 | The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's notability guideline for biographies .(November 2025) |
Mike Cheslik is an American filmmaker, editor and visual effects artist, best known for the independent features Lake Michigan Monster (2018) and Hundreds of Beavers (2022). [1]
Cheslik grew up in Wisconsin. [2]
He has worked professionally as an animator, editor and visual effects artist. [3]
Cheslik first collaborated with Ryland Brickson Cole Tews on the microbudget black-and-white film Lake Michigan Monster (2018), serving as editor and visual-effects artist (among other roles). [4]
The film's visual effects were intensive: according to Tews, "Mike … did over 300 effects shots on the movie". [4]
In Hundreds of Beavers , Cheslik made his feature directorial debut in a largely dialogue-free slapstick comedy co-written with Tews. [1]
The film was produced for approximately US$150,000 and shot over two Wisconsin winters. [5]
Following its festival run, Cheslik and his team self-distributed the film, selling theatrical, Blu-ray and VOD rights independently. [6] According to Filmmaker Magazine, the film ultimately earned more than double its production budget through this release model. [6]
Critics and interviewers have described Cheslik's style as a hybrid of silent-era slapstick and physical comedy with a strong visual effects component. [1]
In an interview, Cheslik said their filmmaking process involves drawing gags on notecards and building the film around these visual ideas rather than traditional scripts. [2]
| Year | Title | Role(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Lake Michigan Monster | Editor; Visual Effects [4] |
| 2023 | Hundreds of Beavers | Director; Co-writer; Editor; VFX [1] |