photo by Vanessa Puopolo, 2019.
"Steve" in David Schmidt's House of Black Wings.
photo by Johnny Call @ FilmQuest 2023.
as "Phil King" in Monte Light's Space.
photo by Johnny Call @ FilmQuest, 2024.
zombie photo by Vanessa Puopolo, 2012.
"Alec Burgess" in A Fair Country.
"Hasbro" in Sleeping Ugly: The Musical.
"Narrator" in The Magnificent Ambersons.
with actor Tony Todd @ Screamfest.
photo by Vanessa Puopolo, 2016.
"Massimo" in Blood Covered Chocolate.
photo by Ben Vincent @ FilmQuest 2018.
Issue where my Immolation article appeared.
"Dim" in Monte Light's Isolation/Ship.
"He" in Immolation. |
Michael Klug grew up in beautiful Lead/Deadwood, South Dakota, smack-dab in the middle of the glorious Black Hills. Today he's a screenwriter, actor, filmmaker, script consultant, novelist, film critic and journalist living in Los Angeles.
His first acting role (in third grade) came about when Missoula Children's Theatre arrived in town. He was a "Candlestick" in Pinnochio, and then a year later, a munchkin in another Missoula production -- The Wizard of Oz. He began his writing career with his first short story "House of the Dead" at age 10. In eighth grade he co-wrote, co-produced and co-directed (as well as starred as "Freddy") in a stage play entitled A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Tribute, with his best friend Eric. Many acting roles in high school followed, including a senior year performance as Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. He won 3 Best Actor honors; and a "Most Dedicated" Drama Club award while there. Michael and Eric also dabbled in filmmaking at this time, creating many innovative, no-budget horror shorts.
In high school, his writing continued (mostly horror fare), including poetry, short stories, A Nightmare on Elm Street fan fiction and an entertaining series of stories called "George, Frank & Liza", which is currently on the back burner for a screenplay translation. He studied theatre in college at Minnesota State University; Moorhead (earning his BA), focusing his studies on acting and directing. While there, he was nominated 3 times for the prestigious Irene Ryan / American College Theatre Festival scholarship award; for his acting work in Galileo, Picnic and As You Like It. His nomination as Touchstone in As You Like It led him to a regional win, and onto the Kennedy Center, representing the 8-state Region 5; where he competed against only 12 other undergrads and graduate students from across the US. His favorite roles in college included the title role in Tartuffe, Horst in Bent, Mary Sunshine in Chicago, Hennessey/The Captain in Dames at Sea and The Writer in The Good Doctor. His writing was still moving along admirably during his college days -- including a play-writing course (where his one act, Sin was completed), and a creative writing course where many more poems and short stories found the light of day. Following two summers of stock with the Straw Hat Players (MSUM's summer theatre), he graduated and headed off into the real world.
His return home to South Dakota led to some substitute teaching, a bit of radio DJ-ing and work as an assistant director for a production of Harvey at his high school alma mater. He then found work with The National Theatre for Children/Small Change; a touring children's theatre out of Minneapolis. He was "Louie the Lightning Bug" for 5 months -- all through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana -- entertaining and teaching kids about electric safety. A subsequent move to Minneapolis found him on-stage opposite Sarah Jane Olson in a production of the apartheid drama, A Fair Country -- just a short time before her discovery and subsequent arrest by the FBI.
A move to Chicago found a great working relationship with The Griffin Theatre, appearing in over a half dozen of their productions; including the world premieres of The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle, Stardust (he originated the role of "Lord Stormhold", which would later be played in the screen version by Peter O'Toole) and Sleeping Ugly: The Musical. There was additional stage work with the Chicago Park District, Hi-Volt Theatre and The Raven Theatre. He also appeared in several short films and two features during his ten year stay in Chicago. Acting in film inspired him to push forward on his own first screenplays. His first feature-length spec was a zombie film called Sid's Apple (with current aspirations to develop it as a limited television series). In addition, his work (both in front of and behind the camera -- officially billed as "Assistant to the DP") on the feature House of Black Wings (from Chicago's Sword & Cloak Productions), inspired him to write and direct his first two short films; under the newly formed not my mess films. French Toast (the first film) is complete. The second piece, Ready to Go was made to be entered into the George A. Romero Diary of the Dead short film competition. While the edited version of the project was completed, the longer director's cut was sadly never finished.
Michael relocated to Hollywood, California in 2008, ushering in a particularly fruitful time creatively. In between several "survival/day jobs" (including a 5-year stint in retail management in Beverly Hills), he worked as an assistant director on a web-series as well as a short film and held several other crew positions on various indie projects, exposing himself to more set-life opportunities. On the writing front, screenwriting has taken center stage in his creative endeavors. Over the past 16 years, he's received 50 accolades from a wide variety of film festivals and script competitions. In April of 2019, he completed work on his 10th feature spec script, Mom Died, which was named the WINNER of the Horror Genre at the 2019 Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices competition. And in 2020, Michael partnered with award-winning filmmaker Audrey Cummings to further develop Mom Died for potential production. Other high placements: 2 Top Five Finalists @ Screamfest -- 2016 (Spider Eaters) and 2021 (Boys).
Finding completion in 2018, the first in (hopefully) several steps for a yet-to-be-announced "write-for-hire" screenwriting project (as a direct result of that Top Five Screamfest placement for Spider Eaters). And in mid-2019, he was hired by a different production company to pen a feature length script. That contract is complete, and he excitedly awaits potential news of the film's production. In addition to this catalog of feature scripts, he's also completed a one-hour pilot drama spec and many short spec scripts. In a 2016 return to the live stage, Michael booked a month long gig with The Roxy Regional Theatre in Clarksville, Tennessee -- appearing in the WORLD PREMIERE adaptation of The Magnificent Ambersons, as well as taking on the role of Gremio in a production of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. This theatre experience was the inspiration for his 8th feature spec script, The Costume People, which was optioned (although not ultimately purchased) in 2018. Following his Roxy contract, he returned to LA and began auditioning for new roles. By the end of 2016, he had appeared as a defendant on the syndicated television court show Justice for All with Judge Cristina Perez, and acted in several short films. In 2018, he played a lead role in Monte Light's feature film debut, Space, which was released in March 2020, via Random Media.
Following his first physically published piece in 2014's Hidden Horror: A Celebration of 101 Underrated and Overlooked Fright Flicks (his essay covered the Nazi zombie classic, Shock Waves), he landed a gig as a film critic and contributing writer for the now defunct online horror source Horror Freak News -- reviewing films, covering red carpet events, conducting interviews, doing set visits and attending film festivals. During this journalism adventure, he clocked in close to 400 movie reviews and feature articles. He also wrote for Tom Holland's Terror Time for a number of years. On that note, he wrote his first ever book review for Tom Holland's Terror Time, covering the 2020 release of The Living Dead. While film criticism and journalism have taken a backseat to other writing projects, Michael continues to pen articles when the opportunity arises. In 2023 and 2024, he contributed to Cinema Macabre and MovieMaker Magazine. In 2018, his second physically published piece -- an essay on George A. Romero's Day of the Dead, was released as part of the collection, My Favorite Horror Movie from editor Christian Ackerman. Michael's write-up sat alongside essays from such horror-industry luminaries as Michael Gingold, Tony Timpone and Cerina Vincent. In 2022, he penned an essay about Poltergeist, which was physically published in the collection, The Inspiring World of Horror. In June of 2019, Michael launched Klugula Screenplay Consulting, offering feature and short screenplay story and editing services to screenwriters. The company celebrated 5 years in 2024, and as of 2023, is an Official Sponsor for the long-running genre film festival, FilmQuest. While 2020 was a challenging year (to say the least), it saw what was possibly Michael's most productive creative year. He completed work on his 11th (Rope-A-Dope with Motown Maurice), 12th (Trip) and 13th (Boys) feature spec scripts. He was also hired for two feature screenplay gigs in late 2020. On the acting front in this crazy year that was, Michael was part of multiple virtual readings, including benefit productions of Our Town and A Christmas Carol, opposite such actors as Amy Brenneman, Annie Potts, John Michael Higgins, David Dastmalchian and Joshua Leonard. In addition, Michael also acted virtually in several short films, including Isolation/Ship from director Monte Light. Also in 2020, he began the arduous task of taking over 35 years worth of short stories, poetry, journal entries and the like -- organizing and typing them up, with the intention to eventually self-publish this collection under the title, The House Up the Street. Because of the sheer volume of stories, this is indeed an ongoing process... Early 2021, Michael was cast in the indie feature Blood Covered Chocolate, from filmmaker Monte Light. Michael was a last minute replacement and had just under a week to prep for the film's lead role of Massimo, who appears on virtually every page of the 90-page script. The film was shot in two weeks. In 2022, the film played a few festivals before finding distribution with Terror Films. Michael received mostly positive reviews for his lead performance, with Eye for Film writing, "Klug brings a certain soulfulness to his character, revealing a man in the grip of forces beyond his control." Mid-2021, inspired by and following the death of his mother, Michael embarked on a life-long bucket list creative endeavor -- his first novel. At press, What the House Saw is "complete" and the query process to literary agents and publishers is well underway. In the summer of 2024, two indie publishers made offers on the book, but ultimately term agreements could not be agreed upon. In the summer of 2021, Michael partnered with actor/writer Daniel Alexander, and completed a feature spec script (Michael's 14th), a small town love story, trans-female drama entitled Mariposa. The fall of 2021 also saw production of Michael's short script (as writer/producer/lead actor), Immolation (directed by Neal Tyler). Upon completion it became "the little short film that could", playing several festivals, receiving several awards nominations and garnering one win for "Audience Choice". And in 2024, it found a streaming home with the good folks of Chilling. It also had an "in print" write-up in the esteemed MovieMaker Magazine in 2023 (penned by Michael). In April of 2022, Michael completed work on his 15th feature spec script, A Stench in the Nostrils of God. It was named a semi-finalist at 2022's Screamfest and a finalist at 2023's FilmQuest. In the summer of 2022, a hired screenwriting project from 2020 came to fruition, when the Hank Braxtan film Dead Zone (starring Michael Jai White and Jeff Fahey) was released as a Tubi Original. Michael is credited as one of the writers on the film. Michael joined forces (as "Director of the Screenplay Competition") with the We Make Movies Int'l Film Festival in late 2022, and developed a short screenwriting competition for their fifth season and beyond. He's previously judged for the festival as well. Also in 2022, he began work on a horror/thriller feature screenplay entitled Unrequited Love is for the Birds with long-time college friend, Libby Baker. In 2023, he began a feature script collaboration with filmmaker/writer Ben Alpi, on the horror/comedy Santa Claus is Coming to Hell! At the tail end of 2024, work on this script is nearing completion. Also in 2023, he partnered with former script consulting client, Scott Kettner on his feature script, Him -- as co-writer. That process/contract is complete and Michael excitedly awaits news on the film's forthcoming production. Two new YA novel ideas (Life Behind the Ocular Orb and The Aliens on My Paper Route) came to light in late 2023. Work continues on those pieces into 2025. These titles are added to his other novels-in-the-works (begun years ago) Island Hunters and Scratcher. The novel concept for How I Learned to Swim presented itself in early 2024. Other novel ideas being developed: Neandertal and The Gum Guy. Michael completed work on his 16th feature spec script, One Last Build in Centralia in the spring of 2024. It's been sent out to multiple script competitions and film festivals, awaiting announcements. Also in 2024, he was named to the Board of Directors as Secretary for a new live theatre company, Sonder Theatre Company, whose inaugural production of A Christmas Carol is currently in rehearsals. As 2024 comes to a close, multiple projects are underway. A feature script collaboration with his older brother Wayne, entitled Bunker is in the early brainstorming stages. Also in 2024, brainstorming on a novel trilogy with his brother continued, titled The Measureless Passages of Brunson and Hutch. Michael has also partnered with celebrated filmmaker Charles de Lauzirika on a new feature screenplay idea. Stay tuned! Moving into 2025, other projects are being actively worked: a new novel idea called The Back Bedroom and two solo scripts, Rough Roads May Exist and Velvet Dead International Film Festival. At press, several other solo spec scripts (features, shorts, series) from years past are in various stages of development, begging for attention and/or completion: Agonistic Displays, Angelica, Auxiliary, Bear, Bus... Stop!, Calamity and Her Angry Army of the Undead, Cards, Clare, This is Julia, ESP, The Fall of Sealand, Frank Conversations at the Urinal, The French Toast Nine, George, Frank & Liza, Guncle, Harsh Critic, Immolation, Intimacy Coordinator, Lindsay's Locker, My Brother the Serial Killer, Pactola, Party of Three... Maybe?, Refurnish, Rest Area, There Will Be No Encore and You Can Never Go Home.
Michael's 2025 goals: to continue the search for a publisher and/or literary agent for his first novel, What the House Saw, and to complete 3 more feature scripts by year's end, thus bringing his feature spec output to a pleasing milestone of 20 total. In addition to scripts, he hopes to complete work on the first draft of a novel he began years ago, Island Hunters, and to complete a first draft of his latest novel idea (conceived in the fall of 2024), The Back Bedroom. He's also planning to produce a new short film from a script he completed in 2023, Mom's Shit. And finally, he plans to tackle the daunting task of completing all supporting materials for his script catalog (pitch decks, synopses, etc.) by the end of 2025. -- updated 12/02/2024 |