Mike Correll

Mike Correll's fascination with Dark Art is long standing. As a young child he began drawing the monsters that plagued his dreams. Despite the reprimands of his worried teachers, his parents supported him in his artistic endeavors, allowing him to creatively purge the often violent and grotesque images that came to him in his sleep. Drawings made way for collages and sculptures, but Correll sought a larger audience and ultimately turned to filmmaking. In 2002, he graduated with a B.A. from Fairhaven College at Western Washington University, pioneering a degree titled "Imaginative Moviemaking." His studies included screenwriting, film appreciation, video production, and fine arts. Although Correll resides in New Mexico, his home state is Washington where he received local accolades at the Projections Film Festival with his video work, taking Best Feature Documentary for "The Many Faces of Homelessness" as well as Best Animation for "Labyrinth of Penumbra". Correll also interned with EVR Films, where he worked to master skills related to special effects, costume/set design, directing, producing, editing, and cinematography. In addition, he has created TV commercials, music videos, and experimental narratives. His newest release, Chet Zar: I Like to Paint Monsters (2015), takes the audience into the dark and foreboding world of Chet Zar, where apocalyptic industrial landscapes are inhabited by disturbing yet beautiful monstrosities. Correll asks the question: Who is Chet Zar, and why does he like to paint monsters? Hailed by Tattoo Magazine as "Beautiful, moving and thought-provoking", and regaled by Clive Barker as "An inspiring and important film...", the documentary won an "Honorable Mention" at the Santa Monica Independent Film Festival, and the "Guerrilla Marketing" award at the Albuquerque Film and Music Experience.