Michael D. Akers (born September 5, 1970 in Ephrata, Pennsylvania) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. In 2000, he founded "United Gay Network" (UGN) with his longtime partner, Sandon Berg. Most of his films are LGBT-related.[1]
Establishing United Gay Network, he moved to independent film making. In March 2002, Michael D. Akers directing his short B&W w/Splash of Clown in partnership with Sandon Berg. His debut long feature film Gone But Not Forgotten, a script he had begun writing back in 1995 while working for another film production company,[4] premiered at the 9th Annual Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. It was followed by Matrimonium, an improv film about a reality show trying to marry two men for ratings. Phoenix is a symbolic and lyrical film examining why relationships end the way that they do. It focuses on a young man who goes to Phoenix, Arizona to surprise his lover, only to discover his lover's secret other life. Morgan is about a paraplegic man putting his life back together after a bicycle racing accident leaves his paralyzed.[5]
In Gone, But Not Forgotten he was credited as Michael D. Akers. But in all later movies, he used Michael Akers (dropping the middle "D").
United Gay Networkedit
United Gay Network is a production house founded by Michael D. Akers and Sandon Berg. Akers has released his films through the company. [2]
In forming United Gay Network ten years ago, Michael Akers and Sandon Berg aspired not only to promote the genre of "gay films" but also tried to bring gay cinema closer to mainstream cinema. As Berg stated in a radio interview, he and Akers were striving to create stories that would crossover to a broader audience.[6][unreliable source?]
Nowhere is this more apparent than in their latest production Morgan. Berg said: "I think Morgan is a very universal story. I don't think it is gay-specific at all."[7]Morgan is the story of a gay and paralyzed young athlete that defies stereotypes and pushes through boundaries. The lead character, a young athlete, named Morgan Oliver, is first seen wallowing in a state of depression, drowning his sorrows in beer as he watches bicycle racing (the sport that at once defined his sense of purpose and drove him to his catalytic accident) on television.
UGN's first long feature film, Gone, But Not Forgotten,was considered ground breaking and to have set the pace for normalizing the portrayal of gay people in cinema.[4]
Each successive film produced by UGN has increasingly pushed limits and expanded the range of Akers and Berg as filmmakers. With each film, Akers and Berg shook things up.[fact or opinion?]Matrimonium was a foray into comedy that played to reality show hype, while addressing homosexual stereotypes, and Phoenix was yet another step, into the suspenseful and mysterious journey of two jilted lovers following the trail of their mutual betrayer.
Personal lifeedit
Akers is openly gay. His long-term partner is Sandon Berg. They have been together since the late 1990s.[2][relevant?]
^Williams, Ken. . San Diego Gay & Lesbian News. Archived from the original on May 21, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
^ abcdefAkers, Michael. "ImageOut Lesbian & Gay Film & Video Festival". ImageOut. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
^ abHinojosa, Cassandra. "Man with a past;". Corpus Christi Caller – Times.
^ abKramer, Gary M. (2006). Independent queer cinema : reviews and interviews. New York: Southern Tier Editions, Harrington Park Press. ISBN1560233435.
^Whittington, Lewis. . EDGE Boston. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
^. Modern World Radio. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2012.
^Vorndran, Michael. . Fenuxe. Archived from the original on August 20, 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2012.
External linksedit
Official resume
United Gay Network Official website
January 01, 1970
michael, akers, neutrality, this, article, disputed, relevant, discussion, found, talk, page, please, remove, this, message, until, conditions, december, 2019, learn, when, remove, this, message, michael, akers, born, september, 1970, ephrata, pennsylvania, am. The neutrality of this article is disputed Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met December 2019 Learn how and when to remove this message Michael D Akers born September 5 1970 in Ephrata Pennsylvania is an American film director producer screenwriter and editor In 2000 he founded United Gay Network UGN with his longtime partner Sandon Berg Most of his films are LGBT related 1 Michael AkersBornMichael D Ackers Jr 1970 09 05 September 5 1970 age 53 Ephrata PennsylvaniaOccupation s filmmaker film director screenwriter film editorWebsiteUnited Gay Network Contents 1 Career 2 United Gay Network 3 Personal life 4 Filmography 4 1 Director 4 2 Producer 4 3 Writer 4 4 Editor 5 References 6 External linksCareer editMichael D Akers studied at Indiana University of Pennsylvania before moving to Los Angeles to begin a career in the entertainment industry as production assistant and assistant director to work on the cable movie Jurassic Women 1996 2 better source needed For three years he worked with Turner Feature Animation on Cats Don t Dance helping to research and develop animated features 2 Then he moved to Grand Productions and later produced at least two episodes of the Lifetime series Intimate Portraits 2 These included the Intimate Portraits of Heather Locklear and Jane Seymour 3 He became executive assistant to Martin Short on The Martin Short Show 3 and a story and research assistant to Ryan Seacrest s NBC s Saturday Night at the Movies and Anne Robinson s The Weakest Link 2 Establishing United Gay Network he moved to independent film making In March 2002 Michael D Akers directing his short B amp W w Splash of Clown in partnership with Sandon Berg His debut long feature film Gone But Not Forgotten a script he had begun writing back in 1995 while working for another film production company 4 premiered at the 9th Annual Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival It was followed by Matrimonium an improv film about a reality show trying to marry two men for ratings Phoenix is a symbolic and lyrical film examining why relationships end the way that they do It focuses on a young man who goes to Phoenix Arizona to surprise his lover only to discover his lover s secret other life Morgan is about a paraplegic man putting his life back together after a bicycle racing accident leaves his paralyzed 5 In Gone But Not Forgotten he was credited as Michael D Akers But in all later movies he used Michael Akers dropping the middle D United Gay Network editUnited Gay Network is a production house founded by Michael D Akers and Sandon Berg Akers has released his films through the company 2 In forming United Gay Network ten years ago Michael Akers and Sandon Berg aspired not only to promote the genre of gay films but also tried to bring gay cinema closer to mainstream cinema As Berg stated in a radio interview he and Akers were striving to create stories that would crossover to a broader audience 6 unreliable source Nowhere is this more apparent than in their latest production Morgan Berg said I think Morgan is a very universal story I don t think it is gay specific at all 7 Morgan is the story of a gay and paralyzed young athlete that defies stereotypes and pushes through boundaries The lead character a young athlete named Morgan Oliver is first seen wallowing in a state of depression drowning his sorrows in beer as he watches bicycle racing the sport that at once defined his sense of purpose and drove him to his catalytic accident on television UGN s first long feature film Gone But Not Forgotten was considered ground breaking and to have set the pace for normalizing the portrayal of gay people in cinema 4 Each successive film produced by UGN has increasingly pushed limits and expanded the range of Akers and Berg as filmmakers With each film Akers and Berg shook things up fact or opinion Matrimonium was a foray into comedy that played to reality show hype while addressing homosexual stereotypes and Phoenix was yet another step into the suspenseful and mysterious journey of two jilted lovers following the trail of their mutual betrayer Personal life editAkers is openly gay His long term partner is Sandon Berg They have been together since the late 1990s 2 relevant Filmography editDirector edit 2003 Gone But Not Forgotten 2005 Matrimonium 2006 Phoenix 2012 Morgan Others 2011 The Friends Project of David Raleigh with Alan Cumming Ari Gold and Billy Porter to benefit the Ali Forney Center Producer edit 2003 Gone But Not Forgotten 2005 Matrimonium 2012 Morgan Writer edit 2003 Gone But Not Forgotten 2005 Matrimonium 2006 Phoenix 2012 Morgan Editor edit 2003 Gone But Not Forgotten 2005 Matrimonium 2005 Flirting with Anthony 2006 Phoenix 2006 Love Life 2010 Going Maverick The Sarah Palin Story video short 2011 The Friends Project of David Raleigh with Alan Cumming Ari Gold and Billy Porter to benefit the Ali Forney Center 2012 MorganReferences edit Williams Ken FilmOut Q amp A with Michael D Akers director of Morgan San Diego Gay amp Lesbian News Archived from the original on May 21 2012 Retrieved August 7 2012 a b c d e f Akers Michael ImageOut Lesbian amp Gay Film amp Video Festival ImageOut Retrieved August 8 2012 a b Hinojosa Cassandra Man with a past Corpus Christi Caller Times a b Kramer Gary M 2006 Independent queer cinema reviews and interviews New York Southern Tier Editions Harrington Park Press ISBN 1560233435 Whittington Lewis New LGBT film tackles sensitive subject matter EDGE Boston Archived from the original on June 10 2015 Retrieved August 7 2012 The Paul and Matty Show Modern World Radio Archived from the original on November 10 2012 Retrieved August 11 2012 Vorndran Michael The Fenuxe Interview Filmmaker Sandon Berg Fenuxe Archived from the original on August 20 2012 Retrieved August 11 2012 External links editOfficial resume United Gay Network Official website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Michael Akers amp oldid 1221657800, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
