Michael Thielvoldt, a Texas native, graduated with a B.A. in Film and Electronic Arts from California State University Long Beach before receiving his M.A. in Film Studies from the prestigious Department of Radio-Television-Film at the University of Texas at Austin. Soonafter, he initiated a 7-year stint as a professor of film and media studies in the RTF Department at Austin Community College, where he taught courses in media history, appreciation, criticism, and business. Over the years, he has taught film production classes for youth and adults and has been an active figure in the Texas film festival scene. He has been a member of screening teams for the Austin Film Festival and aGLIFF and as a Film Programmer for the AFS ShortCase at SXSW and for the Other Worlds Austin SciFi Film Festival (now: Other Worlds), where he also served as the festival’s Tour & Transport Director and helped introduce the “Dan O’Bannon Filmmaker Grant” for Texas filmmakers working in the science fiction genre.
In 2017, Michael assumed the position of Programs Manager at the Austin Film Society where he oversaw the organization’s signature filmmaker support programs, including the AFS Grant, Moviemaker Dialogues, Works-In-Progress screenings, the illustrious filmmaker retreats known as the Artist and Doc Intensives, and more, while also serving as the primary grant writer for the organization’s local, state, and federal grants. Michael has served as a moderator, guest speaker, film judge, and panelist for various film programs and festivals, including the SXSW Film Festival, Austin Film Festival & Conference, Oak Cliff Film Festival, Denton Black Film Festival, the Art Institute of Austin, Texas Union Film Festival, and Alliance Française d’Austin Ciné-club, among others. He is currently working as a freelance graphic designer, marketing writer for an Austin-based marketing firm, and is in early development producing a feature film.
