User:Story Institute/sandbox

Award winning actor, writer and comedian, Michael Coleman, started performing professional stand up, sketch, and improv comedy at local venues and clubs while still in his final years of high school. A memorable chat one evening with Robin Williams who was backstage, visiting the local stand up club while filming Jumanji (1995) inspired Michael to pursue his career full-time and he is forever grateful.

Michael's big TV debut was playing a character named Howard Gordon on the Chris Carter series Millennium (1996). Howard was leaving The X-Files (1993), another Chris Carter show, and this was a bit of a sweet goodbye as the prolific Producer for which the role was named, was leaving to create a new show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997).

Michael's character driven performances have created opportunities for memorable roles on Once Upon a Time (2011), Stargate SG-1 (1997), Stargate: Atlantis (2004), Smallville (2001), Fringe (2008),X-Men: Evolution (2000), Dragon Ball Z (1996), Hello Kitty's Paradise (2000), Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny (2004), MegaMan: NT Warrior (2001), Hellsing Ultimate (2006), Hellsing Ultimate (2006), Inuyasha (2000), Hamtaro (2000) and numerous other popular animated and live action productions.

37-Teen (2019) released in the (Spring of 2020), is the first project from Michael's production company Rebel West Pictures. Michael writes and stars in this comedy feature film released by Comedy Dynamics. Michael's feature film writing and directorial debut was the critically acclaimed Best Day Ever: Aiden Kesler 1994-2011 (2012).

Michael also writes and stars in the absurd, modern sitcom, Hipsterverse (2019), and has several other new film and television and animation scripts in development.

Michael is involved with several charities and community groups and is a regular contributor, supporter, and advocate for The BC Children's Hospital (where he loved for a short while as a child), Inflammatory Bowel Disease, BC Cancer Foundation, The ALS Foundation, GBS, Stigma Fighters (Awareness for Mental Health), Women in Film, and most recently DTES, a charity for women and children of Vancouver's downtown east side. Michael was recently named the youth Spokesperson for a rare condition known as GBS (Guillain-Barré Syndrome).

Michael is also the founder of the post-secondary school, Story Institute, where actors and writers train to become acting and writing professionals in the film and television industry. He owns this school with two former students, Dan Heinz and Josh Quocksister and Fred Ewanuick of Corner Gas (2004) fame.