Michael Mau

Before I go any further, I need to first say that these are raw photos--but, come on; even unedited, @santorosnaps takes some killer photos, am I right? Also, while not shown in this batch, I left the studio with plenty of more traditional headshots to choose from. Many wonderful photographers have stolen my soul with their magic boxes, and I have used their hard work to try to entice casting directors to let me read for parts. As I look at many of my headshots, they seem to suggest a confident, even stoic fellow who could operate on you or expertly defend you in court. However, the parts I have played--the ones I have enjoyed the most--have been men more like me: broken, healing, se;f-conscious, longing, and needy. So I challenged Michele to capture that in her studio. I am overwhelmed by the number of photos she took that show the man I see when I look in the mirror. This is just a filet, an appetizer, all taken in the same two-hour session. She shoots like a filmmaker with a story to tell, and she treats her clients with care and respect. I could not recommend a session with her enough.

The mustache grows and goes, but @luciek_photography @lkportrait_atl and @lucie.keen.studios are here to stay. If I were the person in charge of headshots, I’d want people to use photos like this.

When you are on the cover of @nfocusmagazine donning a wardrobe styled by @bentleycaldwell and the story is named after one of your favorite childhood bands. Thank you, @amaxagency and @nancyfloyd and, of course, Bentley. What a lovely day in Nashville. Nfocus Magazine: @nfocusmagazine Photographer Daniel Meigs: @danielmeigs Art director Heather Pierce: @whereisheather Editor-in-chief Nancy Floyd: @nancyfloyd Stylist Bentley Caldwell: @bentleycaldwell Model Michael Mau: @themichaelmau with @amaxagency Hair & makeup artist Anais Shiba: @frenchysbrush Venue/Hastings Architecture: @hastingsarchitecture

Last year, three Atlanta indie features of various budgets played at @atlantafilmfestival to great fanfare - @colorbookfilm , @withdrawalfilm , and @metatakeonefilm . During their 2025 panel discussions, we learned how they got the money to make their films, their unique production processes, and the hurdles they had to overcome to finish their features. This year, they share how they navigated the festival circuit, hunted for distribution, and dealt with negotiation and team dynamics. And of course, we ask the standard question - What Now? Moderator: Michael Mau Panelists: @bydave_fortune (Director), @kiah.alexandria (Actor, Producer), @johndierre (Writer, Director), @madfi_atl , (Writer, Director), and @strandedonstage (Writer, Director)

Never-before-seen screen test images of @themichaelmau with the iconic Bunnyman mask from Sugarcane. 😨

It's getting cloooooser. In less than two weeks, you're going to get such a treat with this stacked panel of multi-hyphenates, all of whom have a film in the @atlantafilmfestival –as an actor, writer, producer or all three. Mark my words, we are at the beginning of a low-budget indie filmmaking renaissance, and these panelists are donning their feather caps and poet shirts (that's the Renaissance, right?). Join me, along with @therealdealisrael @katerina_eichenberger ainsleyseiger @kurtyue and @delaneykeith , five SAG-AFTRA actors with solid resumes as we discuss their relationship with the indie scene, what draws them to projects, how they create opportunities for themselves, and where they want to take independent cinema. Sponsored by @sagaftra , this panel should be a must-add to your Creative Conference schedule. April 30, 3:30. ALSO, join us afterwards in the lobby of @thetaraatlanta for Cocktails and Conversations.

There’s still room for you in the Fundamentals of Writing for the Screen workshop with @themichaelmau @studiosouthatlga We will be meeting from 1-4pm Saturdays for one month, starting April 18. We’ll explore the craft, turn ideas into scripts, and break a few rules along the way. Link in bio

Their feature films drew standing ovations at the 2025 @atlantafilmfestival and continued to earn accolades and awards. What have these vanguard filmmakers been up to in the last year? What has become of their films? From festivals to distribution to the daily grind of indie filmmaking, get the inside scoop, the stark reality, and the gory details. Wednesday, April 29, 2026 1:30 PM EDT at @thetaraatlanta With @bydave_fortune @kiah.alexandria @strandedonstage @johndierre @madfi_atl @colorbookfilm @metatakeonefilm @withdrawalfilm

While we are still in the midst of editing our short film, The Jennifer Variant, I jumped at the opportunity to use last week's @kick.the.ladder challenge to create a one-minute trailer with @spencerwastaken (who also shot the film). Since it's KTL, there was a hitch: we could only use six video files. Soooo, we had to choose wisely in order to put together a trailer that attempts to make sense of this already psychedelic date movie starring @citizenkeane and @matthew_swift . I asked Spencer to watch the trailer for @jimbyrkit 's Coherence, and I asked, "Okay, what's the movie about?" And that's pretty much how we created this one. Except I was out of town this week, so the KTL crew couldn't watch it live. Sound by @handsacrossthesky Music by @rossellinillc

My director’s cut of my @kick.the.ladder film for @thektlshow last week! This one is special because these are characters from a film I made about 8 years ago, about a father and son making up superhero stories to help the son cope with his cancer diagnosis. Then I had cancer a few years later, and in the years that followed, I started writing a full TV show and project around it about those characters, with the goal of making it animated and having it available to kids at inpatient treatment centers to watch for free. That project will happen someday, but in the meantime I wanted to bring those characters back right now because today marks my five year anniversary of being cancer free! I’m so incredibly grateful to be here, and I’m so incredibly grateful to everyone involved in making this little film: Cast: @themichaelmau @callierachellejohnson Director of photography: @spencerwastaken Special Effects Makeup: @ldsmith2047 Crew: @averytalksaboutstuff Music Score: @jinaaaaaaaaaaaa #shortfilm #cancersurvivor #hope

In a past life that lasted a very long time, I taught writing. So much writing. From essays to poetry to fiction, I have held hundreds of writing workshops. And then I stopped. After 20 years, December of 2020 was my last writing class. Starting April 18, 2026, I will be coaching screenwriters. I'm teaching again, baby. If you have some ideas you want to adapt into a short film or you've been tinkering with a script--maybe you've always wanted to try screenwriting but didn't know how to start--then come on down to @studiosouthatlga in Sharpsburg and join my 4-week writing workshop, Fundamentals of Writing for the Screen.

"I'm not who I used to be." Ain't that the truth? Agent Blayne has been through hell and back. Actually, maybe he's just been through hell. A lot hell. If you have never listened to @derelictpodcast , you are missing out on one of the greatest sci-fi experiences. From his writing to his directing to his editing, mixing, and mastering, @jbartonmitchell has created an unparalleled listening experience. Take a listen. Fall in love. And be a part of Season 3 with a contribution to the show (LINK IN BIO). There is some sweet swag, shoutouts, and more. I, for one, can't wait to get back in the recording booth for Derelict: War.