Michael Costanza is an American
filmmaker
Filmmaking or film production is the process by which a Film, motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, beginning with an initial story, idea, or commission. Production then continues through screen ...
and award-winning, Palme d'Or-nominated writer and director.
Costanza began his career in the Art Department on feature films at
Paramount. He then went on to direct short films and music videos. His short ''Mama Said'' screened at
Sundance
A Sun Dance is a Native American ceremony.
Sun dance or Sundance may also refer to:
Places
;Canada
* Sundance, Calgary, Alberta, a neighbourhood
* Sundance, Manitoba, a ghost town
;United States
* Sundance, New Mexico, a census-designated pl ...
and in the Official Selection of films in competition at
The Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world.
Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around t ...
where it was nominated for the
Palme d'Or
The (; ) is the highest prize awarded to the director of the Best Feature Film of the Official Competition at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festiv ...
award. ''Mama Said'' is a critique of
race relations
Race relations is a sociological concept that emerged in Chicago in connection with the work of sociologist Robert E. Park and the Chicago race riot of 1919. Race relations designates a paradigm or field in sociology and a legal concept in th ...
and
pop culture
Popular culture (also called pop culture or mass culture) is generally recognized by members of a society as a set of practices, beliefs, artistic output (also known as popular art pop_art.html" ;"title="f. pop art">f. pop artor mass art, some ...
of 1960s America. ''Mama Said'' also screened on
The Sundance Channel.
''
The Collingswood Story
''The Collingswood Story'' is a 2002 American Screenlife (film format), computer screen supernatural horror film written and directed by Mike Costanza, Michael Costanza, and starring Stephanie Dees, Johnny Burton, Grant Edmonds, and Diane Behrens ...
'' (2002) is Costanza's
screenlife
Screenlife or computer screen film is a form of visual storytelling in which events are shown entirely on a computer, tablet or smartphone screen. It became popular in the 2010s owing to the growing impact of the Internet and mobile devices. Withi ...
horror film, described as "the first true Screenlife horror flick". Years before
video conferencing
Videotelephony (also known as videoconferencing or video calling) is the use of audio signal, audio and video for simultaneous two-way communication. Today, videotelephony is widespread. There are many terms to refer to videotelephony. ''Vide ...
was commonly adopted, ''The Collingswood Story'' explored the lives of a young couple attempting a long distance relationship via webcams. Collider referred to it as both the first screenlife horror film and "a new type of found footage horror."
In 2005, ''Collingswood'' screened at Frightfest in London
and The Fearless Tales Film Festival in San Francisco. The film won the Best Indie Film and Best Cast Award. In October 2022, ''The Collingswood Story'' began streaming on AMC+ and Shudder.
He is also the creator of the television series ''
Dante's Cove
''Dante's Cove'' is an American LGBTQ-oriented supernatural soap opera which aired on Here TV from October 7, 2005, through December 21, 2007. Created and written by Mike Costanza, Michael Costanza and directed by Sam Irvin, the series combines ...
''.
References
External links
*
''Mama Said'' (Award: Best Short Film)''Mama Said'' - Nominated for the Palme d'Or at CannesMike Costanza
Living people
American male screenwriters
Year of birth missing (living people)
Film directors from Los Angeles
{{US-film-director-stub