Biography
Michael W. Watkins is an award-winning director, producer, and cinematographer. His career began in the mid-1970s working main camera duty on the Roger Corman production "Fighting Mad," directed by Jonathan Demme. He also worked under legendary director of photography Michael Chapman on Martin Scorsese's concert film "The Last Waltz," which documented The Band's final, celebrated 1976 concert at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. After a brief pause, his career kicked into high gear in the 1980s with the filming of action television series "Scarecrow and Mrs. King." He also served as a cinematographer on the crime drama "The Glitter Dome" starring James Garner and John Lithgow, the relationship drama "Cold Sassy Tree" with Faye Dunaway and Richard Widmark, and the comedy "Paramedics." But his most notable work as a cinematographer was on the cult science fiction show "Quantum Leap," for which he would eventually win two Emmys. He also served as director of photography on John Badham's "La Femme Nikita" remake "Point of No Return," the fantasy/comedy "Heart and Souls," and the miniseries "Family Album." His directing and producing career began with "Quantum Leap" and "NYPD Blue," respectively. He contributed to a number of popular programs as a co-executive producer, including the sci-fi hit"The X-Files," the casino crime drama "Las Vegas," and the FOX action show "Prison Break." Watkins also directed episodes of the sci-fi spinoff "Caprica" and the crime drama "Justified" in 2010. Watkins taught cinematography/directing seminars around the country and at UCLA.
