Michael Scott (film director)

Last updated
Michael Scott
Born(born 1955) [1]
NationalityAmerican
Alma mater Occidental College
Occupations
  • Director
  • producer
  • documentary filmmaker
Years active1983–present
Known for
Relatives Winston M. Scott (father)

Michael Scott (born 1955) is an American film director, producer and documentary filmmaker. [2] [3] He is best known as producer and film director for Dangerous Lies (2020 film), [4] [5] [6] Cedar Cove (2013), [7] Trading Christmas (2011), [8] The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (2008) [9] and other films. [10] [11]

Contents

Background

Michael M. Scott was raised in Mexico City, Mexico, the adopted son of Winston Scott, a U.S. intelligence officer, and Paula Maev Scott, a native of Ireland. [1] [12] His father, Winston M. Scott (Winston Mackinley Scott) worked for the CIA during the Cold War in Mexico. [13] [14] In 1970, Michael and his brother George were sent to Connecticut. From 1970 – 1973, Michael Scott was a student at Taft School, a preparatory private school in Watertown, Connecticut. [1] Michael Scott is a graduate of the Occidental College. [15]

Filmmaking career

While still an undergraduate at Occidental College in 1975, Scott interviewed Clarence Carnes, an inmate who had done time on Alcatraz and was known to be the youngest inmate in the Federal prison. The interview resulted in documentary aired later on PBS. [16] In 1980s, Scott began to work with Dave Bell Associates production company, where he produced HBO’s “Decoys,” a documentary about undercover cops in New York City. [16] [17] Scott made his directorial and writing debut with 1983's One Man's Fight for Life, – a story about a school teacher struggling with lung cancer. [16]

Scott is credited as director and executive producer of the Netflix movie Dangerous Lies (2020 film) that premiered on May 30, 2020. In October 2020, the film was nominated for People's Choice Awards in the drama movie category. [18] [19] Scott’s long term relationship with writer David Golden resulted in the spec thriller being picked up as a Netflix Original. [20] [21] Since 1983, Michael Scott has worked with a number of production and entertainment companies including Crown Media, Hallmark Channel, PBS, HBO, Netflix and more. [16] Overall, Scott has over fifty credits as director and producer. [10] [22]

Michael Scott vs CIA

Scott’s father, Winston M. Scott, wrote a manuscript about his life titled, "It Came To Little" which was confiscated by James Jesus Angleton, the CIA's counter intelligence chief, shortly after Winston Scott’s death in 1971. [2] The manuscript became the object of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request that was denied, resulting in a lawsuit filed by Michael Scott (Scott vs CIA). A settlement with the CIA was reached in 1996. [1] Later, Jefferson Morley, a veteran Washington journalist, collaborated with Scott and wrote "Our Man in Mexico", a biography of Winston M. Scott and CIA's operations in Mexico during the Cold War. [1] [13] [23]

Filmography

YearTitleCreditNotes
2020 Dangerous Lies (2020 film) Director/Producer(TV movie) (as Michael Scott)
(Nominated for People's Choice Awards) [6]
2016Second SightDirector/Producer(TV movie) (as Michael Scott) [24]
2014Heavenly MatchDirector/Executive Producer(TV movie)
(as Michael Scott) [25]
2014 Run for Your Life Director(TV movie)
(as Michael Scott) [26]
2014Apple Mortgage CakeDirector/Producer(TV movie)
2013 Cedar Cove Director/Executive Producer(TV Movie/2 hour series pilot) [27] [28]
2012Hitched for the HolidaysDirector//Executive Producer(TV movie)
2011 Trading Christmas Director/Executive Producer(TV movie)
2008 The Most Wonderful Time of the Year Director/Executive Producer(TV movie)
2006Murder on Pleasant DriveDirector/Co-executive Producer(TV movie)
(as Michael Scott)
2004 Deadly Visions DirectorTV movie [29]
1999 The Soul Collector DirectorTV movie [30]

See also

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References

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  7. Genzlinger, Neil (19 July 2013). "Dialing Down the Adrenaline in a town with a laid-back judge". The New York Times.
  8. Hinckley, David (25 November 2011). "Hallmark's 'Trading Christmas' does a good job telling Debbie Macomber holiday tale". New York Daily News. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
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  11. "Michael M. Scott". BFI. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020.
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  30. "The Soul Collector". Variety. 20 October 1999.