My name is Michael Cannetti. I am a screenwriter, narrative storyteller, graphic novelist, and professor of film and screenwriting. I am a graduate of Full Sail University’s Master of Fine Arts degree program in Creative Writing. I earned the rank of valedictorian as well as the Advanced Achievement in Writing, and Course Director Awards in Writing for Games, Advanced Visual Storytelling, Portfolio II, and The Business of Writing. I have been an Adjunct Lecturer of Film and Video Production at a college in the CUNY system of New York City. I am also the Senior Computer Laboratory Technician maintaining over 400 Apple Computers and Mobile Devices as well as Film, Video, Graphic Arts, and Photography equipment.
As a writer I feel the strongest connections to the genres of drama and thriller. With drama I love to tell character driven stories about personal struggles and overcoming obstacles. In the genre of thrillers, I have always been fascinated with the concept of analyzing the psychopath and the mystery of the unknown. When I look at drama, I tend to see my stories as the deconstruction of norms. The audience can view the story and characters in a voyeuristic point of view, with the hopes of peering into their souls. With thriller, as I mentioned earlier, I love the analytical side of viewing psychopathology. I like to strip down the character to its base level and reveal pieces like the peeling back of an onion.
Primarily I work in the media format of film and live action. Though the lion share of my work is in screenplays, as an avid comic book reader. I have a great passion for writing graphic novels. I am not a novelist, but I do believe graphic novels are a form of visual storytelling much like film. I prefer these two formats because, I have a strong connection to both and have all my life. With both film and graphic novels, I know how long a story needs to be. I can see the arc of the story, and I understand the narrative structure.
When it comes to writing for film, I have twenty years of experience working in production both in front of and behind the camera. I have produced several independent projects, as well as, been a consultant on projects for my peers. In addition, I host a podcast about films in the 1990s. With graphic novels, I have of thirty years of expertise reading comics. I also host a podcast dedicated to comics and new media in the 1990s and beyond.
I always strive to keep a sense of child-like wonderment and an imagination that I tap into. I am an avid surfer, woodworker, yogi, swimmer, cyclist, and tennis player. I am also learning to play the acoustic guitar. I believe that as human beings we must always strive to enhance our minds and grow our knowledge and skillsets. I need to be constantly pushing my mind and myself to try new things and grow as a person and a writer.
“We live in a culture of feelings and associations, where ideas are more important than things.” (Bayley, Of Human Branding, 2005)
You can check me out at these sites if you are interested in finding out more about me:
Let’s get in touch. Email me to set up a meeting.
Welcome Introduction Video
This is my welcome introduction video for the work I do. I am a writer, editor, producer, and editor.