Michael Goi (born March 4, 1959) is an American cinematographer and film director.

Michael Goi
A headshot of Michael Goi.
Goi in 2023
Born (1959-03-04) March 4, 1959 (age 65)
Other namesMichael K. Goi
Alma materColumbia College Chicago
Occupation(s)Cinematographer, television and film director
Years active1980–present

He is well known for his work on Showtime's Web Therapy, and for his work with Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk on Glee, Scream Queens and American Horror Story. He also wrote and directed the infamous 2011 film Megan Is Missing.

Career

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He began his career as director of photography on a short horror film directed by John Strysik, The Music of Erich Zann, in 1980; and then on the comedy The Blues Brothers, as a production assistant. He went on to serve as cinematographer on film and television series, such as: Moonstalker, How U Like Me Now, What Matters Most, Call Waiting, Funky Monkey, Cloud 9, Witness Protection, My Name is Earl, The Nine Lives of Chloe King, Mr. Sunshine, Salem and The Town That Dreaded Sundown[1][2]

Goi has written and directed three feature films during his career; Voyeur, an action drama about a reluctant porn star and her biggest fan;[citation needed] Megan Is Missing (2011), about internet predators and the disappearance of Megan Stewart (Rachel Quinn); and MARY, starring Gary Oldman and Emily Mortimer, on which he also served as the cinematographer.

Web Therapy

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Goi served as the exclusive cinematographer on Lisa Kudrow's Web Therapy throughout the entirety of its 87-episode run.

Work with Ryan Murphy

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As director of photography, Goi first worked with prolific writer/producers Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk on their (with Ian Brennan) FOX musical comedy Glee, in 2011, with the episode "Asian F". That same year he also began work on the duo's new FX series American Horror Story. His first episode on the series was the Murder House installment "Rubber Man". He went on to work on Murphy's short-lived NBC comedy The New Normal; and the trio's 2015 horror/comedy Scream Queens. During the fourth season of American Horror Story, Goi made his series directorial debut with "Magical Thinking". He served as the series' exclusive cinematographer from the premiere of Asylum, until the end of the fifth season. He was succeeded in the capacity by Breaking Bad's Nelson Cragg, with the commencement of the sixth year.[3]

Personal life

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Goi is a Japanese descent.[4]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Director Writer Notes Refs.
1989 Chains No Yes
1999 Voyeur Yes Yes
2011 Megan Is Missing Yes Yes Also editor and co-producer [5]
2019 Mary Yes No [6]

Cinematographer

Year Title Notes
1982 A Hunger Artist
1989 Moonstalker
Chains
Sam and Sarah Also editor
1992 How U Like Me Now
Hellmaster
1994 Hollywood Hills 90028 Also still photographer
1995 Ladies in Waiting
1996 Evil Obsession
Frankie D.
1997 Deadlock: A Passion for Murder
1998 Hundred Percent
Vampire Centerfolds With Geoffrey de Valois
Sorority House Vampires Uncredited
Born Champion
1999 The Awakening of Gabriella
Forbidden Sins
2001 What Matters Most
2004 Call Waiting
Funky Monkey
The Bike Squad
2006 Cloud 9
Fingerprints
Cut Off
2007 The Dukes
Frankie D
2008 Witless Protection
2010 Expecting Mary
2011 Kiss and Tell: The History of Black Romance in Movie Documentary
2014 The Town That Dreaded Sundown
2019 Mary
2020 Words on Bathroom Walls

Television

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Director

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Year Title Episode(s) Ref.
2004 Sexy Urban Legends "Sleeping with Strangers" (Segment "Organ Donor")
2015-2016 American Horror Story "Magical Thinking"
"Room Service"
"Flicker"
"Chapter 2" [7]
2016 Pretty Little Liars "Hit and Run, Run, Run"
2017 Sleepy Hollow "Child's Play"
Famous in Love "Taking Care of Business" [8]
Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments "Those of Demon Blood"
Nashville "The Night Before (Life Goes On)"
2018 Falling Water "Nothing Personal"
"The Art of the Deal"
The Arrangement "Surface Tension"
The Gifted "coMplications"
"iMprint"
2018-2024 The Rookie "Time of Death"
"Plain Clothes Day"
"Free Fall"
"Impact"
"Hand-Off"
"In Justice"
"The Squeeze"
2019 Empire "My Fault Is Past"
Swamp Thing "The Anatomy Lesson"
2019-2020 Chilling Adventures of Sabrina "Chapter Thirteen: The Passion of Sabrina Spellman"
"Chapter Six: All Of Them Witches"
2019-2023 Riverdale "Chapter Sixty-Five: In Treatment"
"Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Two: Miss Teen Riverdale"
2020 Charmed "Guess Who's Coming To SafeSpace Seattle"
2021 Big Sky "Let It Be Him"
"Nice Animals"
"Love Is a Strange and Dangerous Thing"
Kung Fu "Guidance"
2022-2023 The Rookie: Feds "Face Off"
"The Silent Prisoner"
"The Remora"
"Red One"
2024 Avatar: The Last Airbender "Aang"
"Warriors"

Cinematographer

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TV movies

  • The Fixer (1998)
  • Who Killed Atlanta's Children? (2000)
  • Christmas Rush (2002)
  • Red Water (2003)
  • Judas (2004)
  • Katie Sullivan (2006)
  • Life on Mars (2008)
  • The Untitled Michael Jacobs Pilot (2010)
  • How to Be a Better American (2010)
  • Bloodline (2013)
  • The Death of Eva Sofia Valdez (2016)

TV series

Year Title Notes
1999 The Pleasure Zone 13 episodes
1999-2000 Nightcap 11 episodes
2001 Lady Chatterley's Stories 2 episodes
2006 Invasion Episode "The Last Wave Goodbye" (With Jeffrey Jur)
2007 The Wedding Bells All 7 episodes
2007-2008 My Name Is Earl 23 episodes
2008-2013 Web Therapy 64 episodes
2009 In the Motherhood 4 episodes
2009-2010 The Mentalist 7 episodes
2011 The Nine Lives of Chloe King 9 episodes
Mr. Sunshine 12 episodes
2011-2012 Glee 7 episodes
2011-2013 Web Therapy 23 episodes
2011-2016 American Horror Story 52 episodes
2012 The New Normal Episode "Pilot"
2014 Salem 12 episodes
2015 Scream Queens Episodes "Pilot" and "Hell Week"
2024 Avatar: The Last Airbender Episodes "Aang" and "Warriors"

References

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  1. ^ "Michael Goi". TV.com. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  2. ^ "Michael Goi, ASC: Shooting TV with the Sony F65". CreativeCOW. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  3. ^ "AMERICAN HORROR STORY - INSIDE THE ASYLUM: THE LOOK OF HORROR". Panavision. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  4. ^ "Asian American filmmaker Michael Goi: 'Dreaming is not enough'". Chicago Sun-Times. 2023-03-14. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  5. ^ Yang, Rachel (November 21, 2020). "'Megan Is Missing' director on viral movie's deeper meaning and why he shot down a remake". EW.com. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  6. ^ Harvey, Dennis (October 10, 2019). "Film Review: 'Mary'". Variety. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  7. ^ "(#602) "Chapter 2"" (Press release). The Futon Critic. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  8. ^ Laventhol, Ali (July 28, 2016). "Ali Leventhol on Twitter: "Very excited to start production today on FIL103! #FamousInLove"". Twitter. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
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