentary, part concert film and part worship experience. There has never been a movie quite like this one before.

Episodic documentary is probably my favorite medium and if I’ve learned anything during my career it’s that sports is fertile ground for storytelling. So when the opportunity to craft 10 one-hour episodes about the intense culture of youth football in Texas arrived, I couldn’t say no.

The buzz surrounding this controversial series has been astounding. Countless major news outlets have featured the show, Twitter exploded with feedback as each new episode aired, and even Capital Hill has taken notice. The harsh realities surrounding safety in football has been on the nation’s mind for years and this candid look at how hard the 8 and 9 year-old boys of  The Texas Youth Football Association (TYFA) are pushed seems to have struck a chord.

Ultimately the series is about more than the health issues surrounding youth football. It’s about the people who form the microcosm of  TYFA’s San Antonio Rookie Division. Our show follows 5 different teams through the 2013 season as they battle each other for the State Championship.

Thanks to the world-class production crew, the post team and my many collaborators. And of course, thanks to the subjects of the series for allowing our cameras into their lives.

This film marks an astonishing moment in Jay-Z's historic career. He was recording the legendary "Black Album". It wouldn't be his first classic album but with songs like "Dirt Off Your Shoulders", "99 Problems", and "Public Service Announcement" it still stands as one of his best. The album was billed as his swan song so he went all out by collaborating with an impressive collection hip-hop's virtuosic producers - Kanye, Timbaland, Rick Rubin, Eminem, and several other geniuses. Lyrically Jay was in top form. Having already cemented his phenom status, he opened up new territory for himself by pondering his musical death. It was a great concept to build the album and ultimately the film around.

This milestone was celebrated with an all-star concert at Madison Square Garden featuring collaborations with Beyonce, R. Kelly, Ghostface, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliot and too many others to name here. With world-class stage design and a top-notch band led by Questlove of the Roots, the concert instantly set a new standard for live rap performance. Nobody had seen a rap show of this scale before. As Jay says in the film, "we weren't even allowed in the building", referring to the notion that a single rap act was unworthy of an entire evening at M.S.G.. That night converted all doubters.

On a personal level, this film is my first interaction with true greatness. Since then I've gone on to build a career out of connecting with the some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry but Jay-Z was the first. Things haven't been the same since.

Simply put Nicki Minaj is one of the most interesting people I've ever met. She could read aloud from the phone book and people would be mezmorized. By now, everyone is familiar with her eye popping public persona and schizophrenic rap style but beneath the fantastical flash is a complex and impressive young woman. This film follows her at one of the most critical moments of her career, the tumultuous months leading up to the release of her highly anticipated debut album "Pink Friday." The stakes couldn't be higher.

Though this film has a lot of great qualities, my favorite element is its intimacy. Nicki was remarkably open and honest during the filming and the result is a moving portrait of emerging star struggling to capitalize on the tremendous opportunity within arm's reach. We are with her as she nervously prepares for her first big TV performance, MTV's 2010 Video Music Awards. We are with her as she records "Roman's Revenge", the most violent and extreme song on the album. And we are with her as she returns to Trinidad for an emotional reunion with her extended family.

Films like this are only good if the subject lets down their guard and trusts the director. This film succeeds because Nicki granted me tremendous access and bravely bared her soul. Her reward is an excellent film that we can both be proud of forever. After seeing the finished film Nicki said...

"I am amazed at what I've seen in this film. For the first time people will see Onika. MTV and the incredible film crew behind this documentary has made a very special dream come true. This film is my heart & soul. It's our time now."

Four years after my first documentary on the eye popping Nicki Minaj, I was asked to craft a follow up film on the superstar. I was, of course, thrilled to have the opportunity to work with one of the best rappers on the planet again.

Much had changed since I followed Ms. Minaj last. By 2014 she graduated from scrappy up and coming rapper to global phenomenon. As a more mature person all around she was not only dominating the pop charts but expanding her empire well past music alone. She was now officially a mogul.

However, one thing hadn’t changed - her strength. Few people understand that being "on top" is in fact more stressful than the climb itself better than Minaj. I believe this film illustrates that truth.

Outside of the professional stress, her personal life was at the crossroads. While filming My Time AGAIN she separated from her long time boyfriend and creative confidant Safaree Samuels. Despite the turbulence (or perhaps because of it) Minaj delivered what most consider her best album yet – The Pinkprint.

The film was an enormous success in its own right. Released in every conceivable television market across the globe, My Time AGAIN immediately received acclaim from the press and delirious praise from her enormous fan base. Twitter practically burst into flames as the film went public.

There is already talk of a third "My Time" collaboration between Minaj and I in the years to come. I can only wonder what my camera will find next time I touch down into her world but I do know one thing... The entire world will be watching.

I was lucky enough to follow Drake during the pivotal months leading up to his platinum selling debut album "Thank Me Later". The resulting film is one of my personal favorites.

To be candid, I had never heard of Drake before this assignment came across my desk. It's hard to believe now but in early 2010 very few had heard of the former child actor who decided to gamble it all on a career in music. A lot has changed since then. Now you can't walk down the street or turn on the TV without hearing one of Drake's seemingly endless string of hits.

I believe this film proves that he deserves all of that success. Sure he is talented and charismatic but he also has a tremendous work ethic that few appreciate. This film provides an intimate view of that magic moment when Drake, the underground rapper, transformed himself into an international pop star. I'm honored to say I was there.

Thanks to Drake and his camp for allowing me in to capture the metamorphosis.

After a historic run, the exceptional Broadway hit RENT was closing its doors forever. Allowing this important piece of our culture to fade away would have been a crime. True, Hollywood had adapted the show for the big screen years earlier but many fans felt the soul of the show was lost in translation. Simply put, there is no substitution for live performance. This is particularly true on Broadway.

This film serves as a document of the real RENT in all of its gritty glory. Captured as the landmark show said goodbye to Broadway, this performance has tremendous emotional impact driven by a fantastic cast, brilliant stage direction, and soul stirring writing.

The challenge of capturing the complexities of a fast paced Broadway show in a single take is a breathtaking experience for any director. Filming Broadway is considerably more intricate than say capturing a live band or awards show. Knowing that you are likely directing the definitive version of a show as important as RENT increases the pressure. Despite the challenging circumstances, the film works well and was warmly received by fans of the show and critics alike.

During this production I befriended renowned Broadway director Michael Grief (his enthusiastic approval of this film is something I will always cherish). After completion of the film I began an un-official independent study of acting under Grief's tutelage. After observing Grief crafting new productions, reading his recommended texts, and countless candid conversations about technique, I gained a unique understanding of acting provided by a living master. I am very grateful for that education and to be associated with a show as important as RENT.

Shortly after the success of RENT: Filmed Live On Broadway, DreamWorks prepared a big screen version of their Broadway hit, Shrek The Musical. Again I was graced with a phenomenal cast but that's where the similarities stop. Where RENT is raw and minimalist, Shrek is bright and massively complex on a technical level. Given such stark differences in staging styles, Shrek required its own approach.

Films like this require combining two small armies - the enormous cast and crew to stage the show and the mammoth film crew to capture the performance. The ability to integrate the two without smothering either is the difference between success and failure. Thanks to a lot of hard work and professionalism, the collaboration flourished.

The Magic of Heineken is the most unique film I've ever made. Much of the credit for this belongs to Heineken for having a truly interesting history and for allowing my collaborators and I to tell that story in creative ways utilizing documentary and stop-motion animation.

The film is an epic spanning Heineken's 150 year history following five generations of the family and company as they steadily build one of the most recognized brand names in the world. This compelling history is paralleled with Heineken's modern global operations illustrating how the lessons of yesterday have evolved into the road map of today.

When I originally had the notion of using stop animation to bring the historical elements to life it felt like an insane idea. Now that the film is complete, it almost seems obvious. It wasn't. In fact, I wonder if this is the first ever combination of traditional documentary and stop-motion animation in a feature film.

In the modern world, our camera traverses the globe visiting over 13 countries. With stunning high-speed photography, an innovative score, and a lush 5.1 Dolby mix, this film is intended to be one part documentary and one part cinematic experience.

I am proud to say my career is truly international. I've had the pleasure of working in China many times including just prior to the Beijing Olympics when I directed this Nike sponsored basketball documentary series for Chinese television.

Episodic documentary is a form of storytelling that I have extensive experience with and love tremendously. Letting plot lines play out over multiple episodes gives depth to the characters and allows for less conventional story arcs. In that complexity, I find freedom and that's exciting.

This series focuses on a select group of young Chinese basketball players who are brought to America to learn Kobe Bryant's brutal training regimen. Directing documentaries in Mandarin certainly has its challenges but that's a big part of the fun. Intelligently combining artistic expression and intricate logistics is a challenge I'm often faced with and strangely enjoy.

One of the highlights of this production was my collaboration with the RZA - the genius producer/rapper behind the Wu-Tang Clan. He wrote the fantastic theme for the show. Working with him was very easy. I gave him a verbal brief one afternoon and within a few days he came back with our theme. It was that simple and I truly appreciate his professionalism and massive talent.

It's a shame this series will never be seen by Western audiences because I consider it strong work. Ironically it's probably my "most seen" production since it was watched by tens of million across China.

This project capitalizes on three major components of my directing expertise: large-scale multi-camera event coverage, single camera documentary story-telling, and formatting TV series from scratch. Developed by @radical.media, The HardBat Classic involved building a table tennis tournament from the ground up and crafting a television format that could be utilized for future events and episodes.

Since table tennis is rarely broadcast in America, this venture provided a great opportunity to reinvent how the sport is televised, an assignment I cherished. In the end, I invented two different styles of table tennis coverage for The HardBat Classic. The first is a gritty documentary approach that gives a sense of urgency to the qualifying rounds of play. The second is a more methodical and cinematic approach that provides a big event sensation for the final rounds.

Outside of the "match coverage", I also included a large amount of documentary sequences to bring the story of the tournament to life. Luckily there was an abundance of quirky yet competitive characters to provide color and stakes to the fledgling tournament. Adding these documentary elements allows the show to be driven as much by characters as it is by the competition itself. I believe the best sports programming must accomplish this balance.

My eyes always widen when I think about Fast Cars because the scale of this production was absolutely enormous. Most big budget Hollywood films don't approach the scale of this 7 episode ABC Primtime series. The statistics are hard to believe - approximately 35 cameras, over 300 crew members, a dozen celebrity contestants, the gigantic Lowes Motor Speedway, a handful expensive car crashes, and only 3 days to film the entire 7 part series. Amazingly, it all came together.

Despite the extraordinary stats of the production, the truly memorable element of the series is the celebrities who participated in the NASCAR inspired competition. First there were the professional drivers who provided guidance to the contestants: Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Kurt Bush, Carl Edwards, Ryan Newman, and Jamie McMurray. Then there is the impressive list of the competitors from all corners of the entertainment and sport industries: acting icon William Shatner, tennis master Serena Williams, pro-wresting super star John Cena, skateboard wizard Tony Hawk, musician Jewel, NFL legend John Elway and many more.

Sponsored by Gillette, I was told during production that Fast Cars was the largest "branded content" show ever. I don't know if that is true or if the record still stands but we do know one thing, it was definitely big.

If Jay-Z's Fade To Black was my first brush with greatness, this documentary series for Vh1 represents brushes 2 through 109. The mammoth number of one-on-one interviews I conducted with metal's elite during this 18-month production dramatically honed my interview skills. It also gave me vast experience with a very specific personality type - the famous artist.

It's impossible pick my favorite anecdote from this project - there are too many. Is it the time Ace Frehley of Kiss snuck a switchblade, fireworks, and two different hand guns into a Manhattan office building to use as visual aids during our interview? Or perhaps it was when Lane Staley of Warrant admitted he wanted to "shoot himself in the f*cking head" for writing his biggest song, "Cherry Pie"? Maybe the best story is about how Lemmy of Motorhead refused to answer my first 30 questions because "nobody cares!" about my "stupid questions" while he chained smoked (illegally) and drank Jack and Cokes for breakfast?

Sometimes I do wonder if should write a memoir on this production alone. The list of characters literally serves as a Who's Who of heavy metal - Metallica, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Anthrax, Slayer, Guns N' Roses, Black Sabbath, Poison, Slipknot, Skid Row, Limp Bizkit, and so on. The book would be equal parts hilarious, heart wrenchingly depressing, and inspiring. Maybe someday I'll put it all down on paper. Maybe.

Music is my first love. Hopefully that's obvious when watching my work. Rising Icons was an extraordinary chance to collaborate with many gifted hip-hop and R&B artists in a performance environment. The schedule was highly aggressive so I directed all live elements for the entire season in two days. Thanks to J. Cole, B.o.B., Melanie Fiona, Jay Sean, Estelle, Jeremih, Laura Izibor, and ELEW for their fantastic performances.

Hollywood heavy hitters Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Judd Apatow, and Nick Cassavetes share their insights on the craft of filmmaking in this AMC special. It's an impressive list of contributors for a single hour of television.

This show was unique for me since it required me to take my experience with large-scale multi-camera events and retool it to capture an intimate conversation between professionals without getting in the way. The resulting format, established by my collaborators and I, is a refreshing take on the standard talk show format.