Hello, my name is Michael Shane Bowles, and I am a director of photography, writer, and director living in Oceanside, California. I’m originally from Rochester, New York, grew up in Florida, then moved to California in 2011. Since then I’ve worked on all manner of film and video production with budgets of various sizes and states of existence. I’ve worked as DP, camera operator, 1st AD, editor, sound designer, and barn spider pointer-outer, among other things. (I always point out the spiders)

In 2023 I directed my first short that I also wrote, "The Mad Doctor of the Intercontinental Hotel". It’s a 3 minute micro short about a haunted house enthusiast attempting to separate fact from fiction by summoning The Mad Doctor. You can watch the short on vimeo. The film completed its award-winning festival run in 2024.

My next film "Piñata" is in production and tells the story of a sentient piñata who’s blissfully unaware of the looming danger until it’s too late. It’s a documentary, obviously.

My day job for the last 14 years has been corporate video production for a leadership training company headquartered in Escondido.

In my spare time I kayak, pretend I can play bass guitar, read too many Jason Pargin books, and row at whichever Planet Fitness is open earliest on the weekend.

-Michael