The Briefing Room

Debbie Reynolds, Stephen Schwartz, Lynda Carter, Gavin Creel, Billy Porter Among Stever’s Many Highlights

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, JANUARY 13, 2010 – Actor-turned-filmmaker Michael Stever was a ridiculously busy man-about-town in 2009 with his mini-DV camera in tow and a Mac-Book Pro with Final Cut ready to shoot and edit some of New York City’s most noteworthy and interesting people and happenings that were almost as diverse as New York City itself.

“As I look back on 2009, I see not only my accomplishments from this past year, but from the entire decade, which I could not have achieved were it not for the many advancements in digital video technology,â€? Stever said. “What’s more, I feel like one of the luckiest guys in the business being fortunate enough to live two different lives in the entertainment industry – first as a successful actor, singer and dancer, and now as a full-time freelance filmmaker and camera man. My angels have truly been working overtime, and I’m most excited for what 2010 and the next decade have in store.â€?

Among the many highlights of Stever’s productive 2009 were his filming of legendary stage and screen star Debbie Reynolds’ induction into the Friars Club, a “making of” featurette on composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz’s “Séance on a Wet Afternoon,” and the 2009 audition reel for “America’s Got Talentâ€? aerial violinist/soprano Janice Martin, just to name a few. Earlier in 2009, Stever was invited to lend his voice and lens to the precedent-setting ‘Defying Inequality’ Broadway Concert where he interviewed Lynda Carter, Gavin Creel, Jonathan Groff, Tamara Tunie and more. In addition to working with these incredible performers, Stever also created, filmed and edited industrial promos for ABLE Rigging Contractors’ brand new website, which he’ll continue to do throughout 2010. He also just wrapped a shoot on Monday of a staged reading of Broadway veteran, recording star, and TV/film performer Billy Porter’s new play, “The Untitled Sex Project.â€?

Stever’s short film, “Ghosts Of Zion & Michael Nyman,â€? was recently featured at the independent film website, Shooting People.org. He is currently developing “Ghosts of Zion” into his first feature-length film, which he is seeking funding for and plans to begin shooting later this year.

Having worked successfully as an actor for nearly twenty years, Stever is now merging the perfect union of industry smarts and technical savvy as a full-time freelance cameraman, filmmaker and writer shooting and editing mini-DV projects all over New York City. For nearly three years, he worked as Unit Production Manager on the critically acclaimed documentary, “Broadway: The Golden Ageâ€? and its two sequels. Recent clients include Broadway vets Mary Bond Davis as well as Judy McLane at West Bank Cafe’s Laurie Beechman Theatre, the Screen Actors Guild’s BookPals group, Barnes & Noble and PlayBill magazine columnist Ellis Nassour. He is also the official cameraman for The Brini Maxwell Show podcasts. And he also recently directed and edited the DVD seminar, “How to Get and Keep an Agent” for Actors Connection, which is now available on Amazon.com.