Meet the Intern: Michael Kennedy

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Maria Rouzzo

My name is Michael Kennedy. I was born and raised in Mayfield, Ohio and I am a recent graduate of the University of Denver where I studied Business and Media Production. My passion for movies and storytelling started when I was 10 through reading comic books and weekly trips to the theater with my dad. I have produced student films and shorts throughout my time at DU such as a slasher film titled Late Night Lift and a comedy sketch titled The Magic Frog Man through a YouTube channel I work closely with called Dumpster Champagne.

Some of my favorite things to do are watch movies or new shows, take photos, play guitar, or write my own scripts. I am currently on my third rewatch of The Wire and am obsessed with Green Street Pictures’ new show Common Side Effects. As far as movies I am a big sci-fi nerd. I have always enjoyed the complex world building that sci-fi brings to the table. Being able to get an audience to buy into a fantastical and strange world with intense emotion always fascinated me. My favorite director is Danny Boyle with Sunshine being my favorite movie of his.

I wanted to work with the Greater Cleveland Film Commission to understand how blockbuster productions are brought to the city and how they create jobs for our local creators. I am a proud Cleveland native who wants to be involved in bringing movies to Cleveland to increase our mark on the industry. By interning at the Greater Cleveland Film Commission, I hope to learn more about what it takes to be a producer and to understand things outside of my comfort zone such as writing, directing, set design, or anything else I may run into.

I would like to pursue a career in writing and producing movies like the ones I used to see with my family growing up. My next goal is to write the first season of a potential animated show I would like to produce and to complete the script of a short I am writing. The goal after that would be to get production rolling! Thank you for reading.