Michael's narrative work has been recognized by the esteemed industry publication, American Cinematographer Magazine. He has photographed commercial and non-fiction projects for the United States Postal Service, Cedars Sinai, Bethesda Games & Tenable. He has operated camera for National Geographic Television on the DogTown series and has worked as a documentarian in the rainforests of Bolivia, photographing and directing the film, Centro Medico Humberto Parra. He is an avid storyteller and visualist who strives to bring artistry to every frame.
Michael spent countless hours on pencil sketches and outdoor photography as a child. He attended Carnegie Mellon’s summer fine art program and numerous photographic workshops where he learned to shoot slide & print film and manipulate images in the darkroom. Fascinated with the process of filmmaking, he attended Northwestern University, where he earned his bachelors in film & television and crewed on over thirty productions in the camera and lighting departments. Since that time he has spent several years in post production and a decade as a gaffer, where he mastered his lighting skills prior to transitioning into the field of cinematography.
Michael's favorite films are those that are centered around a moral compass and have a focus of light over darkness. Several at the top of the list include Searching for Bobby Fisher, The Frontrunner, SeaBiscuit, and Peanut Butter Falcon. His favorite TV series of all time is The West Wing. He loves being on set, manipulating images with lights, the camaraderie of a crew, and a good heartfelt story.
Project listing
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Narrative
Television/
Doc
Commercial
Non-fiction
Music video
Picture / Client
Rite of Passage
I Am Not A Robot
To Tell the Truth
Monster in a House
King Eternal
One Heart
The Confrontation
Dungeons & Dorks
Revolution
Versus
DogTown [8 eps. [cam. op.]]
The Heart of Man [aftershow]
Centro Medico Humberto Parra
Tenable | Hackers Anonymous
TruStage | Prepare... unexpected
Heritage Yarn Mills | Grandson
Pxsell | Snap
Antime | Angry Garage
USPS
Bethesda | Elder Scrolls [3 eps.]
Handstand w. Yuri Marmerstein
Cedars Sinai – BOG
Cedars Sinai – Women's Gala
Great Park Arena
Netafin
Miracle Grow
Tone It Up
Raising Canes
Beatles Symphonic
Secrets & Lies
Director
Michael Krehan
Brian Olliver
Shema Jones
Christiano Dias
Christiano Dias
Arturo Vargas
Soraya Hajjaji
Jimmy Yen
Josh Spector
Sean Gannet
Kim Woodard (EP)
Jens Jacob
Michael Helenek
Christiano Dias
Pete Sillen
Michael Helenek
Christiano Dias
Christiano Dias
Sean Gannet
Allen Colombo
M.Kosoff/D.Khachi
Allen Colombo
Allen Colombo
John Cregan
Griff Partington
Griff Partington
Jens Jacob
Griff Partington
Nick Wilson
Saul Herckis
Production Company
Ebo Entertainment
Totally Inc.
Fik Tiv Films
Manowar Media / Muller Ent.
Manowar Media / Muller Ent.
DeeDee Benkovich
Soraya Hajjaji
Doctor CLS Productions
Gentlemen Films
Emily Branham
National Geographic Television
Sypher Studios
Daniels Hamant Foundation
Tenable
C41 Media
Michael Helenek
Uberion
Uberion
Suite Spot
Artifact Studios
Reps Brand
Effie Studios
Effie Studios
Techstyle Fashion Group
GOAL Productions
GOAL Productions
Sypher Films
GOAL Productions
Wanaque Music
Doctor CLS Productions
Narrative listing
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Rite of Passage | Dir. Michael Krehan
Ebo Entertainment
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I Am Not A Robot | Dir. Brian Olliver
Totally Inc.
–––––
To Tell the Truth | Dir. Shema Jones
Fik Tiv Films
–––––
Monster in a House | Dir. Christiano Dias
Manowar Media / Muller Entertainment
–––––
King Eternal | Dir. Christiano Dias
Manowar Media / Muller Entertainment
–––––
One Heart | Dir. Arturo Vargas
–––––
The Confrontation | Dir. Soraya Hajjaji
–––––
Dungeons & Dorks | Dir. Jimmy Yen
Doctor CLS Productions
–––––
Revolution | Dir. Josh Spector
Gentlemen Films
–––––
Versus | Dir. Sean Gannet
–––––
Television & documentary listing
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DogTown [8 eps. [cam. op.]]
Executive Producer Kim Woodard
National Geographic Television
–––––
The Heart of Man [aftershow]
Producer Jens Jacob
Sypher Studios
–––––
Centro Medico Humberto Parra
Producer/Director Michael Helenek
Daniels Hamant Foundation
–––––
Commercial listing
–––––
Tenable | Hackers Anonymous
Director Christiano Dias
Tenable, Inc.
–––––
TruStage | Prepare for the Unexpected
Director Pete Sillen
C41 Media
–––––
Heritage Yarn Mills | Grandson
Director Michael Helenek
–––––
Pxsell | Snap
Director Christiano Dias
Uberion
–––––
Antime | Angry Garage
Director Christiano Dias
Uberion
–––––
Non-fiction listing
–––––
USPS
Director Sean Gannet
Suite Spot
–––––
Bethesda | Elder Scrolls [3 eps.]
Director Allen Colombo
Artifact Studios
–––––
Handstand with Yuri Marmerstein
Directors Michael Kosoff / Dillon Khachi
Reps Brand LLC
–––––
Cedars Sinai | Board of Governors
Director Allen Colombo
Effie Studios
–––––
Cedars Sinai | Women's Gala
Director Allen Colombo
Effie Studios
–––––
Great Park Arena
Director John Cregan
Techstyle Fashion Group
–––––
Netafin
Producer Griff Partington
GOAL Productions
–––––
Miracle Grow
Producer Griff Partington
GOAL Productions
–––––
Tone It Up
Producer Jens Jacob
Sypher Films
–––––
Raising Canes
Producer Griff Partington
GOAL Productions
–––––
Music Video listing
–––––
Beatles Symphonic
Director Nick Wilson
Wanaque Music
–––––
Secrets & Lies
Director Saul Herckis
Doctor CLS Productions
–––––
resurrecting the sounds of the 60s
Beatles Symphonic
Beatles Symphonic
resurrecting the sounds of the 60s