Bryan Michael Stoller
| Bryan Michael Stoller | |
|---|---|
| Born |
1960, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada |
| Occupation | Independent filmmaker. |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Website |
|
Bryan Michael Stoller (born 1960 in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada) is an award winning independent filmmaker whose films include Turn of the Blade, The Random Factor, Miss Cast Away, Undercover Angel, and Light Years Away. In 2002 Bryan adopted a brindle colored dog he named Little Bear which he found out was originally rescued by former First Lady Nancy Reagan. Upon learning this, Bryan was inspired to write, produce and direct "First Dog" starring his dog and featuring original songs by Dolly Parton. The film became a rental success on Redbox with close to half a million rentals, and later aired on FOX in syndication on Easter Sunday 2014. Little Bear inspired another movie that Bryan wrote, produced and directed in 2015 entitled, "The Amazing Wizard of Paws."
Stoller is the author of Filmmaking for Dummies, and the editor of Screenwriting for Dummies. He frequently lectures at various university film classes throughout California, Nevada and Canada.
Early life and career
After moving to Ottawa, Ontario at age 6, Stoller began experimenting with movies and animation. His first job in the film and television industry, when he was 11 years old, was as the host of a TV show on CBC called Film Fun in which he showed kids how to make their own Super-8 movies. He was later able to transform that talent into preparing commercials for various Ottawa businesses that were used on-air in the 1970s. Stoller moved to Los Angeles to attend the American Film Institute as a Director Fellow.
Stoller directed an episode of the classic George A. Romero TV series, Tales from the Darkside, entitled "The Bitterest Pill", starring Mark Blankfield. Stoller also wrote for The Ice Queen animated feature, starring the voices of Lauren Bacall and Bryan Adams. Stoller's other animation writing credits include story editor on the Cinar animation series, Animal Crackers.
He directed the international music video Hands Across America, produced by Ken Kragen which featured appearances by Barbra Streisand, Drew Barrymore and Robin Williams.
Friendship with Michael Jackson
Bryan Michael Stoller directed the famous parody of the 1980s Pepsi commercial which features Michael Jackson. The parody, The Shadow of Michael, caught Jackson's attention and he telephoned Stoller, a phone-call which launched a twenty-year friendship. They were friends until Jackson's untimely passing in 2009. Michael Jackson was featured in Stoller's feature film Miss Cast Away and the Island Girls (a.k.a. Silly Movie 2). This was Michael's last appearance in a film.
Bryan Michael Stoller and Michael Jackson were scheduled to co-direct the motion picture They Cage the Animals at Night, based on the best-selling novel by Jennings Michael Burch. Mel Gibson hired Stoller to write the screenplay adaptation of Burch's book, with Stoller and Jackson signed to co-direct. Stoller was also mentoring Jackson and his three children on filmmaking.
Selected filmography
Films
| Year | Title | As | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Undershorts: The Movie | Writer, Director, Producer | |
| 1994 | Turn of the Blade | Director, Writer (story), Producer | Cameo appearance as "Stroller couple." |
| 1995 | The Random Factor | Director, Writer, Producer | Cameo appearance as "Van Passenger." |
| 1996 | Dragon Fury II | Director | |
| 1999 | Undercover Angel | Director, Writer, Producer. | Cameo appearance as "Speedy Messenger." |
| 2004 | Miss Cast Away | Director, Writer, Producer | Cameo appearance as "Courier" Featuring Michael Jackson. |
| 2007 | Light Years Away | Director, Writer, Producer | |
| 2010 | First Dog | Director, Writer, Producer. | (Also editor and music supervisor) Cameo appearance as "Letter Carrier Paul" Featuring original songs by Dolly Parton |
| 2014 | "The Amazing Wizard of Paws" | writer, producer, director, editor |
Television
| Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tales From The Darkside | Writer, Director | Episode: “The Bitterest Pill” |
| A Canadian Werewolf In Hollywood | Writer, Director, Producer | Bravo Television |
| Hollywood Goes To Las Vegas | Writer, director | Bravo Television |
| Foul-Ups, Bleeps & Blunders | Writer, Director, Producer | Featured segments on ABC |
| TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes | Writer, Director, Producer | Featured segments on NBC |
| The American Comedy Awards | Writer, Director | Featured segments on ABC |
| Off the Wall | Writer, Director, Producer | Featured segments on Fox |
| SuperChannel | Writer, Director, Producer | Featured segments |
| The Movie Network | Writer, Director, Producer | Featured Segments |
| Sunday Comics | Writer, Director | Featured Segments on Fox |
| FilmFun | Director, Host | CBC Television |
| Animal Crackers | Story Editor, Writer | Animated Series, Cartoon Network |
Bibliography
- Stoller, Brian Michael, Filmmaking for Dummies (2003) ISBN 0470386940