Michael Spiller

American cinematographer and television director

Michael Spiller
Born	(1961-08-01) August 1, 1961 (age 62) New Jersey, U.S.
Alma mater	Purchase College
Occupation(s)	Cinematographer, television director
Years active	1984–present

Michael Alan Spiller (born August 1, 1961) is an American cinematographer and television director.^[1]

Spiller has directed on numerous series and has also served as a cinematographer before directing. Early, he worked frequently with director and classmate Hal Hartley, including cinematography for Hartley's breakout film The Unbelievable Truth, which helped launch both of their careers.^[2] He was a regular director on the series Sex and the City where he also served as director of photography during the first four seasons. After Sex and the City, Spiller directed episodes on series such as Scrubs, Jake in Progress, The Bernie Mac Show and Big Love. Spiller was also a producer on the series Jake in Progress and Big Day.

In 2011, he won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for the Modern Family episode "Halloween".^[3]

Spiller was born in New Jersey and raised in Brooklyn, New York.^[1]

Director filmography

TV series

So Help Me Todd (2022)
- episode 1.02 "Co-Pilot"
Firefly Lane (2022)
- episode 1.01 "Wish You Were Here"
- episode 1.02 "On the Road"
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers (2021)
- episode 1.02 "Dusters"
- episode 1.08 "Change on the Fly"
- episode 1.10 "State of Play"
Perfect Harmony (2020)
- episode 1.12 "Hymn-a-Thon"
AJ and the Queen (2020)
- episode 1.08 "Baton Rouge"
Mixed-ish (2019-present)
- episode 1.03 "Let Your Hair Down"
- episode 1.14 "True Colors"
- episode 1.15 "This Charming Man"
Good Girls (2019)
- episode 2.15 "Everything Must Go"
Whiskey Cavalier (2019)
- episode 1.06 "Five Spies and a Baby"
I Feel Bad (2018)
- episode 1.10 "My Kids Barely Know Their Cultures"
Fresh Off the Boat (2018)
- episode 5.02 "The Hand That Sits The Cradle"
Champions (2018)
- episode 1.01 "Pilot"
- episode 1.02 "I Think I'm Gonna Tolerate It Here"
- episode 1.06 "Grandma Dearest"
- episode 1.08 "Nepotism"
Superstore (2017-2018)
- episode 2.14 "Super Hot Store"
- episode 3.11 "Angels and Mermaids"
Black-ish (2016-present)
- episode 2.15 "Twindependice"
- episode 3.18 "Manitery"
- episode 4.10 "Working Girl"
- episode 6.05 "Mad and Boujee"
- episode 7.17 "Move-In Ready"
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2016)
- episode 3.13 "The Cruise"
The Mindy Project (2012-2017)
- episode 1.02 "Hiring and Firing"
- episode 1.03 "In The Club"
- episode 1.06 "Thanksgiving"
- episode 1.10 "Mindy's Brother"
- episode 1.13 "Harry & Sally"
- episode 1.16 "The One That Got Away"
- episode 1.19 "My Cool Christian Boyfriend"
- episode 1.24 "Take Me With You"
- episode 2.1 "All My Problems Forever"
- episode 2.2 "The Other Dr. L"
- episode 2.11 "Christmas Party Sex Trip"
- episode 2.13 "L.A."
- episode 2.16 "Indian BBW"
- episode 2.22 "Danny and Mindy"
- episode 3.1 "We're a Couple Now, Haters!"
- episode 3.5 "The Devil Wears Lands' End"
- episode 3.12 "Stanford"
- episode 3.13 "San Francisco Bae"
- episode 3.21 "Best Man"
- episode 4.1 "While I Was Sleeping"
- episode 4.13 "When Mindy Met Dandy"
- episode 4.12 "Will They or Won't They"
- episode 4.26 "Homewrecker"
- episode 5.1 "Decision 2016"
- episode 5.7 "Concord"
- episode 5.8 "Revenge of the Nurse"
- episode 5.11 "Dibs"
- episode 5.14 "A Decent Prosopal"
- episode 6.9 "Danny In Real Life"
- episode 6.10 "It Had To Be You"
New Girl (2012)
- episode 1.22 "Tomatoes"
- episode 1.24 "See Ya"
Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (2012)
- episode 1.02 "Daddy's Girl..."
Modern Family (2010–2019)
- episode 1.11 "Up All Night"
- episode 1.15 "My Funky Valentine"
- episode 2.01 "The Old Wagon"
- episode 2.03 "Earthquake"
- episode 2.05 "Unplugged"
- episode 2.06 "Halloween"
- episode 2.07 "Chirp"
- episode 2.08 "Manny Get Your Gun"
- episode 2.09 "Mother Tucker"
- episode 2.13 "Caught in the Act"
- episode 2.15 "Princess Party"
- episode 2.19 "The Musical Man"
- episode 2.20 "Someone to Watch Over Lily"
- episode 2.21 "Mother's Day"
- episode 3.02 "When Good Kids Go Bad"
- episode 3.09 "Punkin Chunkin"
- episode 3.10 "Express Christmas"
- episode 3.14 "Me? Jealous?"
- episode 3.15 "Aunt Mommy"
- episode 3.20 "The Last Walt"
- episode 11.03 "Snapped"
Cougar Town (2009)
- episode 1.4 "I Won't Back Down"
Samantha Who? (2007)
- episode "The Wedding"
- episode "The Hypnotherapist"
Ugly Betty (2006)
- episode "In or Out"
Big Love (2006)
- episode "Eclipse"
- episode "Eviction"
Jake in Progress (2005)
Kitchen Confidential (2005)
- episode 1.03 "Dinner Date with Death"
Life As We Know It (2004)
Method & Red (2004)
Cracking Up (2004)
Lucky (2003)
- episode 1.7 "Savant"
- episode 1.13 "In the Stars"
Oliver Beene (2003)
Do Over (2002)
- episode "Valentine's Day Dance"
Monk (2002)
- episode 2.03 "Mr. Monk Goes to the Ballgame" ^[4]
Greg the Bunny (2002)
- episode 1.04 "Greg Gets Puppish ^[5]
Leap of Faith (2002)
The Bernie Mac Show (2001)
Scrubs (2001-2006; 2009-2010)
- episode 1.13 "My Balancing Act"
- episode 1.14 "My Drug Buddy"
- episode 1.23 "My Hero"
- episode 1.24 "My Last Day"
- episode 2.03 "My Case Study"
- episode 2.06 "My Big Brother"
- episode 2.14 "My Brother, My Keeper"
- episode 2.19 "My Kingdom"
- episode 2.21 "My Drama Queen"
- episode 3.02 "My Journey"
- episode 3.03 "My White Whale"
- episode 3.12 "My Catalyst"
- episode 4.21 "My Quarantine"
- episode 5.03 "My Day at the Races"
- episode 5.16 "My Bright Idea
- episode 8.02 "My Jerks"
- episode 8.04 "My Saving Grace"
- episode 9.01 "Our First Day of School"
- episode 9.05 "Our Mysteries"
- episode 9.10 "Our True Lies"
Sex and the City (1999-2001)
- episode 2.13 "Games People Play"
- episode 3.15 "Hot Child in the City"
- episode 3.16 "Frenemies"
- episode 4.05 "Ghost Town"
- episode 4.06 "Baby, Talk Is Cheap"
- episode 4.09 "Sex and the Country"
- episode 4.10 "Belles of the Ball"

References

^ ^a ^b Michael Spiller Biography (1961-), Film Reference
^ "Michael Spiller '84". Purchase College. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
^ "Primetime Emmy Awards and Nominations for Michael Spiller". Primetime Emmy® Award Database. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
^ ""Monk" Mr. Monk Goes to the Ballgame (TV Episode 2003) - IMDb". IMDb.
^ ""Greg the Bunny" Greg Gets Puppish (TV Episode 2002) - IMDb". IMDb.

External links

Michael Spiller at IMDb

Awards for Michael Spiller
v t e Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Comedy Series
1971–2000	John Rich for "All in the Family" (1971) Gene Reynolds for "Pilot" (MASH) (1972) Gene Reynolds for "Deal Me Out" (1973) Hy Averback for "Alcoholics Unanimous" (1974) Hy Averback for "Bombed" (1975) Alan Alda for "Dear Sigmund" (1976) Paul Bogart for "Edith's 50th Birthday" (1977) Paul Bogart for "California, Here We Are" (1978) Charles S. Dubin for "Period of Adjustment" (1979) Noam Pitlik for "Fog" (1980) Alan Alda for "The Life You Save" (1981) Alan Alda for "Where There's a Will, There's a War" (1982) James Burrows for "Showdown: Part II" (1983) Jay Sandrich for "Pilot" (The Cosby Show) (1984) Jay Sandrich for "Pilot" (The Golden Girls) (1985) Terry Hughes for "Isn't It Romantic?" (1986) Will Mackenzie for "A, My Name is Alex" (1987) Steve Miner for "Pilot" (The Wonder Years) (1988) Barnet Kellman for "Brown Like Me" (1989) James Burrows for "Woody Interruptus" (1990) Peter Bonerz for "Uh Oh: Part II" (1991) Tom Cherones for "The Contest" (1992) James Burrows for "The Good Son" (1993) David Lee for "The Matchmaker" (1994) Gordon Hunt for "The Alan Brady Show" (1995) Andy Ackerman for "The Rye" (1996) Andy Ackerman for "The Betrayal" (1997) Thomas Schlamme for "Pilot" (Sports Night*) (1998) Thomas Schlamme for "Small Town" (1999) James Burrows for "Lows in the Mid-Eighties" (2000)
2001–present	Todd Holland for "Bowling" (2001) Bryan Gordon for "Special Section" (2002) Tim Van Patten for "Boy Interrupted" (2003) Tim Van Patten for "An American Girl in Paris: Part Deux" (2004) Marc Buckland for "Pilot" (My Name Is Earl) (2005) Richard Shepard for "Pilot" (Ugly Betty) (2006) Barry Sonnenfeld for "Pie-lette" (2007) Paul Feig for "Dinner Party" (2008) Jason Winer for "Pilot" (Modern Family) (2009) Michael Spiller for "Halloween" (2010) Robert B. Weide for "Palestinian Chicken" (2011) Lena Dunham for "Pilot" (Girls) (2012) Beth McCarthy-Miller for "Hogcock!" / "Last Lunch" (2013) Jill Soloway for "Best New Girl" (2014) Chris Addison for "Election Night" (2015) Becky Martin for "Inauguration" (2016) Beth McCarthy-Miller for "Chicklet" (2017) Bill Hader for "Chapter One: Make Your Mark" (2018) Bill Hader for "ronny/lily" (2019) Susanna Fogel for "In Case of Emergency" (2020) Lucia Aniello for "There Is No Line" (2021) Bill Hader for "710N" (2022) Christopher Storer for "Fishes" (2023)

v t e Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
1950s	Peter Tewksbury for "Medal for Margaret" (1959)
1960s	Ralph Levy & Bud Yorkin for The Jack Benny Show (1960) Sheldon Leonard for The Danny Thomas Show (1961) Nat Hiken for Car 54, Where Are You? (1962) John Rich for The Dick Van Dyke Show (1963) Jerry Paris for The Dick Van Dyke Show (1964) No Award (1965) William Asher for Bewitched (1966) James Frawley for "Royal Flush" (1967) Bruce Bilson for "Maxwell Smart, Private Eye" (1968) Greg Garrison for "October 17, 1968" (1969)
1970s	Dwight Hemion for "The Sound of Burt Bacharach" (1970) Jay Sandrich for "Toulouse-Lautrec is One of My Favorite Artists" (1971) John Rich for "Sammy's Visit" (1972) Jay Sandrich for "It's Whether You Win or Lose" (1973) Jackie Cooper for "Carry On, Hawkeye" (1974) Gene Reynolds for "O.R." (1975) Gene Reynolds for "Welcome to Korea" (1976) Alan Alda for "Dear Sigmund" (1977) Paul Bogart for "Edith's 50th Birthday" (1978) Noam Pitlik for "The Harris Incident" (1979)
1980s	James Burrows for "Louie and the Nice Girl" (1980) James Burrows for "Elaine's Strange Triangle" (1981) Alan Rafkin for "Barbara's Crisis" (1982) James Burrows for "Showdown: Part 2" (1983) Bill Persky for "A Very Loud Family" (1984) Jay Sandrich for "The Younger Woman" (1985) Jay Sandrich for "Denise's Friend" (1986) Terry Hughes for "Isn't It Romantic?" (1987) Gregory Hoblit for "Pilot (Hooperman)" (1988) Peter Baldwin for "Our Miss White" (1989)
1990s	Michael Dinner for "Good-bye" (1990) James Burrows for "Woody Interruptus" (1991) Barnet Kellman for "Birth 101" (1992) Betty Thomas for "For Peter's Sake" (1993) James Burrows for "The Good Son" (1994) David Lee for "The Matchmaker" (1995) Michael Lembeck for "The One After the Superbowl" (1996) David Lee for "To Kill a Talking Bird" (1997) Todd Holland for "Flip" (1998) Thomas Schlamme for "Pilot" (Sports Night) (1999)
2000s	Todd Holland for "Pilot" (Malcolm in the Middle) (2000) Todd Holland for "Bowling" (2001) Michael Patrick King for "The Real Me" (2002) Robert B. Weide for "Krazee-Eyez Killa" (2003) Anthony and Joe Russo for "Pilot" (Arrested Development) (2004) Charles McDougall for "Pilot" (Desperate Housewives) (2005) Marc Buckland for "Pilot" (My Name Is Earl) (2006) Richard Shepard for "Pilot" (Ugly Betty) (2007) Barry Sonnenfeld for "Pie-lette" (2008) Jeffrey Blitz for "Stress Relief" (2009)
2010s	Ryan Murphy for "Pilot" (Glee) (2010) Michael Spiller for "Halloween" (2011) Steven Levitan for "Baby on Board" (2012) Gail Mancuso for "Arrested" (2013) Gail Mancuso for "Las Vegas" (2014) Joey Soloway for "Best New Girl" (2015) Joey Soloway for "Man on the Land" (2016) Donald Glover for "B.A.N." (2017) Amy Sherman-Palladino for "Pilot" (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) (2018) Harry Bradbeer for "Episode 1" (2019)
2020s	Andrew Cividino and Dan Levy for "Happy Ending" (2020) Lucia Aniello for "There Is No Line" (2021) MJ Delaney for "No Weddings and a Funeral" (2022) Christopher Storer for "Review" (2023)