Biography

Michael Patterson is a director, designer and animation artist working in visual music and immersive design. He's currently a professor at the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. Patterson's career began in music videos in 1985 by animating the MTV hit Take on Me for A-Ha. Teaming up with his wife Candace Reckinger, they directed a string of MTV hits that include, Suzanne Vega's Luka, Sting's Be Still My Beating Heart and Opposites Attract, which won the Grammy Award for Best Music Video in 1990. Their videos have received MTV, Billboard, MVPA, and American Music Awards. Seven of their videos are in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, NY.

In his 20 years directing TV commercials, Patterson worked extensively in a mixed media style, merging live action with animation and motion graphics. While directing at Rhythm and Hues Studios, his national TV spots earned numerous awards including Clios and airings on the Super Bowl.

Patterson and Reckinger have directed and produced immersive animation for events and performances. Along with a team of students and alumni from the University of Southern California, they directed animated visuals for Pictures at an Exhibition, a 5-screen animation for live symphony orchestra performance (2011). The piece celebrated the opening of architect, Frank Gehry's New World Center in Miami Beach, FL. Michael Tilson Thomas music director and conductor. Their large-scale outdoor immersive events incorporate projection mapping, music and live performance. These include the expansive USC Village Gala projections (2017) and Getty Unshuttered Live I and II (2018, 2019) at the Getty Center Museum in Los Angeles. The event series, Rhythms + Visions / Expanded + Live (2011, 2013, 2017) highlights contemporary work in visual music and features award winning contemporary artists from Europe, the US and Asia.
- IMDb mini biography by: Mike Patterson